The regional Victorian coastal town of Inverloch is home to this unique sustainable house, which has just hit the market through Ray White Inverloch’s Fiona McMahon-Hughes with a price guide of $3.5 million.

A Passivhaus is a highly energy-efficient building standard that originated in Germany in the 1990s. It focuses on reducing energy consumption through superior insulation, airtight construction, high-performance windows, and controlled ventilation.

It was by accident that seller Stephen Sampson stumbled upon the 2ha block of land only 1km from Inverloch. After inspecting a nearby property for his in-laws in 2014, Stephen saw the ‘For Sale’ sign on the block by chance. He wasn’t actively looking to move, having only just finished building a family home a few years earlier.

“I just knew how unique this property was when I saw it - being so close to Inverloch, literally 1km from the town outskirts, and 3km to the main street and with sealed roads,” Stephen said.

“You are looking from Flat Rocks in the west all the way to Cape Liptrap in the east. You are watching the waves hit the Inverloch Bar at the entrance to Andersons Inlet, across Venus Bay with the mountains of Wilson Prom national park behind that.

“It really is spectacular and I knew living in this location would be something special. There was an obvious house location on the block that had the best vantage to take in those views and was already cleared.

“We just thought ‘wow,’ so we went ahead and bought the block of land. We had two young children when we purchased the block, so life was busy and we took some time to start the build.”

But it was just as COVID hit in March 2020 that Stephen was about to sign off on building his dream home on the site. As the country went into lockdown, he decided to push ahead with the construction of his Passivhaus at 171 Albert Ruttle Drive, Inverloch.

Stephen, who has a keen interest in architecture and sustainable design, was drawn to the Passivhaus concept but wasn’t sure if it was something he could bring to life in Australia.

“We had completed drawings by DB Design in Wonthaggi for a more traditional passive solar house employing northern orientation and thermal mass. We had done a lot of work on those designs and I loved the overall look of the house, the room layout, location and orientation on the property but it wasn't clearly quantified as to how it would work and perform for comfort and energy efficiency,” Stephen said.

“I decided to look at Passivhaus again. I had previously read a lot about Passivhaus but at the time the products required to build were not readily available in Australia. When I looked this time I realised the wraps, windows and ventilation units were now available.

“As I was happy with the house design, I employed David Halford, a Passivhaus consultant to guide myself and DB Design in converting the current drawings to meet the Passivhaus standard.”

He engaged builder Matthew Bright of Marin Constructions. While Matthew hadn’t built a Passivhaus before, he was willing to undergo training to understand how to construct one to standard.

“I’ve got an electrical trade background myself and have been involved in the building process of a few houses before. It was a learning curve for both of us, but everything clicked into place once we understood what we were trying to achieve,” Stephen said.

“I signed the contract with Matt Bright and then COVID hit. We didn’t know what was going to happen, but we decided to just go for it. Matt was really prepared, and we worked through the issues as they came up.”

The key element of a Passivhaus is its two continuous membranes, one external and another internal, which creates an airtight wrap and controls airflow. The design is also known for its airtight windows, which contribute to the home’s energy efficiency.

Stephen is now looking for his next challenge but said he’d be interested in building another Passivhaus in the future. In his Inverloch home, he loves being able to look south over the ocean, as well as watching the wildlife wander past on the northern side of the house.

“I spend a lot of time on both the north and south sides of the house. There are kangaroos, wallabies and echidnas that wander through the bush all the time,” he said.

“But the whole intent of the Passivhaus is the comfort of the occupants and energy efficiency. The house sits at 22 to 23 degrees all year - I didn’t turn on the heating once in winter.

“I have lived winters in Canada, the US and Scotland and their houses were always warm despite the temperature outside. Yet in Victoria, where it’s nowhere near as cold, you need the fire going, plus a blanket and closing off half the house to stay warm.

“Then in the summer it’s the opposite and houses overheat. I wanted to build a home that was liveable year-round. No closing off half the house or having the curtains drawn all winter with the never-ending cycle of cutting and burning firewood.

“I’m able to walk through the house in shorts and a t-shirt all year. It’s phenomenal.”

Marketing agent Fiona McMahon-Hughes of Ray White Inverloch said the home’s next owner will be able to enjoy the view and the quality of the house for years to come.

“The buyer will be enjoying the tranquillity and views, and appreciate the quality of the build and all it has to offer,” Fiona said.

“So much thought has gone into all the details of this energy efficient home.”

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