The residence, in the Currumbin Valley, was named Queensland GreenSmart Energy Efficient Home of the Year. HIA’s partner in this category is Origin

Judges said the home’s highly original construction displays outstanding aesthetic appeal combined with simplicity, practical efficiency, passive climatic comfort and total energy and water self-sufficiency.

“This innovative house synthesises an industry-leading mix of state-of-the-art building materials and technology along with a high content of recycled and reused materials,” they said.

The Awards, compered by Brisbane Channel 9 presenter Jillian Whiting, were made in front of an audience of more than 550 at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre. Congratulating Landmatters and Treby Constructions, HIA’s Queensland President, Marshall Cusworth, said it was gratifying to see the uniformly high standard of entries.

“These are difficult times for the home building industry and members could have been excused for having things on their minds other than entering awards, yet the quality on display tonight is as good, if not better, than anything we have seen in the past,” he said.

“I look forward to Queensland entries being well represented at next year’s HIA National Awards.”

HIA is Australia’s peak building body representing more than 40,000 builders, suppliers and trade contractors. The industry is responsible for development projects, new homes, renovations and additions worth more than $43 billion each year and generating about 350,000 jobs.

The Association’s awards acknowledge the excellence in housing construction, design, innovation and technology and recognise the talent of builders and building companies which plan and construct quality housing.

HIA’s partner for this category is Colorbond.

Judges said the winning builder, Landmatters, had addressed the full suite of sustainability criteria for a building responsive to the environment.

“The state-of-the-art technology incorporated into its design places the emphasis solidly on innovation and includes smart metering and environmentally-friendly toilets,” they said.

“The emphasis has been on reused and recycled materials at every stage of the building process and no PVC has been used in the plumbing.”

Landmatters’ success follows its win in the GreenSmart Development of the Year category at the 2007 awards.

Congratulating Landmatters, HIA Managing Director Ron Silberberg said the HIA-Boral GreenSmart Awards are now firmly established as the showcase for environmentally responsible housing in Australia.

“It was back in 1999 that HIA decided there should be a dedicated program of awards for industry members who planned and built to the highest standards of sustainability,” he said.

“At the time, the critics said we would never attract sufficient interest from the industry. The fact that every year we set new records for our entries shows just how wrong they were.

“The awards are solid evidence of HIA’s support for the design and construction of environmentally responsible housing in Australia. We are delighted that the GreenSmart program, created at the birth of environmental awareness in building, is playing an increasingly significant role in keeping industry members and consumers alike aware that environmentally responsible living is also cost-effective living.”