From little things big things grow...

Positive Footprints is driven by two directors, a husband and wife team, Jeremy Spencer and Chi Lu, who chose to build sustainable homes as their second career.

Chi is a graduate from the University of Melbourne (B.Commerce & B. Law) in1996, and has worked in Law, Marketing and Business. Jeremy has a B.Arts with a Grad. Dipoloma in Education, and worked as a primary school teacher and in children education for many years.

Prior to 2000, Chi and Jeremy worked in the United States and Ireland. The overseas experience allowed them to appreciate various cultural perspectives and global concerns. Principally among them was the seeming disconnect between our society’s voracious resource use, throw away mentality and pollution-generating energy sources, and the way natural eco-systems recycle resources and make efficient use of available energy. They resolved that learning from nature was a way forward for both environmental and social benefit, and that they could be part of this solution.

In 2001, both decided that they would direct their energies to become part of the solution, following the principle Gandhi espoused to 'be the change they wished to see in the world'. Their contribution could also educate and encourage others to do the same. This culminated in a change in career direction and a return to study for both of them, and Positive Footprints was formed. The aim of Positive Footprints is to:

build houses that are as low impact as possible
make sustainable housing mainstream in the building industry
make owning a high performing house easy, by combining ESD design and construction within the one company, to close the disconnect that often exists between the design and the implementation on site.

Since 2006, Jeremy has been a registered builder in Victoria, and Chi is a building design consultant. Our business has grown over the years and now boasts:

Our talented in-house architect, Sarah - who is also an a Climate Reality Leader
Our resourceful site manager, Luke
And our team of committed carpenters Greg, Oisin, Philip & Nicholas.

We are also branching out from our mainstay of custom house design and build solutions, to include a range of ready-to-go, economical 9 star environmentally designed project homes. This offering will make high performance homes more easily achievable for more people.

As always, the learning journey continues. Positive Footprints have created and built numerous beautiful homes and extensions, and each has been more low impact and well executed than the last. At least 2 of our houses (as reported by clients) produce more power than they use, which goes back into the grid as ‘green energy’ for others to use, and in that sense they are indeed “Positive”.

Today, Jeremy and Chi are also passionate parents of two young children, making the vocation they have chosen an even more urgent and important one.

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From little things big things grow... Positive Footprints is driven by two directors, a husband and wife team, Jeremy Spencer and Chi Lu, who chose to build sustainable homes as their second career. Chi is a graduate from the University of Melbourne (B.Commerce & B. Law) in1996, and has worked in Law, Marketing and Business. Jeremy has a B.Arts with a Grad. Dipoloma in Education, and worked as a primary school teacher and in children education for many years. Prior to 2000, Chi and Jeremy worked in the United States and Ireland. The overseas experience allowed them to appreciate various cultural perspectives and global concerns. Principally among them was the seeming disconnect between our society’s voracious resource use, throw away mentality and pollution-generating energy sources, and the way natural eco-systems recycle resources and make efficient use of available energy. They resolved that learning from nature was a way forward for both environmental and social benefit, and that they could be part of this solution. In 2001, both decided that they would direct their energies to become part of the solution, following the principle Gandhi espoused to 'be the change they wished to see in the world'. Their contribution could also educate and encourage others to do the same. This culminated in a change in career direction and a return to study for both of them, and Positive Footprints was formed. The aim of Positive Footprints is to: build houses that are as low impact as possible make sustainable housing mainstream in the building industry make owning a high performing house easy, by combining ESD design and construction within the one company, to close the disconnect that often exists between the design and the implementation on site. Since 2006, Jeremy has been a registered builder in Victoria, and Chi is a building design consultant. Our business has grown over the years and now boasts: Our talented in-house architect, Sarah - who is also an a Climate Reality Leader Our resourceful site manager, Luke And our team of committed carpenters Greg, Oisin, Philip & Nicholas. We are also branching out from our mainstay of custom house design and build solutions, to include a range of ready-to-go, economical 9 star environmentally designed project homes. This offering will make high performance homes more easily achievable for more people. As always, the learning journey continues. Positive Footprints have created and built numerous beautiful homes and extensions, and each has been more low impact and well executed than the last. At least 2 of our houses (as reported by clients) produce more power than they use, which goes back into the grid as ‘green energy’ for others to use, and in that sense they are indeed “Positive”. Today, Jeremy and Chi are also passionate parents of two young children, making the vocation they have chosen an even more urgent and important one.