Buyers pounce on 7-star lots at Armstrong

Budget-savvy home buyers seeking more sustainable housing have pounced on 7-star mandated lots introduced at Armstrong Mount Duneed by developer Villawood Properties.

A dozen of the bill-busting lots, where buyers are required to build homes with 7-star or higher energy ratings, have been snapped up in the ground-breaking housing precinct.

More than 50 designs by 10 leading builders were made available under the initiative – dubbed A 7-Star Revolution – which allows new home builders to save money, boost their disposable income, even shorten their mortgage, while tackling climate change by reduced demand for non-renewables.

Villawood will be launching more 7-star precincts, encouraging home-buyers to look to more environmentally-friendly housing options.
The developer is introducing 7-star precincts in all its masterplanned communities, upping the ante from the present 6-star minimum energy requirement.

Energy savings are made through various measures including:

• High level-quality window products, such as double-glazing
• Energy-smart house plans which allow for best use of the sun – keeping it out in summer with eaves, and letting it flood into living areas in winter
• Keeping south and west-facing windows reasonably small
• Having homes proportioned to reduce both total wall area and build complexity
• Reducing the number of items penetrating the ceiling, such as lights, ducts and skylights, and
• Cross-flow ventilation to let homes cool down after a hot day.

Armstrong 7-star purchaser Dan Cotterill said he and his partner had become very aware about our carbon and plastic impact.
“We do what we can to minimise our waste and be more sustainable in our lifestyle,” he said.

“This extended into our choice for building where we liked the opportunity to be more energy-efficient and sustainable in our build within our budget.

“The 7-star development just made sense.”

Chris McMahon moved back to Victoria after some time interstate and while he could understand the cost drivers for things like gas-boosted solar hot water, for example, was surprised that there was “not a more forward-looking approach in housing in relation to environmental and sustainability considerations”.

“We had been looking at houses on the market and the really long lead times on block titling with some of the estates,” he said.

“Armstrong’s 7-star precinct ticked so many boxes for us in location, timing and the ability to build a house in an area focussed on higher energy ratings, increased insulation, double glazing, gas-free, electricity backed by solar, we couldn’t be happier.”

Villawood Properties has long been committed to community growth, sustainability, environment enhancement, new technologies and social responsibility.

Villawood executive director Rory Costelloe said the Armstrong 7-Star Revolution embodied those values while delivering real energy savings to families, easing their financial burden whilst contributing positively to the health of the planet.

Participating builders are: Simonds, Mimosa, Kingsbridge, Fairhaven, Arden Homes, Long Island Homes, Geelong Homes, Hamlan, Hotondo Homes and JG King.