ECHO.1 is Australia’s first Passivhaus-certified build-to-sell multi-residential project. Located in Hawthorn, Melbourne, it is a collection of eight three-storey townhouses over a basement. The project aims to deliver high-performance homes by shifting the focus of value away from finishes and towards comfort, health, and efficiency. It offers a turnkey solution for high-performance living, unprecedented in the Australian market.

Built to the stringent Passivhaus standard, ECHO.1 incorporates superior insulation, high-performance triple glazing, exceptional airtightness rated at <0.6 air changes per hour (ach), minimised thermal bridging, and heat recovery ventilation (HRV) for continuous fresh, filtered air.

Beyond Passivhaus, it features all-electric systems, solar and battery storage, EV chargers, a heat pump hot water system, efficient appliances and rainwater reuse. The design is sympathetic to its neighbourhood, responding to the Hawthorn heritage context using a reduced palette of high-quality and durable materials. The LOHAS bricks used have low embodied energy, being produced in a biogas kiln, and the light colours reduce heat island effects and blend the project’s scale into the landscape.

ECHO.1 has ensured access to deep soil planting for every home, including a wide variety of canopy trees, hedges, shrubs and grasses that integrate with its leafy surrounds and contributes valuable habitat. Deciduous planting was selected for summer shade and winter solar gain.

C Street’s innovative technical and management approach to the complexity of meeting airtightness and thermal performance criteria are key reasons for success, enabling ECHO.1 to demonstrate the commercial viability of high-performance building methods in Australia.

Photography by Tom Ross and Lisa Cohen