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The Jade 909 was presented as a 9-star energy-efficient home in Western Australia, but its apparent affordability came from a specific historical design and pricing package—not from a universally repeatable low-cost formula. A Bristile Roofing brochure put the base model at approximately $200,000 and the displayed version at about $285,000 after adding photovoltaic cells, a greywater system and rainwater tanks. Those are brochure figures from an undated historical publication, not current construction prices. The project’s central idea was to spend first on passive design—orientation, insulation, ventilation and thermal mass—then add selected water and energy systems.
What the Jade 909 case study actually represents
The Jade 909 appeared in a historical Architecture & Design article titled “9-Star house built on a project home budget,” published on 3 June 2011. The article and the associated Bristile Roofing “Roof Tiles for Living” brochure describe one Western Australian project at that time. They do not establish what the house ultimately cost, provide a complete construction-cost breakdown, or show what an equivalent home would cost today.
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In the brochure, the Jade 909 is described as a 9-star energy-efficiency home. The rating was associated with four passive-design principles:
- Orientation: placing the home and its main rooms to make better use of the local sun and prevailing breezes.
- Insulation: slowing unwanted heat flow through the roof, walls and other parts of the envelope.
- Ventilation: using planned air movement to purge heat and improve comfort without relying on mechanical cooling.
- Thermal mass: using materials such as masonry to absorb, store and release heat gradually.
The phrase “project-home budget” therefore describes the marketing position of a particular design, not a promise that every 9-star house can be built for the same amount.
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Base model versus the displayed upgrade package
The brochure gives two headline figures. They are useful for understanding how the project was presented, but they must remain attached to their original qualifications: Western Australia, a historical brochure, an approximate base-model price and an upgraded display version.
| Brochure version | Stated price | Systems specifically identified | What is not established |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jade 909 base model | Approximately $200,000 | The brochure describes the home as a 9-star design using orientation, insulation, ventilation and thermal mass. | The brochure text available does not provide a full inclusions schedule, land allowance, site works, professional fees, finance costs or final contract price. |
| Displayed version | About $285,000 | Photovoltaic cells, a greywater system and rainwater tanks were added to the base presentation. | It is not clear from the available material whether land, demolition, service connections, difficult ground, landscaping, approvals or other site costs were included. |
The difference between the two figures is roughly $85,000, but it should not be treated as a current price for a solar, water-reuse or high-rating package. The brochure’s publication year is not established, and construction prices, labour, materials, finance and regulations change over time.
How passive design did the heavy lifting
Orientation and room planning
Orientation is more than turning a façade toward a preferred view. It determines which rooms receive low-angle winter sun, which windows face harsh summer exposure, and whether breezes can travel through the plan. The Architecture & Design article discusses layout, openings, doors, windows and insulation as parts of the energy strategy. In a project-home format, resolving those decisions in the standard plan can reduce the need for expensive mechanical equipment later.
A plan that works in one Western Australian location may perform differently on another block. Nearby buildings, lot shape, trees, overshadowing, wind, glazing area and the exact climate zone all alter the result. A “9-star” label should therefore be read as a modeled outcome for a defined design and site assumptions, not a universal property of a floor plan sold anywhere.
Insulation and the building envelope
Insulation limits heat entering during hot periods and escaping during cool periods. Its value depends on continuity: gaps around windows, doors, penetrations, junctions and roof edges can weaken an otherwise strong specification. The historical material identifies insulation as one of the four principles, but it does not publish a complete R-value schedule, construction detail or installation inspection record. You cannot infer those missing specifications from the 9-star description alone.
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Ventilation without air-conditioning
The brochure says the Jade 909 had no air-conditioning and used ceiling fans to assist ventilation. Fans move air across occupants and can support comfort when conditions permit, but they do not lower indoor air temperature in the same way as refrigeration. Their effectiveness depends on outdoor temperature, humidity, air speed, window placement and the occupants’ willingness to open or close the house at the right times.
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Good ventilation design also requires control. Openings need to be placed so air can enter and leave rather than stall in a sealed room. Security, bushfire smoke, storms, insects and privacy may all limit when windows can be opened. The brochure establishes the design intent; it does not prove that every occupant experienced the same comfort in every weather condition.
