Future-proofed luxury: Inside the growing demand for sustainable homes

Sustainability is no longer a luxury in today’s residential market. Today’s buyers are increasingly looking for ways to future-proof their homes by making them as efficient as possible. 

This new wave of environmentally and technologically conscious luxury buyers is not only thinking about their own futures, but those of the generations to come, who will no doubt value the investment.

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And it’s not just cost savings from lower running costs that are motivating them. Buyers want forward-thinking measures such as all-electric power, heat pumps, solar panels and batteries for improved reliability and efficiency.

“Sustainability has moved from being a nice to have to an expectation among today’s buyers,” says Chris Kakoufas, chief executive at developer Cbus Property. 

“People want homes that are healthier, more efficient and better prepared for the future. Buyers are increasingly conscious of energy costs, environmental impact and the long-term resilience of the buildings they choose to live in.”

At 185 Wharf St, in Brisbane’s Spring Hill, a combination of renewable energy and biophilic design is being integrated into each of the 125 apartments, enabling every resident to live net-zero carbon. Cbus estimates each apartment will generate an estimated energy saving of between $600 and $900 annually compared to a minimum-compliance building.

The development’s emphasis on greenery not only serves to integrate nature and improve air quality but also to elevate well-being.

“185 Wharf St also embraces subtropical landscaping, connection to nature and wellness-focused amenity, recognising that sustainability is not only about environmental impact, but also about how people live and feel in their home,” Kakoufas says.

The Cape, in Victoria’s coastal town of Cape Paterson, is being marketed as Australia’s first net-zero carbon residential estate. Each of the estate’s 240 lots is gas-free, has 10,000 litres of rainwater storage and is awarded a minimum 7.5-star NABERS energy rating.

The ability to store energy generated by solar panels has motivated 40 per cent of households at The Cape to purchase electric cars. 

It’s a move that is bringing huge savings. Going all-electric enables net-zero households to save up to $11,200 per year compared with conventional homes, according to modelling by consultants New Energy Thinking. This takes into account soaring fuel prices resulting from recent volatility in the Middle East.

Living sustainably offers residents a measure of insulation from events that bring high levels of instability, whether geopolitical tensions or climate change, says Clint Hare, general manager of The Cape.

“With climate change and energy cost volatility, there are all these global energy shocks and there’s a growing expectation from buyers that homes need to protect them from all of that and not expose them to it,” he says.

“We also find that our purchasers value sustainability because it delivers comfortable, low-effort living where you can wake up in the middle of winter and walk around your house in shorts and a shirt without having to turn the heater on. And once people experience it, I feel like they would never want to go back to a leaky, draughty, inefficient home.”