Light & Living House by Beehive

Bunurong Country - Kulin Nation,
Cheltenham,
VIC
This home will be open for in-person tours on the 17th May 2026

About this home

A contemporary double-storey, three-bedroom townhouse designed for comfortable, efficient living. The home features two bathrooms and a bright open-plan kitchen, dining and living zone with high ceilings. North orientation and tall double-glazed windows and doors maximise natural light while supporting year-round thermal comfort.

Built as an all-electric home, it combines quality finishes—hardwood doors and a hardwood staircase—with smart home functionality, including app-controlled lighting and heating/cooling for convenience and energy-aware operation.

Q & A

What motivated you to build or retrofit sustainably?
Comfort, cost-saving and caring for the environment.
All the pieces work together to add to the comfort but it is the extreme insulation that made the biggest difference.
I wish I had known that I could have argued the case with the council and built over the easement since the easement in our backyard is actually empty of services and assets.
Build another similar house with same features and huge backyard
Back to 2026 Homes
Type: Standalone house/townhouse
Project: New build
Architect: 287 Design Studio
Designer: Emil
Builder: Beehive Homes
Size: 200m²
Energy Rating: 7
Bedrooms: 3
Bathrooms: 2

Sustainability Features

Building Materials & Envelope

Draught-proofing/air sealing
High-performance insulation
Double or triple-glazed windows
Sustainable or low-impact materials
Recycled or reused materials
Other

Heating, Cooling and Ventilation

Passive heating/cooling (north-facing glazing, cross ventilation, thermal mass, shading, etc.)
Heat pump (reverse-cycle) heating/cooling

Energy and Appliances

Efficient lighting (LED, daylighting, solar skylights)
Heat pump hot water
Electric cooktop - induction/ceramic
Other energy-efficient appliances

Water & Waste Systems

Water-efficient fixtures
Rainwater tanks
Greywater system

Landscape & Biodiversity

Native garden

Climate Resilience

Heatwave

Accessible & Flexible Design Features

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