Smart green homes win

Sustainable building practices, clever choice of materials and using the environment to best advantage were winning features in the recent 2025 HIA Australian GreenSmart Awards.

The top GreenSmart Home award was won by NSW builder Progressive Building for a standout Sydney renovation which proves that uplifting existing housing stock can deliver big on sustainability, comfort, and design.

Progressive Building also took the award for GreenSmart Renovation/Addition Project. With a focus on passive house principles, the renovation features all-timber construction, high-efficiency insulation, heat recovery ventilation, and a 10kW REC solar system with 2kW battery integration. Smart energy monitoring systems respond dynamically to solar supply, enabling the home to run nearly off-grid.

Materials were chosen for both ethics and performance. Flooring is Global GreenTag-certified; carpets are made from recycled fishing nets; cabinetry, paints, and tiles are all low-emission. Wherever possible, existing structural elements, flooring, soil, and stone were reused minimising waste and honouring the original site.

In other categories, winners from across Australia were recognised for their contribution to sustainable building:

- Blue Eco Homes, NSW won HIA Australian GreenSmart Custom Built Home. Gallery House is a resilient, off-grid Passivhaus in the Blue Mountains that blends bold design with exceptional sustainability. Built well beyond code, it delivers year-round comfort, zero energy bills, and exceeds bushfire standards.

- Nulook Homes and Solar Dwellings, Western Australia won GreenSmart Energy Efficiency and Display/Project Home awards for their Catalina 10-star NatHERS-rated sustainable home that showcases the possibilities of ultra-efficient, all-electric housing.

- Samssons Projects, Victoria won the HIA Australian GreenSmart Multi Dwelling Development for a carbon-neutral, 8-star dual-occupancy project in Melbourne’s inner North. Backed by life cycle analysis and a NatHERS 8-star rating, the homes are built on data, not guesswork.

- Nick Sowden from Sowden Building Solutions, NSW was awarded HIA Australian GreenSmart Professional. Since building one of Sydney’s first Hempcrete homes in 2015, Nick has steadily advanced sustainable construction by educating industry peers, collaborating on research, and completing multiple certified PassivHaus EnerPHit renovations. His approach blends technical precision with environmental ethics.

- Tallwood Custom Built Homes, Western Australia won GreenSmart Sustainable Home for their Eco Barnhouse. Nestled within the Witchcliffe Ecovillage, the home stands as a beacon of sustainability within one of the world's most eco-conscious residential developments.

HIA Managing Director Jocelyn Martin said the awards set the benchmark for the latest in environmental design excellence and sustainable building practices.

“Consumer demand for practical, affordable and durable environmental solutions for residential housing is more evident now than ever before”, Martin said, congratulating each winner and finalist for achieving success at a national level.