Passive House Podcast cohost Matthew Cutler-Welsh interviews Ben Caine, an Architect and Passive House Designer based in Perth, Western Australia. As Matthew discovered in this interview, Ben has a passion and knack for making good design look simple.

After an early career working in the film industry, Ben decided that he really wanted to do something that would make a difference to people’s lives. So in his mid-twenties, he went back to college to become an architect. He has made the most of this opportunity, taking out design awards and being involved with the local branch of the Australian Institute of Architects. In 2018, Ben qualified as a Certified Passive House Designer and during that same year, he founded Leanhaus, a design firm with a goal to bring high performance homes to more people than just the select few who can afford a luxury, architecturally designed home.

While some of his designs may look a million dollars, Leanhaus is demonstrating that Passive House can be practical, affordable, and very appropriate for warm climates like Western Australia.