McKinnon
Project Overview
Michelle and Andrew came to us with one of the most thoroughly developed briefs we have ever received. Both hold PhDs and had previously lived in high-performance homes in Switzerland and Germany. They wanted to build a compact, ultra-efficient family home in suburban Melbourne that matched European standards for comfort, energy performance and build quality.
The brief called for a certified Passive House Plus built using prefabricated Structural Insulated Panels, aesthetically informed by Bauhaus modernism: symmetrical, restrained, monochromatic and precise. It had to be beautiful and simple, durable enough to withstand family life, and efficient enough to generate more energy than it consumes.
The entire insulated and airtight building envelope was manufactured off-site by Carbonlite and assembled on site in just three days. The completed home achieved a certified airtightness result of 0.46 air changes per hour at 50 Pascals, well below the Passive House threshold of 0.6. A 7.8 kW rooftop solar PV system generates substantially more electricity annually than the home consumes.
The project is now one of fewer than fifty Certified Passive House Plus homes in Australia and is listed on the international Passive House Database (ID 7857), where its certified performance data is publicly available for independent verification.
Project Details
- Location: McKinnon, Melbourne
- Project Type: New Family Home
- Certification: Passive House Plus (certified)
- Construction: Prefabricated SIPs (Carbonlite)
- PHPP Treated Floor Area: 154 sqm
- Airtightness: 0.46 ACH @ 50 Pa
- Energy: All-electric, 7.8 kW solar PV, net energy positive
- Ventilation: Zehnder ComfoAir Q350
- Heating/Cooling: Daikin reverse-cycle split system
- Hot Water: Sanden Heat Pump Eco 315
- Windows: Neuffer Plano Angula triple-glazed aluminium-clad
- Completed: 2020
- Builder: Carbonlite
- Certifier: Marcus Strang, HIP V. HYPE
- Passive House Database: ID 7857
- Photography by Tim Loft & Sunpath
Completed Project
Bauhaus Precision, Australian Living
The design draws on the principles of Bauhaus modernism: symmetry, alignment, clean geometry and a restrained material palette. The exterior presents a calm, monochromatic composition of rendered walls, dark window frames and crisp detailing. Low-maintenance finishes were selected throughout to ensure the home ages well without demanding constant upkeep.
Inside, the planning is compact and highly efficient. Within 154 square metres of treated floor area the home includes a generous kitchen, living and dining space, three bedrooms including a master suite with walk-in robes, two bathrooms, a rumpus room, study, laundry, cloakroom, single garage and a partially covered alfresco dining area. Every square metre is considered and purposeful, with clever storage and multi-purpose spaces eliminating wasted circulation.
The interiors are designed to be calm, practical and resilient. Forbo Marmoleum flooring, flat-pack cabinetry with plywood facings, stainless steel benches and modular storage systems were selected for durability, low toxicity and sustainability. External motorised louvre blinds manage solar gain, prevent overheating and provide privacy and security.
We thought about how the children can play adjacent to the living space at a full width window bench and in an inter-connecting rumpus play space. We used impact resistant internal wall linings and flush skirtings for childproofing. Â
Designed for the Long Term
The house is fully accessible, designed to accommodate changing needs over time. Wide corridors, level thresholds and considered spatial planning mean the home can support its owners comfortably for decades without requiring modification.
There is a home office and gym equipment is installed in the garage and in a full outdoor jungle gym. The play space can become a study as children grow. Â
The compact footprint preserves ample garden space, providing outdoor living, productive planting and room for children to play.
Construction Method
Prefabricated SIPs Construction
The entire building envelope of this home was prefabricated off-site using Structural Insulated Panels manufactured by Carbonlite. SIPs are composite panels that combine a structural facing with high-performance insulation to form extremely efficient, airtight building elements.
The panels were manufactured with window and door openings pre-cut and airtight membranes already installed in the factory. They were delivered to site, crane-lifted into position and fixed together to create a continuous insulated shell. Floor, wall and roof panels were all assembled within three days, transforming a structural subfloor into a fully enclosed, weathertight building envelope.
This speed of assembly is one of the significant advantages of SIPs construction on suburban sites. Neighbours experience minimal disruption, the structure is protected from weather almost immediately, and the precision of factory manufacture ensures consistent quality that is difficult to achieve with conventional on-site framing.
Envelope Performance
The SIPs envelope achieves independently certified thermal performance across all elements: wall U-values of 0.234 W/m²K, floor U-values of 0.298 W/m²K and roof U-values of 0.157 W/m²K. Combined with Neuffer Plano Angula triple-glazed aluminium-clad windows (Uw 1.23 W/m²K, Ug 0.77 W/m²K, g-value 51%), the building envelope delivers outstanding thermal performance with minimal thermal bridging.