Thermal mass from masonry
The project was associated with clay bricks and terracotta roof tiles, alongside recyclable materials. Masonry can moderate temperature swings when it is exposed to the interior and paired with appropriate shading and night-time ventilation. Thermal mass is not automatically beneficial: if it is exposed to strong unwanted solar gain and cannot release stored heat, it can prolong discomfort. The Jade 909’s materials are project details, not a recommendation that clay products suit every climate, site or budget.
What the added energy and water systems did
Photovoltaic generation
The brochure describes a 3 kW photovoltaic system. In the displayed package, photovoltaic cells were one of the additions above the approximately $200,000 base model. The brochure does not provide the system’s annual generation, orientation, inverter specification, export arrangement, battery storage, tariff assumptions or payback calculation. A 3 kW array from that historical project cannot be converted into a guaranteed bill saving for a current household.
Greywater and rainwater
The displayed version also included a greywater system and rainwater tanks. These measures can reduce demand for treated mains water when the plumbing, storage, treatment and irrigation arrangements are suitable. Their value depends on household size, rainfall, tank capacity, garden demand, maintenance and local health or plumbing requirements. The brochure’s description does not provide tank volume, greywater treatment method, connected fixtures or operating costs.
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Appliances, fittings and materials
The brochure associates the house with energy-efficient appliances and fittings, recyclable materials, clay bricks and terracotta roof tiles. Those choices can reduce operational demand or material waste, but a product category is not a performance guarantee. Actual results depend on the selected model, installation, controls, occupant behaviour and the rest of the building envelope.
How to interpret the brochure’s 76% and 119% claims
The brochure claims a 76 percent water saving and a 119 percent energy saving. Both figures must be attributed to the brochure. The available text does not state the baseline house, modeling method, period, climate data, occupancy assumptions or whether “energy saving” includes electricity generated by the photovoltaic system. A saving above 100 percent is especially sensitive to the definition of the baseline and to treatment of on-site generation.
Consequently, these percentages are promotional performance claims, not independently verified measurements that can be transferred to another home. They may illustrate the brochure’s intended comparison, but they do not tell a prospective builder how many kilowatt-hours or litres a current household will save.
Why the 2011 context matters
The Architecture & Design article discusses differences in Australian house energy ratings by climate and refers to NatHERS as one rating tool. Its discussion of regulations, minimum ratings, builder offerings and the market belongs to 2011. It should not be used as a statement of current Australian requirements, current NatHERS software practice or today’s builder pricing.
The article includes commentary attributed to Caroline Pidcock and Adrian Just about energy efficiency and passive design. Their views are part of that historical case study; the available excerpts do not provide verified wording for direct quotation, so they are best understood as attributed commentary rather than reproduced quotations.
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What “project-home budget” can—and cannot—tell you
A project-home budget generally implies that a repeatable plan and standardised procurement were being used to control design and construction complexity. That can make a high-performing concept easier to price than a one-off custom house, especially when passive measures are resolved before construction. It does not mean the home had no premium features, nor does it show that the quoted figure covered every cost required to occupy the site.
For the Jade 909, the available sources do not settle whether the brochure amounts included land, site preparation, retaining walls, service connections, engineering, approvals, landscaping, window treatments, appliances outside the named package, or owner-supplied work. Those omissions can materially change a project total. The safest reading is that the two amounts describe brochure versions of the house, not a complete turnkey contract.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How to use the Jade 909 idea for a new build
The project is most useful as a design sequence. Use the following process to test whether a similar ambition fits a real block and budget.
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- Define the site and climate first. Record orientation, lot boundaries, neighbouring overshadowing, slope, soil, wind, bushfire exposure, vegetation and likely views. A plan copied from another location may lose its performance when these conditions change.
- Set comfort and operating goals. Decide whether the priority is summer comfort, winter warmth, lower peak demand, water reduction, resilience during outages or a combination. A single star target does not specify all of these outcomes.
- Have the design assessed before selecting finishes. Ask an appropriately qualified energy assessor or passive-design professional to model the proposed layout, openings, shading, insulation and thermal mass. Request the assumptions in writing so you know what the result represents.
