Sustainability awards announced

A carbon-positive house that immerses its residents in nature has been named winner in the Single Dwelling (New) category of the 2024 Sustainability Awards this week.

‘Holocene House’ by CplusC Architects + Builders is canopied in plants and features water flowing through like a rainforest creek, with every room opening to the outdoors. The Manly house is the first in Australia to be certified by the international Active House Alliance, balancing health, comfort, and environmental performance.

In the jury’s words, “entering the home, you step across stones beside a cascading waterfall, leading to a dramatic living space centred around a natural swimming pool. This pool, cleansed by a biofiltration system of polishing ponds, reeds, charcoal, and pebbles, fosters playful and rejuvenating family spaces. Whether paddling, swimming, floating, or lounging in a shaded cargo net, you become part of a living light and soundscape.

“CplusC designed Holocene House with a focus on regenerative thinking, prioritizing sustainability over size. The home will soon generate more energy than was used in its creation and operation. Low-embodied-energy materials like spotted gum Shou Sugi Ban cladding, extremely low-toxicity finishes, and a photovoltaic system that produces 10 per cent more energy than needed underscore the home’s commitment to sustainability. Additionally, the natural swimming pool serves as a water reservoir, supporting coastal ecology and local wildlife, including bandicoots.”

Winner of the Multiple Residential Dwelling award, Perth’s ‘Hope Street Housing’ by MDC Architects and Officer Woods, optimises solar access in every home.

According to the jury, the 28 diverse terrace houses/walk-up apartments benefit from a ‘landscape-first’ approach where every home has generous setbacks for deep soil gardens to accommodate large trees, and high permeability to enable rainwater retention within the site itself.

The award for Single Dwelling (Alteration/addition) went to Alexander Symes Architect and ‘Fun Haus’, which is in fact two smaller homes with a central courtyard providing access to light, ventilation, and landscape outlooks. The jury appreciated that the available land was utilised for maximum financial, personal and sustainability impact.