The completed envelope achieved a certified airtightness of 0.46 air changes per hour at 50 Pascals. This level of performance is a direct result of the factory-controlled manufacturing process and the careful detailing of every junction, penetration and seal during assembly.
For more on how we use prefabricated construction systems across our projects, see our engineered timber and prefabrication page.
Concepts and Design Process
Designing with the Brief
The concept for this home was driven by one of the most detailed and considered briefs we have received. Michelle and Andrew’s experience living in European Passive Houses gave them a precise understanding of what they wanted: a home that performed to European standards while responding to Australian conditions and their family’s specific patterns of daily life.
Every detail of their lifestyle was discussed, researched and factored into the design. Bedroom orientation, storage requirements, work-from-home needs, children’s activities, cooking habits, outdoor dining preferences and future accessibility were all mapped before a line was drawn. The result is a home where nothing feels accidental or compromised.
Form and Efficiency
The Bauhaus influence is evident in the design’s commitment to rational planning and visual restraint. The building form is simple and orthogonal, which suited both the aesthetic ambition and the construction logic of SIPs panels. Symmetry and alignment organise the facade and the interior planning, creating a sense of order and calm that permeates every room.
The compact 154 square metre footprint was a deliberate choice. Rather than building larger, we designed smarter: maximising usable space through multi-purpose rooms, integrated storage and efficient circulation. This approach reduced construction cost, minimised the building’s environmental footprint and preserved valuable garden space on the suburban block.
The design was developed using three-dimensional modelling and virtual reality walkthroughs in Revit and Enscape, allowing Michelle and Andrew to explore materials, light and spatial relationships in detail before construction began. This immersive design process was particularly valuable for clients who already knew exactly what high quality felt like and wanted to be confident the design would deliver it.
Passive House Features
Sustainability and Passive House Performance
This home is a Certified Passive House Plus, independently verified and listed on the international Passive House Database (ID 7857). It generates more renewable energy annually than it consumes, making it a net energy contributor.
Certified Performance Data
- Annual heating demand: 15 kWh/m²a
- Heating load: 12 W/m²
- Cooling load: 13 W/m²
- Cooling and dehumidification demand: 7 kWh/m²a
- Airtightness: 0.46 ACH @ 50 Pa
- Primary energy demand (renewable): 32 kWh/m²a
- Renewable energy generation: 55 kWh/m²a
Read our full guide to Passive House / Passivhaus here.Â
Passive House Plus Measures
A prefabricated SIPs building envelope providing continuous, high-performance insulation with factory-controlled airtightness. Wall U-values of 0.234 W/m²K, floor U-values of 0.298 W/m²K and roof U-values of 0.157 W/m²K combine to create a highly insulated, thermally stable shell.
Neuffer Plano Angula triple-glazed aluminium-clad windows selected and positioned based on PHPP energy modelling. External motorised louvre blinds and roller shutters on exposed glazing prevent overheating while allowing natural light and ventilation when conditions suit.
A Zehnder ComfoAir Q350 heat recovery ventilation system providing constant filtered fresh air to every room, recovering warmth from exhaust air and maintaining healthy indoor air quality year-round. A single Daikin reverse-cycle split system provides the small amount of supplementary heating and cooling required.
A fully all-electric design with a 7.8 kW rooftop solar PV system generating 55 kWh/m²a of renewable energy, substantially exceeding the home’s annual consumption. A Sanden Eco 315 heat pump provides domestic hot water. Rainwater harvesting supplements mains water supply. With the simple addition of a battery, the home could operate independently from the grid.
Low embodied energy and low-VOC materials throughout, including Forbo Marmoleum flooring, sustainably sourced plywood cabinetry and recyclable stainless steel benchtops. Materials were selected for durability, health and environmental responsibility.
The project demonstrates that Passive House Plus certification is achievable on a standard suburban site in Melbourne, within a compact footprint, using prefabricated construction methods that minimise disruption, waste and programme time. The certified performance data is publicly available on the Passive House Database for independent verification.
“The living quality is so much higher in a passive house quality build.
This house is about comfort.
Everything is comfortable about it. The ambience, the temperature, the low maintenance, the low running costs.
We could live here for the rest of our lives.”
Michelle and Andrew, McKinnon
Project Videos
We have compiled detailed videos of the project from concept to completion. Â
Click to visit our youtube channel. Â
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