The Coledale Rainforest Retreat is nestled in a Rainforest under the escarpment  at Coledale. The site had been used historically as a coal mine pony paddock and was zoned as environmentally sensitive. The site is now used as an environmental education centre and base for rain forest walks with a Managers Residence included. The clients asked Matt to build them a high quality home that was beautiful but not pretentious, and to incorporate as many environmentally sound principles into the home as possible within a decent but not unlimited budget. Connecting power, water and telecommunications to the proposed construction site involved drilling a 400 metre long underground bore which ran underneath the rainforest up to an elevation of fifty five metres above the street level, to reduce damage to the rainforest.  World first trial of ultra-low embodied energy structural concrete using DESCRETE as an environmentally sustainable cement powder to partially or completely replace Portland Cement, dramatically decreasing CO2 emissions associated with both the chemical reaction and manufacture associated with the production of Portland Cement, it also had 70% recycled content.  100% wool carpet is laid on non-toxic Bridgestone recycled textile underlay.  Recycled materials include: timber joinery, driveway paving from recycled brick, waterproof membranes, and kitchen splash back tiles from recycled beer bottles. Recovered materials include: all sandstone cladding from quarry waste, and landscape sandstone from site excavations. Recycling rates in excess of 80%, through consistent and meticulous on-site separation throughout the entire project, including recycling workers food scraps. Less than 30 tonnes of mixed waste went to landfill.  All timber is either certified new timber or recycled, and all MDF joinery is E0. Oikos zero VOC, GECA approved paints used throughout, and Livos natural oils used for all external timberwork.  Local trades were used wherever possible.  Every plant in the landscaping (including lawns) is a local indigenous Coledale rainforest plant. Many were propagated on site from local seed stock .  The BioNova natural water swimming pool is a stable, balanced, self cleaning, self sustaining fresh water eco-system. The water is 100% chemical free. Micro organisms, microbes and water plants in a biological filter filter or water garden ensure effective and continuous cleaning of the water.