Published on Wednesday, 11 June 2025 at 10:38:00 AM
The increasing impact of climate change and rising power bills has seen a shift towards sustainable home builds and renovations in Vincent.
Vincent’s GreenTrack priority assessment service, launched in January 2024, has been instrumental in helping homeowners with expert advice and faster approvals.
The service offers rebates of up to $200 for applications that are submitted with a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and shaves the assessment time in half, from 20 to 10 working days.
Since the launch, 21 per cent of all single house and grouped dwellings development applications received have gone through GreenTrack.
Perth architect Sid Thoo said the LCA was an internationally recognised assessment that allowed homeowners to quantify the impact of design decisions and the amount of carbon dioxide their home could offset or reduce.
“Achieving a high star rating, retrofitting high-performance windows, installing water tanks or using low-impact building materials can all help to create a more sustainable home, but it can sometimes be difficult to know what to prioritise, or what will result in the biggest environmental benefit,” he said.
“An LCA is a great way to holistically quantify the environmental impact of a new home or major renovation, with the added bonus of helping to expedite the approvals process.”
Mr Thoo said homeowners could also choose to opt for a more conventional approach to their sustainable home rather than an expensive new build or renovation.
“I think designing a more sustainable and energy-efficient home is something a lot of people want, but they may not be sure where to start, or what is the most appropriate decision or selection to make,” he said.
“There's also evidence to show that not only do more energy efficient and sustainable homes save money in terms of operating costs, (but) they can also increase the capital growth value of a home over time.
“There are a range of resources available via the City of Vincent and elsewhere online to help get you started.”
Kelly Lewis’ home on Claverton Street in North Perth is an example of the type of proposals that Vincent approves via GreenTrack.
Located on a 208sqm corner block, the property was designed by Mr Thoo, with landscaping from NALA Landscape Projects.
It features many environmentally sustainable design elements, including:
- north-facing living areas for optimum solar passive performance
- exposed thermal mass on the ground floor for indirect solar gain
- double glazed uPVC windows
- air-tight construction
- high levels of wall and roof insulation
- light coloured roofs to minimise solar gain in summer
- eaves overhangs and awnings to provide shade from the sun
- strategically positioned windows to enhance natural and cross ventilation (plus ceiling fans)
- solar PV plus gas-free hot water and cooking
- louvered pergola with a north-facing garden
- waterwise garden
Ms Lewis said she had been researching sustainable homes for some time and wanted to include as many sustainable features as possible that fit within her budget.
“As we were building on a very small site, there were limitations as to what we could incorporate but some things were non-negotiable, like double glazing, solar PV, and good insulation,” she said.
“One of our favourite aspects is the louvered pergola. Our garden is north-facing, so in summer we keep the pergola shut to provide shade outside and stop the sun from hitting the sliding door and heating up our living area.
“In winter, we open it up and the sun streams through and passively heats the concrete floor.
“Combined with good insulation and ceiling fans, this makes the living area comfortable all year round.”
Visit Vincent’s sustainable design webpage to find out more about GreenTrack.
Check out the photos of this home by photographer Daniel Carson.
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