- Fix the envelope before adding equipment. Resolve orientation, glazing, shading, air leakage, insulation continuity and ventilation paths first. Solar panels, fans and efficient appliances cannot correct a fundamentally unsuitable plan.
- Choose thermal mass deliberately. Confirm where masonry or other mass is exposed to the interior, how it will be shaded, and how stored heat will be released. Do not specify heavy materials solely because they appeared in the Jade 909 brochure.
- Size mechanical and water systems from the modeled demand. If you add photovoltaic generation, tanks or greywater, obtain system sizes, controls, maintenance requirements and connection details. A nominal capacity such as 3 kW is not a complete system specification.
- Price the whole project in separate allowances. Request distinct figures for house construction, site works, services, professional fees, approvals, landscaping, energy systems and contingencies. Ask the builder to state what is excluded.
- Verify the finished work. Keep records of insulation installation, window and door specifications, ventilation controls, equipment commissioning and any final rating documentation. A design intention is not proof of construction quality.
Questions to put in a builder’s quote
- Is the quoted amount for the building only, or does it include land and site costs?
- Which rooms, windows, doors, shading devices, insulation products and internal finishes are standard?
- Are photovoltaic panels, inverter, electrical work, greywater equipment and rainwater tanks included or optional?
- What assumptions were used for the energy assessment, and is the rating for this exact site?
- What happens if soil, slope, retaining, drainage or service connections require additional work?
- Are appliances and fittings the same efficiency level as those shown in the display version?
- What maintenance, replacement and owner-operation requirements apply to fans, tanks, pumps and water-reuse systems?
These questions prevent the common mistake of comparing a brochure’s headline house price with a different builder’s all-in project price.
Common mistakes when copying a 9-star example
Treating the historical price as a current benchmark
The approximately $200,000 and $285,000 figures are historical brochure amounts. Inflation, wages, materials, finance, transport and regulation mean they cannot be used as a 2026 budget without a new, like-for-like quote.
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Assuming the star rating travels with the plan
Energy ratings respond to climate, orientation, glazing, shading, construction and occupancy assumptions. Moving a plan, changing its windows or rotating it on the block can change the modeled result.
Counting generation as efficiency
Photovoltaic output can reduce purchased electricity, but it does not substitute for a well-performing envelope. Ask whether a claimed improvement refers to reduced demand, on-site generation, exported energy or a combination.
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Fans, windows, tanks and greywater systems require correct use and upkeep. A home designed for natural ventilation may perform poorly if openings remain closed, while a tank or pump that is not maintained may deliver less benefit than expected.
What is established—and what remains unknown
| Established by the historical sources | Not established by the available sources |
|---|---|
| The Jade 909 was presented as a 9-star Western Australian home. | The final amount paid to build and complete the house. |
| The brochure identifies orientation, insulation, ventilation and thermal mass as passive-design principles. | A complete construction scope, inclusions list or contract schedule. |
| The brochure gives an approximate $200,000 base-model figure. | A current equivalent price in Western Australia. |
| The brochure gives about $285,000 for a displayed version with photovoltaic cells, greywater and rainwater tanks. | Whether land, site works and all professional or approval costs were included. |
| The brochure describes no air-conditioning, ceiling fans and a 3 kW photovoltaic system. | Annual energy production, household bills, comfort measurements or independent verification. |
| The brochure claims 76 percent water saving and 119 percent energy saving. | The baselines, methods and conditions needed to reproduce those percentages. |
Verdict: a design lesson, not a price promise
The Jade 909 shows how a project-home concept could put passive design at the centre of a high energy-rating claim and reserve additional money for solar and water systems. Its lesson is sequencing: orient and shape the house well, build a continuous envelope, plan ventilation and thermal mass, then size equipment around the resulting demand.
Its brochure prices and savings percentages cannot answer what a 9-star home costs now. Anyone using the example for a real build should obtain a site-specific assessment and a fully itemised quote, with land and site costs stated separately. Read that way, the Jade 909 remains a useful historical case study without becoming a misleading modern cost guide.
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