diff --git a/include/renderer.h b/include/renderer.h
index 69fec30..34d4dec 100644
--- a/include/renderer.h
+++ b/include/renderer.h
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
 #include <glm/trigonometric.hpp>
 
 #include "gfx_device.h"
+#include "systems/mesh_render_system.h"
 
 namespace engine {
 
@@ -31,7 +32,8 @@ class Renderer {
 
   void PreRender(bool window_is_resized, glm::mat4 camera_transform);
 
-  void Render();
+  // staticList can be nullptr to render nothing
+  void Render(const StaticRenderList* staticList);
 
   // getters
 
diff --git a/include/scene_manager.h b/include/scene_manager.h
index 298a6f2..e86ad78 100644
--- a/include/scene_manager.h
+++ b/include/scene_manager.h
@@ -21,7 +21,8 @@ class SceneManager {
   // creates an empty scene and sets it as active
   Scene* CreateEmptyScene();
 
-  void UpdateActiveScene(float ts);
+// returns active scene, nullptr if no scene active
+  Scene* UpdateActiveScene(float ts);
   Scene* GetActiveScene() { return scenes_.at(active_scene_index_).get(); }
 
  private:
diff --git a/include/systems/mesh_render_system.h b/include/systems/mesh_render_system.h
index 407182e..11ac826 100644
--- a/include/systems/mesh_render_system.h
+++ b/include/systems/mesh_render_system.h
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
 
 namespace engine {
 
-struct MeshRenderListEntry {
+struct StaticRenderListEntry {
   const gfx::Pipeline* pipeline;
   const gfx::Buffer* vertex_buffer;
   const gfx::Buffer* index_buffer;
@@ -18,18 +18,21 @@ struct MeshRenderListEntry {
   uint32_t index_count;
 };
 
+using StaticRenderList = std::vector<StaticRenderListEntry>;
+
 class MeshRenderSystem : public System {
  public:
   MeshRenderSystem(Scene* scene);
   ~MeshRenderSystem();
 
   void RebuildRenderList();
+  const StaticRenderList* GetStaticRenderList() const { return &static_render_list_; }
 
   void OnComponentInsert(uint32_t entity) override;
   void OnUpdate(float ts) override;
 
  private:
-  std::vector<MeshRenderListEntry> static_render_list_;
+  StaticRenderList static_render_list_;
   bool list_needs_rebuild_ = false;
 
 };
diff --git a/include/util/model_loader.h b/include/util/model_loader.h
index 0af7223..7728129 100644
--- a/include/util/model_loader.h
+++ b/include/util/model_loader.h
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
 namespace engine {
 namespace util {
 
-uint32_t LoadMeshFromFile(Scene* parent, const std::string& path);
+uint32_t LoadMeshFromFile(Scene* parent, const std::string& path, bool is_static = false);
 
 }  // namespace util
 }  // namespace engine
diff --git a/src/application.cpp b/src/application.cpp
index 9e6abab..464a0e9 100644
--- a/src/application.cpp
+++ b/src/application.cpp
@@ -17,6 +17,8 @@
 #include "resources/mesh.h"
 #include "resources/shader.h"
 #include "resources/texture.h"
+#include "systems/mesh_render_system.h"
+#include "components/transform.h"
 #include "scene.h"
 #include "scene_manager.h"
 #include "window.h"
@@ -148,8 +150,7 @@ Application::Application(const char* appName, const char* appVersion,
   }
 }
 
-Application::~Application() {
-}
+Application::~Application() {}
 
 void Application::GameLoop() {
   LOG_DEBUG("Begin game loop...");
@@ -165,19 +166,24 @@ void Application::GameLoop() {
   // single-threaded game loop
   while (window_->IsRunning()) {
     /* logic */
-    scene_manager_->UpdateActiveScene(window_->dt());
+    Scene* scene = scene_manager_->UpdateActiveScene(window_->dt());
 
     uint64_t now = window_->GetNanos();
     if (now - lastTick >= 1000000000LL * 5LL) [[unlikely]] {
       lastTick = now;
       LOG_INFO("fps: {}", window_->GetAvgFPS());
-      //renderer()->GetDevice()->LogPerformanceInfo();
+      // renderer()->GetDevice()->LogPerformanceInfo();
       window_->ResetAvgFPS();
     }
 
