How a shift in the way we think about sustainability is being reflected in the homes we build

For a few years now, many of us have been toting reusable coffee cups and shopping bags around, but everyday Australians are getting more serious about sustainability – especially when it comes to our homes. 

Dr Fiona Gray, CEO of independent sustainability consultancy Renew, has noticed an upswing in our collective desire to implement more planet-friendly practices. 

“Five years ago, we were having to convince people why we needed to take action, whereas now people are actually starting to understand the why, and they’re really wanting to know the how,” she explains. 

Gray puts this shift down to a few different coalescing factors. She says that the pandemic gave many people an opportunity to adopt new habits like cycling or growing their own veggies, as well as the impetus to improve the thermal comfort and performance of their homes. On top of that, Australians are more keenly aware of the effects of climate change than ever before. 

Gray adds that the kicker, for a lot of people, is that energy prices are spiralling – so even those less concerned with sustainability are wanting to reduce their usage. 

And while we can all make small daily decisions to help lessen wastage and lower emissions, it’s rethinking our homes that might have the biggest impact. 

Gray says the reason she works in the field of housing sustainability is that the way we construct and use our homes and buildings can have such a massive impact on greenhouse emissions. 

“We all need to look at our houses and our buildings – and not just at the individual level, but at the government and industry level,” she says. 

This means both retrofitting existing homes and building new homes to a higher standard. To this end, the Renew team recently led a successful campaign to increase the minimum NatHERS rating for new homes from six stars to seven, and for an “energy budget” to be introduced to households. 

For national residential developer Peet, a focus on environmentally conscious development including creating opportunities for more sustainable housing is both a response to elevated awareness in the community and part of a long-term commitment to a greener future. 

Peet managing director and CEO Brendan Gore says Brabham Estate, developed in partnership with DevelopmentWA, will be built around sustainability and innovation.

“Brabham Estate’s ambition is to deliver sustainable outcomes for its residents and the wider community,” says Gore. “This project features innovative designs, which aim to reduce energy and water use while preserving the community for generations to come.”

Brabham, located 20 kilometres north-east of the Perth CBD, has been awarded a 6-star Green Star community rating from the Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA) – an internationally recognised sustainability certification. 

Brabham Estate’s crown jewel is its Green Homes display: a 9.2-star NatHERS-rated, all-electric dwelling that was built by Green Homes and has achieved the highest rating for a two-storey house in Australia (based on the CSIRO database and correct as of July 2022). 

The home’s passive design means it’s comfortable year-round, plus it features solar panels and a 5kW battery, a home energy management system (to track usage), a heat pump, a water-wise garden and an electric vehicle charger, among other things.  

“The leading-edge design of the Green Homes display at Brabham aims to encourage new purchasers’ builders to reduce their environmental footprint while improving the affordability over the life of the home,” says Gore. The Green Homes display is open to anyone who wants to visit and get an idea of what a highly sustainable home looks and feels like and how they can incorporate sustainable features in their own property design.