How exciting to see our director and founder Michael Drage featured in the latest Domain newsletter — sharing insights that are crucial for anyone building or buying a home in Australia.

You can read the full article here.

When you're investing in a new home, energy efficiency is likely high on your list. And with 7-star energy ratings becoming a hot selling point, you might assume you're buying into year-round comfort, lower bills, and a smaller footprint. But here’s the truth: those stars might not always shine as bright as they claim.

At reimagined habitat, we believe you deserve better. That means real, reliable performance — not just promises on paper.

The Problem with Paper Ratings

As Michael Drage, our co-founder and Passive House designer, recently shared in a newsletter interview, many 7-star homes don’t live up to the rating they were modelled on. Why? Because NatHERS — Australia’s Nationwide House Energy Rating Scheme — is based on design-stage assumptions. And here’s the kicker: there’s currently no requirement to test a home after it's built to ensure it actually performs.

A study from Curtin University showed the issue isn’t just local. Globally, homes often consume up to 2.5 times more energy than predicted. That’s not just disappointing. It's costly.

Why Passive House Changes the Game

That’s where Passive House principles come in. Instead of relying on theoretical models, Passive House requires measured results. Every build is tested for air-tightness and thermal performance, ensuring real-world outcomes that align with the design. The result? Comfort, consistency, and control over your energy use — no surprises.

With Passive House, air changes per hour are tightly controlled. Compared to the 10 air changes allowed under the National Construction Code, Passive House targets 0.6. That means far less heat loss, fewer drafts, and far lower bills.

How Prefab Panels Make it Foolproof

Here’s where our Net Zero Habitat homes come in. Our prefabricated panels arrive on-site with insulation, airtightness layers, windows, and membranes already in place. This dramatically reduces the margin for error during construction. Everything is pre-installed to exacting standards in a controlled environment, ensuring your home meets performance targets without relying on good luck or guesswork.

That means your walls actually are airtight. Your windows do match the model. And your thermal envelope performs as designed.

And if you already have a home design you love, our sister company Net Zero Plus can customise the prefabricated panel system to suit your project — bringing the same high-performance standards and

precision to any build.

The Bottom Line

Energy efficiency isn’t about ticking boxes — it’s about building better homes that actually work for you. With reimagined habitat, you don’t have to take energy ratings on trust. You get real-world results.

Want to learn more about our prefab, performance-first homes? Get in touch today and let's build something extraordinary.