     /* render */
-    renderer_->PreRender(window()->GetWindowResized(), glm::mat4{1.0f});
-    renderer_->Render();
+    renderer_->PreRender(window()->GetWindowResized(), scene->GetComponent<TransformComponent>(scene->GetEntity("camera"))->world_matrix);
+
+    const StaticRenderList* staticList = nullptr;
+    if (scene) {
+      staticList = scene->GetSystem<MeshRenderSystem>()->GetStaticRenderList();
+    }
+    renderer_->Render(staticList);
 
     /* poll events */
     window_->GetInputAndEvents();
@@ -190,7 +196,7 @@ void Application::GameLoop() {
     endFrame = beginFrame + FRAMETIME_LIMIT;
   }
 
-  renderer()->GetDevice()->WaitIdle();
+  renderer_->GetDevice()->WaitIdle();
 }
 
 }  // namespace engine
diff --git a/src/renderer.cpp b/src/renderer.cpp
index e5c89c2..88298f0 100644
--- a/src/renderer.cpp
+++ b/src/renderer.cpp
@@ -90,10 +90,39 @@ void Renderer::PreRender(bool window_is_resized, glm::mat4 camera_transform) {
                               &frame_uniform.uniform_buffer_data);
 }
 
-void Renderer::Render()
-{
+void Renderer::Render(const StaticRenderList* staticList) {
   gfx::DrawBuffer* draw_buffer = device_->BeginRender();
 
+  if (staticList && !staticList->empty()) {
+    const gfx::Pipeline* const first_pipeline = staticList->begin()->pipeline;
+    device_->CmdBindDescriptorSet(draw_buffer, first_pipeline,
+                                  global_uniform.set, 0);
+    device_->CmdBindDescriptorSet(draw_buffer, first_pipeline,
+                                  frame_uniform.set, 1);
+
+    device_->CmdBindPipeline(draw_buffer, first_pipeline);
+    const gfx::Pipeline* last_bound_pipeline = first_pipeline;
+
+    for (const auto& entry : *staticList) {
+      if (entry.pipeline != last_bound_pipeline) {
+        device_->CmdBindPipeline(draw_buffer, entry.pipeline);
+        last_bound_pipeline = entry.pipeline;
+      }
+      device_->CmdBindDescriptorSet(draw_buffer, entry.pipeline,
+                                    entry.base_colour_texture, 2);
+      device_->CmdPushConstants(draw_buffer, entry.pipeline, 0,
+                                sizeof(entry.model_matrix),
+                                &entry.model_matrix);
+      if (entry.vertex_buffer) {
+        device_->CmdBindVertexBuffer(draw_buffer, 0, entry.vertex_buffer);
+      }
+      if (entry.index_buffer) {
+        device_->CmdBindIndexBuffer(draw_buffer, entry.index_buffer);
+      }
+      device_->CmdDrawIndexed(draw_buffer, entry.index_count, 1, 0, 0, 0);
+    }
+  }
+
   device_->FinishRender(draw_buffer);
 }
 
diff --git a/src/scene_manager.cpp b/src/scene_manager.cpp
index 5421f26..6672f9a 100644
--- a/src/scene_manager.cpp
+++ b/src/scene_manager.cpp
@@ -22,12 +22,16 @@ namespace engine {
 		return scenes_.back().get();
 	}
 
-	void SceneManager::UpdateActiveScene(float ts)
+	Scene* SceneManager::UpdateActiveScene(float ts)
 	{
 		if (active_scene_index_ >= 0) [[likely]] {
 			assert((size_t)active_scene_index_ < scenes_.size());
-			scenes_[active_scene_index_]->Update(ts);
-		}
+			Scene* activeScene = scenes_[active_scene_index_].get();
+      activeScene->Update(ts);
+      return activeScene;
+		} else {
+      return nullptr;
+    }
 	}
 
