Building a new passive home beats retrofitting an old one, Illawarra builders
Souter Built director Adam Souter says building a new passive house is more cost-effective than renovating an old home, avoiding over-capitalisation.
The owners of a rundown Wollongong home planned to demolish and rebuild after visiting the Pepper Tree Passive House, a showpiece built by Souter Built, and deciding building new was the answer. Adam Souter said the original home's bones were not worth saving because it was poorly built.
Retrofitting an old house takes time and risks spending too much without gaining the same efficiency. A new passive house uses modern technology: extra insulation, air-sealing membranes, and advanced services.
The result is NOTO House in Thirroul, a four-bedroom home designed by Dane Taylor and built by Souter Built. It uses passive house principles: excellent insulation, airtightness, high-performance windows, and thermal bridge-free construction.
The home was reoriented to capture softer northern light and includes a planted courtyard dividing living zones.
- Souter Built
- Builder
- Dane Taylor
- Designer
- 4
- Bedrooms
- Thirroul
- Location
Why it mattersHomeowners considering renovation can now weigh whether building new passive is cheaper than trying to patch up an old house.
AustraliaAustralian families in NSW can use passive building techniques to lower energy bills over the home's lifetime.
✓ Claims checked against the source. checked 1 h ago
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