Sustainable Estates in Melbourne

Innovative Aquarevo sustainable estate targets major water savings  

The Aquarevo estate in Lyndhurst is being jointly developed by privately owned Villawood Properties and state utility South East Water to include unique water recycling features estimated to save up to 70 per cent of drinking water.

South East Water project delivery manager Terry Dalgleish said the 460-home estate, which would be built on a decommissioned purification plant, was a first for the agency in terms of co-operation with a private sector developer and the widespread adoption of innovative water-saving technology.

All houses on the $130 million estate would have a 2000-litre rainwater tank that fed into the hot water system for bathrooms, washing and laundry.

An electronic "tank talk" device would connect with Bureau of Meteorology data so the estate's tanks automatically flushed before impending rain to top up fresh water and control peak stormwater flows across the estate, Mr Dalgleish said.

Villawood joint director Rory Costelloe said other built-in features would include solar panels and a solar-powered heat pack system.

Mr Costelloe said excess supply from each home's 2.5-kilowatt solar system would be pooled and sold to a supplier for the community's benefit.

The sustainable features would form part of land sale contracts controlled by covenants and design guidelines so all homes were built to a uniform standard, Mr Costelloe said.

"It's really out there as far as new stuff bundled in the one project," he said.

Villawood has developed a reputation for adding popular features like childcare and community centres at the start of developments to attract buyers.

The estate's sustainability features would not put a premium on land prices.

They would be at market value or less, around $240,000 per lot, he said.

"We hope others will use this model, particularly in remote areas," Mr Costelloe said.

Mr Dalgleish said Aquarevo's estate-wide integrated water recycling was unique.

"All the water in the development stays within the development; it's what we call a closed loop system," he said.

The estate, which would be launched in April, also would feature a pressurised sewerage system and an on-site Class A treatment plant to recycle water for toilets and irrigation.

The newly developed "onebox" sewerage system transferred waste according to network volumes, requiring smaller pipes and less excavation, he said.

Source: SMH

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