First Green Star Homes Designed community redefines sustainable living

A new milestone in sustainable housing has been achieved with Australian developer Ingenia Communities achieving Green Star Homes Designed certification for all designs across the 262 home community in Beveridge, in Victoria.

This landmark initiative marks the first large-scale rollout of Green Star Homes, setting a new standard for sustainable housing at scale.

Davina Rooney, CEO of the Green Building Council of Australia, applauded Ingenia’s leadership for its commitment to building sustainable land lease homes at scale for Victorians.

“Ingenia is redefining seniors living by delivering homes designed for energy efficiency, health and resilience,” Ms Rooney said.

“These homes represent a vision for a sustainable future where comfort, affordability, and climate responsibility come together – they are like the electric cars of housing, proving we can embrace the future without sacrificing affordability or performance.”

“This designed certification across 262 homes proves that sustainability is not a luxury, it’s an achievable standard for Australians.”

The Beveridge development showcases how sustainability can seamlessly integrate with affordability and liveability, reshaping the future of housing for Australians.  

Key features of the Beveridge community include:

• Solar-powered, fully electric homes that eliminate gas and generate renewable energy, saving residents approximately $2,066* annually in bills compared to 30 year old gas-powered homes.
• High performance insulation and airtight design achieve a minimum of 7.5 star NatHERS rating, surpassing national building code requirements.
• Double glazed windows with thermally efficient frames reduce heat escaping in winter and entering in summer and reduce noise.
• Recycled water will be delivered through a separate purple pipe system into the homes, which can be used to water the garden, conserving drinking water.
• Lighter coloured roofs to reduce the urban heat island effect, along with roof ventilation to control temperature and limit mould growth.

Ingenia CEO John Carfi highlighted the broader industry impact of using Green Star.

“This initiative not only delivers sustainable, cost-effective housing for senior Australians but also builds capacity across the construction sector. By working closely with GBCA and our partners, we’re setting a benchmark that will help drive the adoption of sustainable design and construction methodologies across Australia,” Mr Carfi said.

Beyond individual homes, the Beveridge community is also targeting a 4-star Green Star Communities certification. With features like an embedded energy network, recycled water systems, and communal electric vehicle, the community offers an innovative model for sustainable living.

Green Star Homes is Australia’s leading independent sustainability rating tool for new homes, which seeks to create highly efficient, fossil fuel free homes that are powered by renewables and are healthy to live in, and resilient to current and future climate challenges.

You can learn more about Green Star Homes here.

*Kinesis ‘Green Star Home Sustainability Analysis Report,’ October 2024. Ingenia Lifestyle commissioned sustainability consultancy Kinesis to analyse the financial and environmental benefits of a Green Star Home compared to 30 year old home with a gas connection for heating, cooking and hot water. To provide a like-for-like comparison, both houses are single storey, standalone homes designed for 2 people, with 3 bedrooms and a total floor area of 175.5 sqm. The 30 year old home is assumed to have a 5-star NatHERS thermal performance rating while the Green Star home has a minimum 7.5-star NatHERS rating. This approach controls any physical differences in the home and allows for effective sustainability performance comparison.