"After a search of almost two years, Salmen located a circa 1910 home
for his project. He first created a scale model of the house he plans
to call home for the rest of his life. In working on the scale model,
he and his wife found accessibility issues they had not planned for.
Correcting them on the model saved costs and delays."

http://www.disaboom.com/Living/accessiblehomearticles/home-for-the-next-...

Smart Houses are more liveable, safe, secure, environmentally friendly
and cost-efficient. They will be instrumental in helping realise the
State Government’s objective to provide Queenslanders with access to
safe, secure and appropriate housing in sustainable communities.

http://www.build.qld.gov.au/smart_housing/example/springfield.asp

The Coomera property demonstrates how easily Smart Housing principles can be adopted in construction of a new home. The owner of this property was keen to construct a home to suit all a range of potential buyers by satisfying the needs of singles, couples, families, the elderly and people with disabilities.

http://www.build.qld.gov.au/smart_housing/example/coomera.asp 

The architects, The TVS Partnership have designed the home with Hervey Bay's sub-tropical coastal climate and high humidity in mind. The design is responsive to the hot summer, mild winter, definite dry season and distinct seasonal temperature variation.  The house received a 5 star BERS rating when the architect did the analysis house.

Sustainable Home Brisbane incorporates many clever design features that assist with environmental sustainability – water, energy, air, soil and biodiversity management are all essential elements for healthy residential living. Applying sustanability principles to our housing is a simple and long-term solution for a sustainable future, and the Brisbane home provides visitors with a first-hand experience.

http://www.sustainable-homes.org.au/03_projects/brisbane/brisbane.htm

This house design explores ways in which a typical, large suburban house can be used flexibly to facilitate different and multiple occupant living arrangements within the one house. It addresses many sustainability issues that are currently being ignored by typical project home designs.

http://www.sustainable-homes.org.au/03_projects/caboolture/caboolture.htm

The Research House project investigates building ‘smarter’ and more ‘environmentally responsive’ homes. It brings together new and innovative design concepts, technologies and products and tests them in a single living environment to improve housing for Queenslanders.

http://www.build.qld.gov.au/research/research08.asp

Virtual tour

Sustainable Home Currumbin (Innovation House 3 or IH3) is located in The Ecovillage at Currumbin developed by Landmatters and named Australia's Best Sustainable Development by the Urban Development Institute of Australia. The vision for this community is to inspire sustainable living and inform ecological sustainable development.

All the homes here incorporate “universal design”, an idea conceived by the late architect Ron Mace who founded and directed The Center for Universal Design at North Carolina State University (www.design.ncsu.edu/cud). In this concept, elements are chosen which, while aesthetically pleasing, function for the greatest variety of people.

The Rotorua NOW Home® is a first-time collaboration between Beacon Pathway Ltd and Housing New Zealand Corporation. The new, three-bedroom home in Fordlands has been designed to focus on energy efficiency, sustainable water use, effective storm water disposal and waste reduction.