 }
diff --git a/src/systems/mesh_render_system.cpp b/src/systems/mesh_render_system.cpp
index 31bca17..e30c5f3 100644
--- a/src/systems/mesh_render_system.cpp
+++ b/src/systems/mesh_render_system.cpp
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ void MeshRenderSystem::RebuildRenderList() {
     const gfx::Pipeline* pipeline =
         renderable->material->GetShader()->GetPipeline();
 
-    static_render_list_.emplace_back(MeshRenderListEntry{
+    static_render_list_.emplace_back(StaticRenderListEntry{
         .pipeline = pipeline,
         .vertex_buffer = renderable->mesh->GetVB(),
         .index_buffer = renderable->mesh->GetIB(),
@@ -47,8 +47,8 @@ void MeshRenderSystem::RebuildRenderList() {
 
   // sort the meshes by pipeline
   auto sort_by_pipeline = [&render_orders](
-                              const MeshRenderListEntry& e1,
-                              const MeshRenderListEntry& e2) -> bool {
+                              const StaticRenderListEntry& e1,
+                              const StaticRenderListEntry& e2) -> bool {
     return (render_orders.at(e1.pipeline) < render_orders.at(e2.pipeline));
   };
 
@@ -74,6 +74,7 @@ void MeshRenderSystem::RebuildRenderList() {
 }
 
 void MeshRenderSystem::OnComponentInsert(uint32_t entity) {
+  (void)entity;
   list_needs_rebuild_ = true;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/util/model_loader.cpp b/src/util/model_loader.cpp
index efb801b..7ee772b 100644
--- a/src/util/model_loader.cpp
+++ b/src/util/model_loader.cpp
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ namespace engine::util {
 		const std::map<int, std::shared_ptr<resources::Texture>>& textures,
 		const std::vector<std::shared_ptr<resources::Mesh>>& meshes,
 		const std::vector<unsigned int>& meshTextureIndices,
-		aiNode* parentNode, Scene* scene, uint32_t parentObj)
+		aiNode* parentNode, Scene* scene, uint32_t parentObj, bool is_static)
 	{
 
 		// convert to glm column major
@@ -71,10 +71,12 @@ namespace engine::util {
 		parentTransform->position = position;
 		parentTransform->scale = scale;
 		parentTransform->rotation = rotation;
+    parentTransform->is_static = is_static;
 
 		for (uint32_t i = 0; i < parentNode->mNumMeshes; i++) {
 			// create child node for each mesh
 			auto child = scene->CreateEntity("_mesh" + std::to_string(i), parentObj);
+      scene->GetComponent<TransformComponent>(child)->is_static = is_static;
 			auto childRenderer = scene->AddComponent<RenderableComponent>(child);
 			childRenderer->mesh = meshes[parentNode->mMeshes[i]];
 			childRenderer->material = std::make_shared<resources::Material>(scene->app()->GetResource<resources::Shader>("builtin.standard"));
@@ -92,12 +94,12 @@ namespace engine::util {
 				meshTextureIndices,
 				parentNode->mChildren[i],
 				scene,
-				scene->CreateEntity("child" + std::to_string(i), parentObj)
+				scene->CreateEntity("child" + std::to_string(i), parentObj), is_static
 			);
 		}
 	}
 
-	uint32_t LoadMeshFromFile(Scene* parent, const std::string& path)
+	uint32_t LoadMeshFromFile(Scene* parent, const std::string& path, bool is_static)
 	{
 		Assimp::Importer importer;
 
@@ -231,7 +233,7 @@ namespace engine::util {
 
 		uint32_t obj = parent->CreateEntity(scene->GetShortFilename(path.c_str()));
 
-		buildGraph(textures, meshes, meshMaterialIndices, scene->mRootNode, parent, obj);
+		buildGraph(textures, meshes, meshMaterialIndices, scene->mRootNode, parent, obj, is_static);
 
