Golden Turret

Melbourne's leading sustainable building experts

This stunning mid-century Coburg North home achieved impressive energy efficiency while recycling 90% of its original brick walls!

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"Transforming modest to magnificent with sustainability at its core"

Our Golden Turret renovation took a modest mid-century home in Coburg North, Melbourne, and transformed it into a spacious family haven. We reimagined the original 2-bedroom, 1-bathroom layout into a 4-bedroom, 2-bathroom residence, adding a second story that offers plenty of room for a growing family of four.

Despite its challenging south-facing orientation, the home now showcases significantly improved energy efficiency while preserving 90% of its original building fabric, a testament to our dedication to sustainability. A lush green roof and a cozy sunbed built into a picture window overlooking Merri Creek create a seamless connection to the natural surroundings.

Completing this transformation is a stunning curved golden brick façade and a dramatic 2.4 meter turret on the east elevation, giving the home a captivating street presence that turns heads.

Working closely with the homeowners, we created a biophilic retreat that embraces nature while achieving optimal energy efficiency and comfort.

"We believe that a home should do more than just look good—it should work effortlessly with nature, providing comfort and efficiency in every season. With the Golden Turret project, we’ve proven that sustainability and style can go hand in hand, creating a space that’s not only beautiful but truly built to last."

Our focus on solar passive design principles and state-of-the-art systems means this home isn't just aesthetically beautiful—it's designed to perform. By incorporating Rylock’s Thermally Broken Series windows and doors, we drastically improved air quality and thermal efficiency, achieving a NatHERS rating of 6.1 stars, up from a poor 3.1.

Through meticulous planning, we reduced the home’s air changes per hour (ACH) from 27.7 to an impressive 7.7, all while retaining 90% of the original building fabric. This project earned us a finalist position in the 2024 HIA GreenSmart Energy Efficiency Awards—a testament to our commitment to eco-friendly solutions that never compromise on comfort or style.

For renovations and extensions in Melbourne, Sustainable Homes Melbourne, ensures every project delivers on style, sustainability, and long-term comfort.

Project Features

Materials & ESD (Ecological Sustainable Development) Features

  • 6.1 Star Energy Efficiency Rating while keeping 90% of existing building fabric
  • Dulux - Low VOC Paint 
  • Low/No formaldehyde to joinery MDF 
  • Recycled Timber Floors Reclaimed Messmate 
  • Shingles Western Red Cedar
  • Ceiling fans in all rooms
  • COLORBOND® Steel Cladding 
  • K17 Plasterboard

Passive Design Features

  • Zoned Home 
  • Vaulted ceiling to first floor to assist in cooling
  • Staircase void blocking aiding to shade western Sun 
  • Window Shading 
  • Reflective roof - Lysaght Custom Orb Zincalume 

Heating and Cooling

  • Split Systems with Refrigerant R32 
  • Ceiling Fans for circulation

Windows & Glazing

  • Existing Steel Windows Frames  - Sandblasted and reglazed with Double Glazed laminated low e-glass 
  • All new Windows and Doors Rylock double glazed - High Performance Low-E and Argon filled. 
  • Heka Hood Window Covers 

Renewable Energy

Reinstated Existing Solar Panels 

Water Saving

  • WELS 5 Star rating to all tapware
  • Sanden Eco Plus 315L Heat Pump (Electric)
  • Re-installed existing Watertank 5,000L
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