Written by Olivia Round - Urban.com.au

Approval has been granted for Brighton’s first fossil fuel-free apartments, Slate House, which will consist of 14 residences, featuring two and three-bedroom homes across three levels. Slate House is set to achieve a NatHERS rating of 7.8 by incorporating a fossil-fuel-free embedded network and utilising energy-efficient appliances, as well as running entirely carbon neutral in operation. The project will be delivered by Lucent, who are renowned for the sell-out success of Nightingale and Little Miller apartments in Brunswick East. When asked whether there was a strong buyer demand for NatHERS and Green Star rated homes, Lucent Managing Director, Panos Miltiadou explained that given the response from their previous projects, buyers today held both sustainability and community in high regard.

"Good design transcends far beyond a project’s look and feel. Drawing on our past experience we know that socially and environmentally led design is at the forefront of purchaser’s minds, particularly owner-occupiers, and therefore we see Slate House as contributing to the shift in challenging the status quo of apartment design in Australia… When looking for socially conscious and environment-led design, buyers want to lower their carbon footprint, as well as live within a community. NaTHERS ratings are a way for buyers to understand the sustainability of a building, through its thermal performance, materials and energy use.

Panos Miltiadou, Lucent Managing Director Miltiadou also acknowledged the gap in the market for “rightsized homes” – essentially a compromise for those who aren’t looking for a mansion and are not ready to downsize.

"Slate House is “rightsizing” - allowing buyers to reduce their footprint without compromising on function - and is a strong trend in suburbs like Brighton, where people have lived and want to remain. People want to be closer to amenity, shops, public transport, restaurants and parks and for their home to be low maintenance, yet the right size to entertain and lock up while away on holidays. Given its large-format homes, Slate House is an opportunity for both young families and 'rightsizers. While we are presenting something quite different for Brighton, the project aligns with our broader project portfolio and will be guided by the fundamental principles of sustainability, design merit, and transparency." Panos Miltiadou, Lucent Managing Director

The development has been designed by the award-winning Austin Maynard Architects, and while renders are not yet available, we know that the apartments will incorporate the following materials and features:

FACADE*

Slate shingles
Timber /Terracotta shingles
Pod paver balconies
Brick bagged
Steel screens and hoods
Glass sided stairs and common areas – clear
Pitched roof with vaulted ceilings – not the Brighton wedding cake

INTERNAL*

Whitewashed timber panelling
Timber flooring
Terrazzo benchtops
Integrated fridges and dishwashers
Bluestone common areas
Panel apartment entry doors
Apartments with vaulted ceilings
On grade car parking

KEY SUSTAINABILITY INVESTMENTS

Operates on a fossil-fuel-free embedded network
High-efficiency appliances
Rainwater harvesting
100% carbon neutral in operation

*Materials subject to change.

Planning applications for Slate House were lodged in November last year, a month following the land acquisition, with construction and sales due to launch next month. Completion is currently slated for 2021.

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