Understanding sustainable home building

Sustainable thinking is part of every build at Harris Build, not a separate product line or an upsell.

We work closely with clients from the very start to understand how they want to live, then bring that brief to architecturally designed homes shaped around performance as much as appearance. We collaborate with your architect or designer where you have one, or connect you with trusted local designers where you don't, so sustainable design decisions are considered alongside layout, materials and finishes – rather than after them.

What is a sustainable home?

A sustainable home is much more than just an eco-friendly house: it is a new home meticulously designed and built to minimise its environmental footprint while maximising year-round comfort and energy efficiency for its occupants. This means creating sustainable living spaces with several key benefits:

Reduced energy consumption, leading to lower energy bills
A healthier living environment

Ultimately, it's about building a home that is built for the future.

Key principles of sustainable building

The core principles of sustainable building revolve around intelligent home design and construction that prioritises the planet and its inhabitants. This comprehensive approach ensures that every new home built contributes positively to its surroundings and supports sustainable living and includes key elements such as:

Optimising for local climate conditions
Selecting renewable energy sources
Using high-quality, sustainably sourced materials with a long lifespan

The importance of passive design

Passive design is fundamental to creating sustainable homes that are comfortable and energy efficient without relying heavily on mechanical heating and cooling systems.

By strategically considering factors such as site orientation, natural ventilation, insulation, and high-performance glazing, a passive home design can naturally regulate indoor temperatures, keeping the home warm in winter and cool in summer, significantly reducing energy use and carbon footprint.

Our custom home building process

Building a genuinely sustainable home means making the right calls early, when they're easiest and most cost-effective to act on.

Our transparent building process ensures sustainable choices are integrated from the very first consultation, guiding you through every step to build your dream custom home, focused on both performance and aesthetic appeal.

Initial consultation and planning

Our custom home building journey begins with an in-depth consultation where we listen to your vision for your new home, assess your site, and discuss your budget and sustainability goals. This initial planning stage is crucial for understanding how you want to live in your sustainable home, ensuring every aspect of the design and build aligns with your aspirations for a comfortable and energy-efficient living space.

Designing your sustainable home

Working collaboratively with our architects and designers, this stage involves crafting custom home plans that incorporate passive design principles from the outset. We consider orientation, glazing, and floor plan to ensure your new home is naturally optimised for heating and cooling, minimising energy consumption and maximising year-round comfort. This thoughtful home design approach is key to creating sustainable homes.

Approval and permits for construction

Navigating the necessary approvals and permits can be complex, but as your dedicated custom home builder, we manage this entire process for you.

This includes fulfilling any energy rating requirements, such as NatHERS assessments, to ensure your sustainable home meets all regulatory standards.

We aim for transparency in pricing and adherence to environmental guidelines, confirming performance targets before any construction begins.

Benefits of working with a sustainable builder

Long-term energy savings

Opting for a sustainable home builder like Harris Build ensures your new home is designed for long-term energy savings, significantly reducing your energy bills.

Through thoughtful home design, including superior insulation, high-performance glazing, and optimised orientation, we minimise energy consumption for heating and cooling.

This focus on efficiency not only lowers your ongoing costs but also contributes to a smaller carbon footprint, making your custom home an investment in sustainable living.

Comfort and liveability

A sustainable home is synonymous with enhanced comfort and liveability, providing year-round comfort regardless of external weather conditions.

Our approach to sustainable building integrates passive design principles and high-quality materials to create a new home that remains warm in winter and cool in summer, often without the need for excessive mechanical heating and cooling. This leads to a more consistent and enjoyable indoor climate, reducing reliance on appliances and contributing to a healthier living environment with lower energy use.

Eco-friendly materials and practices

At Harris Build, we are committed to utilising eco-friendly materials and sustainable building practices throughout the entire building process. This includes selecting materials with a low environmental footprint, such as sustainably sourced timber and innovative insulation options, and minimising waste on site.

Our dedication to sustainability extends to every aspect of your custom home, ensuring that your new home not only looks beautiful but also has a minimal impact on the environment, embodying true green building principles.

