Who said sustainability couldn’t come with style and an affordable price tag? These attainable homes prove you can have it all – and help the environment.
Sustainability is more than just a trend. Being environmentally conscious has become a way of life for many – and rightly so. More and more, buyers are looking to buy homes built with a greener future in mind.
The good news is that buying a sustainable home is becoming more affordable. Thanks to perks like Bank Australia’s Clean Energy Home Loan, you can receive a discounted mortgage rate if you purchase a home with a NatHERS rating of 7 stars or higher.
What’s a NatHERS rating, you ask?
The Nationwide House Energy Rating Scheme (NatHERS) assesses the energy efficiency of newly built or renovated homes and gives them a star rating out of 10.
We’ve rounded up the best homes on the market right now with stellar NatHERS ratings.
1. Stylish Melbourne apartment | 7.5 stars | $515k
So you want to live in a major city but also want a sustainable and affordable home? We’ve found the jackpot!
Brunswick and surrounding suburbs in Melbourne are ripe with developments focusing on a greener future.
One Wilson Ave is a sustainability-conscious apartment development in Brunswick, VIC. Picture: realestate.com.au/buy
For instance, the One Wilson Avenue development by Neometro has a NatHERS rating of 7.5 and one-bedroom apartments in the complex are going for as little as $515,000.
The complex offers a rooftop solar system and all residents benefit from being part of an embedded green energy network. There is a 20,000 litre rainwater tank to be used in all common facilities, plus rooftop planter boxes and secure bike storage for anyone wanting to cut carbon emissions even further.
2. Brisbane four-bedder | 8.2 stars | $550k
This gorgeous home, which once served as the display home for the Carvers Ridge Estate by Green Homes, is now for sale in an up-and-coming area only half an hour south of Brisbane CBD.
Not only does it offer a stylish and affordable solution for families, with an excellent NatHERS rating of 8.2, it’s ideal for anyone with a green conscience.
Featuring passive solar design, great insulation, a 5kW solar system with Tesla power battery, polished concrete floors and glazed windows to help beat the heat, the family home is built for the future.
Four bedrooms, sustainability and style for under $550k? Yes, please. Picture: realestate.com.au/buy
Carvers Reach Estate in the suburb of Park Ridge is a Green Homes Australia development, which Younique real estate agent Simone Fogarty says adds a greater guarantee of quality.
“Green Homes go to extra effort to draught-proof the home and use high quality insulation throughout – not all building companies do that,” Simone says.
3. Adelaide green dream | 8.2 stars | $950k
This stunningly chic three-bedroom home is currently under construction in the Woodforde estate near Magill, South Australia.
With a NatHERS rating of 8.2, it will be constructed using environmentally friendly materials. It also aims to reduce waste during and after construction.
A spacious and ‘green’ home in Adelaide’s suburbs. Picture: realestate.com.au/buy
Featuring the highest quality insulation through a reverse brick veneer and double glazed windows, it has underfloor heating and a heat recovery ventilation system that helps to heat the home effectively. Surrounding greenery helps curtail heat in summer and improve air quality.
On top of low energy appliances, there is a solar power and battery system. There’s even a charging station for your electric car!
Currently selling for $950k, the family home is fitted with the latest smart home automation system to control blinds, lights and appliances to help you manage your energy conservation.
4. North-coast townhouse | 7 stars | $620k
It’s hard to come by affordable coastal living, but this two-bedroom townhouse in Warners Bay – a 25-minute drive to Newcastle – is not a bad offer at only $620,000.
This two-bedroom townhouse near Newcastle has a 7.5 star rating. Picture: Realestate.com.au/buy
Not only that, but it has a great NatHERS rating of seven and offers some exciting sustainable perks.
On top of excellent energy-efficient temperature regulation, it benefits from a 5kW solar and battery system.
“It’s not only the energy savings – it has special air-condition systems, special hot water services, double-insulated roof and extra insulated walls – you can also get a special home loan rate,” project development manager and sales executive at One Real Estate Eastlakes, Rod Conroy, says.
“There’s only two or three properties in Warners Bay like it and it’s definitely going to be the way of the future.”
5. Sustainable riverside bargain | 8 stars | $330k+
You can take your pick of new apartment developments in Rivervale, so why not choose one that provides sustainable perks?
Apartments in the Riverena block have an average NatHERS rating of 8, plus all the mod cons of a contemporary building complex.
A riverside apartment with green credentials. Realestate.com.au/buy
While individual apartments benefit from LED lighting and double-glazed windows, helping with insulation, the environmental benefits extend around the complex at large.
For example, common room lighting is controlled by motion sensors to avoid leaving the lights on unnecessarily. Plus, the swimming pool is solar heated.
Nature lovers will love the added bonus that the complex is built around a beautiful 130-year-old fig tree that also inspired the design.
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