Building Better Homes: Michael Drage on the Home Style Green Podcast
At reimagined habitat, our goal has always been clear: make high-performance, low-energy homes easier to deliver, easier to understand, and easier for clients to say yes to.
Matthew Cutler-Welsh, the host from the famous Home Style Green Podcast interviewed our founder Michael Drage at the Passivhaus conference this year. Where he shared what drives this mission—and how our vertically integrated approach helps shape the future of prefab and Passive House building across Australia.
From Finance to High-Performance Housing
Michael started his career in investment, and that finance background still influences how we look at design, construction, and risk.
"When I looked at building from an investment lens, I realized clients were taking on a lot of unnecessary risk—especially when it came to things like airtightness, glazing, and prefab," Michael explained.
That perspective led to the creation of three interconnected businesses:
- NetZeroPlus (prefab systems and high-performance windows)
- Efficient Habitat (energy assessments, research and compliance)
- reimagined habitat (design and consultancy for Passive House and high-performance homes)
Each one plays a role in helping clients get smarter, healthier, and more sustainable homes—without overcomplicating the process.
Why Prefab? Why Poland?
When searching for the best way to deliver reliable high-performance homes, prefab made sense.
"We looked around Australia and found some good manufacturers, but the business models often didn’t stack up long-term. That’s why we formed a joint venture with a trusted partner in Poland who’s been building like this for 30 years," Michael said.
From there, the pieces came together. The panels are manufactured in Poland, fully glazed with high-performance windows, and shipped to Australia ready for assembly.
Think of it like Lego for adults—A goes to B goes to C. Most homes are up in a week. Some in a day.
This system allows us to:
- Reduce onsite build time
- Maintain high quality control
- Deliver consistent Passive House-level performance
- Minimise construction risk, especially in rural or hard-to-service areas
Windows Matter—and So Does Choice
Through our partnership with Eko-Okna, we bring in world-class window solutions—alu-clad UPVC, thermally broken aluminium, and timber with alu clad.
But performance isn't just about the product—it’s about strategy. That’s why we often recommend “hero rooms”:
“You want timber in the main living spaces? Great. Save money by doing the other rooms in alu-clad UPVC. From the outside, they look the same. From the inside, it’s a smarter use of your budget—and it still delivers thermal performance where it matters,” Michael said.
That kind of thinking—balancing cost, comfort, and performance—is at the heart of what we do.
Not Just for Us—For the Whole Industry
reimagined habitat doesn’t just design for our own builds. We also support other prefab designers and architects, because as Michael puts it, “If we help lift the tide, everybody rises—not just us.”
It’s why we work across all stages:
- Early collaboration with clients, designers, and certifiers
- Integrated design for prefab (known as DFMA – Design for Manufacturing and Assembly)
- Energy modeling using PHPP to scenario-test and explain performance options clearly to homeowners
We don’t push people into decisions. Instead, we give them the tools to make informed choices—whether they’re numerate engineers or homeowners who just want to know their family will be comfortable all year round.
What’s Next?
We’re currently working across the country, including:
- A prefab Passive House project in Denmark, WA
- Multi-residential opportunities in Canberra and Chatswood, where zoning changes are creating new demand
- More partnerships with architects and builders looking to transition toward high-performance systems
The mission is growing. And so is our reach.
Want to Know More?
Whether you're a homeowner looking to build better, or a designer ready to take the prefab leap, we’d love to talk.
Visit our sites:
Or drop us a message to get started.
Together, let’s make Passive House more possible—for everyone.
You can listen to the full podcast here