Harris Build's approach to sustainable living

Collaboration with architects and designers

Our approach to creating sustainable homes is deeply rooted in collaboration with experienced architects and designers.

From the initial consultation, we work hand-in-hand to integrate sustainable home design ideas that align with your vision and the specific characteristics of your site. This ensures that features like passive solar design, natural ventilation, and efficient floor plans are considered from the very beginning, leading to high-quality custom homes that are both aesthetically pleasing and exceptionally energy efficient.

Local knowledge of the Australian environment

Building sustainable homes in Australia requires an in-depth understanding of the local environment, particularly across the Bass Coast, Mornington Peninsula and South Gippsland regions.

Harris Build brings extensive local knowledge to every project, ensuring that your new home is perfectly adapted to its unique climate and site conditions. This includes optimising for prevailing winds, solar paths, and specific soil types, allowing us to design and build homes that truly belong where they are built and offer unparalleled year-round comfort.

Clear communication throughout the building process

We believe that a transparent building process is essential for delivering exceptional sustainable homes. From detailed quoting to regular updates, Harris Build ensures clear communication throughout your custom home journey.

We provide honest guidance on material choices, energy ratings, and any potential upgrades, allowing you to make informed decisions that align with your budget and sustainability goals. Our commitment to transparent pricing and open dialogue ensures you feel confident and informed every step of the way, making the process of building your dream home an enjoyable experience.

Want to know more about our process? Download our Client Journey Brochure.

Our completed sustainable home projects

Case study: Panorama Drive

This project, Winner of the Master Builders Victoria Regional Building Awards in 2023 for Best Sustainable Home, perfectly encapsulates Harris Build's commitment to sustainable building.

Panorama Drive shows what's possible when passive design meets a small, tree-lined block on the edge of the coast. From the first consultation, decisions on orientation, glazing and insulation were planned around comfort with minimal upkeep – keeping energy use, and bills, low without asking the owners to compromise on how the home felt to live in.

Case study: Viminalis

Winner of Best Sustainable Home by Master Builders Victoria Regional Building Awards in 2022, Viminalis is built to work with the seasons rather than against them.

Living areas are positioned to track the sun's path, drawing in warmth over winter and stepping back from it in summer, while considered insulation and glazing choices keep that comfort in place year-round – the kind of groundwork that's been recognised with a 9-star energy rating.

Showcasing our award-winning green homes

Harris Build's portfolio extends beyond just these projects, featuring numerous other green homes that have been recognised for their innovative sustainable building features.

Our projects showcase our commitment to creating high-quality, custom homes where sustainable thinking is integral to every aspect of the design and build.

These homes demonstrate how energy efficiency, a reduced carbon footprint, and year-round comfort can be achieved without compromising on aesthetic appeal, offering homeowners a healthier, more environmentally friendly living space.

Frequently asked questions about sustainable home building

When seeking a sustainable home builder, it is crucial to find a partner who prioritises performance from the initial design consultation, not as an afterthought. Look for a builder who meticulously considers orientation, glazing, insulation, and material choices, as these elements have a greater impact on a new home's energy efficiency than standalone features like solar panels. Inquire about their completed projects, the energy ratings achieved, and how sustainability is genuinely factored into their transparent pricing and comprehensive building process, ensuring you receive a truly sustainable home.
The perception that sustainable homes always cost more to build is not entirely accurate. While certain upgrades or materials might initially have a higher upfront cost, many sustainable choices can be seamlessly integrated into the custom home design from the very start, proving to be more cost-effective in the long run. The overall cost hinges on the specific design, site conditions, selected materials, and desired performance goals. Ultimately, these decisions lead to lower energy bills and significant long-term savings, making a sustainable home a smart investment for the future.
Absolutely, Harris Build prides itself on fostering strong collaborative relationships. We are adept at working closely with your existing architect and design team throughout the entire building process to bring your sustainable home plans to life.
Our expertise in sustainable building means we can enhance your vision with practical insights into energy efficiency, material choices, and passive design principles. If you do not yet have a design team, we can connect you with trusted local architects and designers who share our commitment to creating comfortable and energy-efficient custom homes.

Get to know us

Sustainable home builders: an overview