One of the few homes in New South Wales that can be branded truly sustainable has been completed.

Situated at 5 Strickland Street Rose Bay this home turns traditional building on its head, goes beyond regulation and raises the bar. Importantly, if you balance the scales correctly and look beyond the materials, it costs the same to build as a traditionally built home that complies with BASIX.

One of the feature differences with this home compared to other homes who claim they are 'eco' or 'green' or 'sustainable' or 'zero emissions' is that it was constructed using sustainable building materials. The embodied impact of sustainable building materials is far less than traditional building materials.

Cameron Rosen says, "We take sustainability to the core of our homes. Sustainability should be respected and not treated as an add-on. There are many misconceptions out in the marketplace which is why consumers are confused and lack confidence. Building industry associations and the project home industry has a lot to answer for when it comes to sustainability."

Caroline Pidcock, the architect of the home, from Pidcock Architecture + Sustainability says, "This house is a powerful case study in demonstrating the importance of an integrated team in delivering well designed sustainable homes, the value of which has been carefully developed through the contribution of all."

Caroline continues, "Every decision on the design and materials for this home was guided by aesthetics, intelligent research and knowledge on buildability and cost. Achieving well in all areas ensured a great, sustainable outcome - a home that shows a positive desirable future is achievable."

The home is rated at an impressive eight stars for thermal comfort.

Cameron says, "We achieve this high rating through clever design, thermal comfort assessment and zoning, thermal performing glazing, smart insulation strategies, thermal mass control and material choice."

The home was constructed with innovative sustainable building materials and techniques, is energy and water efficient, and boasts permaculture which completes the sustainable circle. No bricks were used in construction.

Other features of the home include: three water tanks storing a combined total of 6,600 litres; grey water diversion; irrigation system feeding citrus trees, lawn, herbs, olive trees, banana trees, and passionfruit; energy efficient appliances; LED lighting throughout the home; garden wall; insulation that sits externally, internally, under the concrete slab and on the roof via a combined roof panel; high WELS rated shower heads, taps, and dual flush toilets; a three kilowatt PV solar system; sustainable interiors; double glazed windows only where required; all timber used is certified plantation (AFS) or recycled (the columns in the internal courtyard came from a truss bridge in Coffs Harbour that was built by Percy Allen in 1922 and demolished in 2009); timber windows; green concrete was used during construction; pre-fabricated walling system, plasterboard with a high content of recycled material.