Insights

Steve Perry and his family outside their Black Rock home

The Age recently published an article on house prices reflecting the virtues of natural light. Melbourne’s ever-increasing urban density and rising energy prices have made abundant natural light one of the most sought after features for homebuyers. As housing becomes denser and buildings become taller, properties with ample sunlight are achieving record prices.

Compared to other capital cities such as Sydney and Brisbane, the sun sits a lot lower in the sky during winter in Melbourne, making houses with a northerly orientation highly sought after.

Some of Melbourne’s most loved architecture styles are the least efficient when it comes to heating and cooling and letting in natural light. Many Victorian and Edwardian terraces are adjoined and built on an east-west orientation, often making them quite dark and expensive to heat and cool.

According to Chris Tolhurst from The Age, “The importance of a house being sensitive to the climate and reducing utility bills through the use of design has become mainstream thinking.”

In Melbourne’s Bayside suburb of Black Rock, builder Steve Perry built two three-bedroom townhouses complete with floor-to-ceiling windows and double glazing to maximise heat and light. The property uses energy-saving LED lights and solar hot water to increase energy efficiency.

He lives with his family in one of the houses, while the other is set to go to auction this month with expectations of $1.7 to $1.8 million.

Read Chris Tolhurst’s full article from The Age here.