TownhousesLindsay SaundersThu 16 Jul 26
Year-Long Passive House Trial Reshapes Melbourne’s Bradmill
A year-long housing trial has prompted Frasers Property to shift to passive house design principles for its $2 billion Bradmill redevelopment at Yarraville.
Underpinning that decision was the finding that household energy consumption could be halved.
The developer said the comparative study at its Life community at Point Cook had directly influenced the design of new townhouses at the former Bradmill textile mill site, about 8km west of the CBD and one of Melbourne’s largest urban renewal projects.
The trial involved the construction of two identical homes—one built to standard 6-Star requirements and the other to the international Passivhaus standard—to measure differences in real-world performance over 12 months of occupancy.
Frasers said the study found the Passivhaus home used about half the energy of the standard home while also delivering improved indoor air quality, lower humidity and reduced noise levels.
The study was independently assessed by engineering consultancy Arup, with Frasers using the findings to identify which passive house features could be delivered at scale without significantly increasing construction costs.
Rather than building certified passive homes at Bradmill, the developer has adopted a range of measures identified through the trial, including all-electric homes fitted with rooftop solar, double glazing, enhanced insulation and improved airtightness as standard.
Solar batteries, electric vehicle chargers and balanced mechanical ventilation systems are being offered as optional upgrades.
Frasers Property sustainability manager, development Kate Nason said the research focused on identifying the design elements that delivered the greatest operational savings for homeowners.
The balanced ventilation system, which filters outdoor air before it enters the home while removing indoor pollutants and allergens, is being offered as an upgrade package. The system also enables continuous fresh air circulation without requiring windows to be opened, helping homes retain heating and cooling.
The findings also prompted changes to construction practices, with Frasers Property introducing specialist training for builders and contractors to improve airtightness during construction.
The Bradmill redevelopment’s first residents moved in late last year after completion of the Pioneer townhouse release. The next stage, Montfort, is expected to be completed later this year.
The 26ha former industrial site is being transformed into a mixed-use neighbourhood that will ultimately comprise about 680 townhouses and 760 apartments for about 3500 residents.
The project also includes the adaptive reuse of the site’s heritage-listed factory buildings, which will be converted into resident amenities including a gym, co-working spaces, swimming pool and rooftop function space within the landmark boiler house.
A neighbourhood retail precinct anchored by a full-line Woolworths supermarket, specialty retail and health services is also planned.
The Bradmill initiative comes as Victoria continues to lift the energy performance of new housing.
Since May 2024, all new homes have been required to achieve a minimum 7-Star NatHERS energy rating under the National Construction Code, up from the previous 6-Star benchmark, alongside a new Whole of Home energy budget covering appliances such as heating, cooling, hot water and lighting.
The state has also flagged further changes from January 2027 that will require all new residential buildings to be constructed as all-electric, reinforcing a shift towards lower-emissions housing.
