The path to healthy home building with Zara D'Cotta & Tim Sayce

In this compelling interview, Tim Sayce, founder of Kai Konstruct, speaks with Zara D'Cotta, a leader in healthy building practices, about the urgent need for builders and designers to rethink the way homes are built. With rising demand for healthier homes and increasing challenges brought on by new regulations such as NCC 2022, this conversation dives deep into how the construction industry can evolve to meet these expectations while maintaining high standards of craftsmanship.

Key topics discussed:

  1. The importance of mould prevention

    One of the key points raised by Zara and Tim is how often mould problems occur even before a home is complete. Tim shares real-life stories of dealing with disintegrating timber due to improper storage and water damage. Both agree that careful planning during the construction stage is crucial to avoiding these issues.

Zara emphasises the need for construction-stage practices to be built into projects from the start, using detailed checklists to ensure compliance with new regulations like NCC 2022 (condensation management) and better protect homeowners from health risks. This is especially important for home designers and builders in Australia, whom can now be held liable if mould is found in roofs and walls.

2. Building healthier homes without extra costs

While many believe that a healthier home requires a huge investment in premium materials, Zara explains that a well-considered design and construction plan can significantly improve a home's health without adding substantial costs. This includes things like:

    • Strategically placing windows for natural ventilation.

    • Ensuring airtightness and watertightness to prevent condensation.

    • Placing electrical appliances away from areas of prolonged exposure, such as bedrooms, to reduce EMF exposure.

Tim echoes these sentiments, sharing his own experience with improving build quality by using better materials and incorporating building science principles into his projects.

3. The future of healthy building

As the interview wraps up, Tim and Zara discuss the future of the building industry. Tim shares how he envisions builders proactively educating themselves on the latest healthy building practices and how he has seen a shift among younger builders who are more passionate about delivering long-term value and sustainable homes. Zara advocates for stronger collaboration between builders, designers, and homeowners to ensure everyone is on the same page about expectations and values.

Key takeaways:

  • Mould prevention and condensation management should be factored into every build from the design stage.

  • Healthy building practices don't always require a significant budget—smart design and airtight construction can go a long way.

  • Builders should proactively upskill and educate themselves on the health impacts of building materials, regulations, and new technologies to stay ahead of the curve.

If you're a home designer or builder interested in learning more about how you can integrate these healthy building strategies into your projects, join our Healthy Building Materials Mastermind for access to detailed checklists and guidance on creating homes that stand the test of time.

If you'd like to gauge where your healthy building materials knowledge is currently at and be provided a report with suggestions for improvement, take our 'Test your healthy building materials IQ' scorecard.

Zara D’Cotta is a Building Biology New Build Consultant, Keynote Speaker and Founder of The Healthy Home.

We envision an Australia where every home is a testament to health-centric design and construction. Our goal is to be the guiding light for time-strapped building industry professionals, ensuring every home designed and built under their watch prioritises the health and well-being of its occupants.