 		LOG_INFO("Loaded model: {}, meshes: {}, textures: {}", scene->GetShortFilename(path.c_str()), meshes.size(), textures.size());
 
diff --git a/test/src/game.cpp b/test/src/game.cpp
index bf0d2c1..7db7c9e 100644
--- a/test/src/game.cpp
+++ b/test/src/game.cpp
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ void PlayGame(GameSettings settings) {
 
   engine::Application app(PROJECT_NAME, PROJECT_VERSION, graphics_settings);
   app.SetFrameLimiter(settings.enable_frame_limiter);
-  app.window()->SetRelativeMouseMode(false);
+  app.window()->SetRelativeMouseMode(true);
   ConfigureInputs(app.input_manager());
 
   {
@@ -79,14 +79,14 @@ void PlayGame(GameSettings settings) {
     }
 
     /* shared resources */
-    /* auto grass_texture = std::make_shared<engine::resources::Texture>(
+    auto grass_texture = std::make_shared<engine::resources::Texture>(
         app.renderer(), app.GetResourcePath("textures/grass.jpg"),
         engine::resources::Texture::Filtering::kAnisotropic);
 
     auto space_texture = std::make_shared<engine::resources::Texture>(
         app.renderer(), app.GetResourcePath("textures/space2.png"),
         engine::resources::Texture::Filtering::kAnisotropic);
-        */
+
     /* skybox */
     {
       uint32_t skybox = my_scene->CreateEntity("skybox");
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ void PlayGame(GameSettings settings) {
           std::make_unique<engine::resources::Material>(
               app.GetResource<engine::resources::Shader>("builtin.skybox"));
       skybox_renderable->material->texture_ =
-          app.GetResource<engine::resources::Texture>("builtin.white");
+          space_texture;
       skybox_renderable->mesh = GenCuboidMesh(app.renderer()->GetDevice(),
                                               10.0f, 10.0f, 10.0f, 1.0f, true);
 
@@ -122,7 +122,7 @@ void PlayGame(GameSettings settings) {
           std::make_shared<engine::resources::Material>(
               app.GetResource<engine::resources::Shader>("builtin.standard"));
       floor_renderable->material->texture_ =
-          app.GetResource<engine::resources::Texture>("builtin.white");
+          grass_texture;
       floor_renderable->mesh = GenCuboidMesh(app.renderer()->GetDevice(),
                                              100.0f, 0.1f, 100.0f, 100.0f);
 
@@ -135,20 +135,20 @@ void PlayGame(GameSettings settings) {
     // engine::util::LoadMeshFromFile(my_scene,
     //                                app.GetResourcePath("models/test_scene.dae"));
 
-    //auto cobbleHouse = engine::util::LoadMeshFromFile(
-    //    my_scene, app.GetResourcePath("models/cobble_house/cobble_house.dae"));
-    //my_scene->GetComponent<engine::TransformComponent>(cobbleHouse)->position +=
-    //    glm::vec3{33.0f, 0.1f, 35.0f};
-    //auto cobbleCustom =
-    //    my_scene->AddComponent<engine::CustomComponent>(cobbleHouse);
-    //cobbleCustom->onInit = [](void) {
-    //  LOG_INFO("Cobble house spin component initialised!");
-    //};
-    //cobbleCustom->onUpdate = [&](float ts) {
-    //  static auto t =
-    //      my_scene->GetComponent<engine::TransformComponent>(cobbleHouse);
-    //  t->rotation *= glm::angleAxis(ts, glm::vec3{0.0f, 0.0f, 1.0f});
-    //};
+    auto cobbleHouse = engine::util::LoadMeshFromFile(
+        my_scene, app.GetResourcePath("models/cobble_house/cobble_house.dae"), true);
+    my_scene->GetComponent<engine::TransformComponent>(cobbleHouse)->position +=
+        glm::vec3{33.0f, 0.1f, 35.0f};
+    auto cobbleCustom =
+        my_scene->AddComponent<engine::CustomComponent>(cobbleHouse);
+    cobbleCustom->onInit = [](void) {
+      LOG_INFO("Cobble house spin component initialised!");
+    };
+    cobbleCustom->onUpdate = [&](float ts) {
+      static auto t =
+          my_scene->GetComponent<engine::TransformComponent>(cobbleHouse);
+      t->rotation *= glm::angleAxis(ts, glm::vec3{0.0f, 0.0f, 1.0f});
+    };
 
     /* some text */
     {