Tech allows ultra-green homes to be built in just two months
The breakthrough comes as research shows homebuyers are willing to pay more for sustainable features
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An Australian construction giant is poised to build ultra-energy efficient homes in a matter of months after signing a joint venture with a green tech prefabricated wall manufacturer.
AVJennings recently launched a new collection of designer dwellings dubbed Stellar, which feature an innovative walling system from tech company Pro9.
Using the galvanised steel-frame and foam insulated product, the time it takes to construct a home can be cut to a fifth of what it is currently, meaning a dwelling could go up in just two months.
And the finished product can achieve at least an eight-star energy efficiency rating – well above the current minimum of six stars and ahead of the boosted seven-star requirement that comes into effect from 2024.
AVJennings has signed a joint venture with Pro9 to establish a manufacturing hub in Australia, capable of producing more than 1000 homes a year.
“The fact that Pro9 can be implemented directly into our existing product range to elevate the offering is ground-breaking,” AVJennings chief executive officer Phil Kearns said.
“Since introducing the technology into three homes in our Evergreen community in New South Wales 2021, we can see how much it contributes to a home’s energy efficiency and comfort.”
AVJennings is the first developer to bring the Pro9 technology to market in Australia, Mr Kearns said.
“We recognise the importance of achieving higher quality, better insulated and more durable homes and for us to all reduce our carbon footprint.”
Mr Kearns said the partnership is “just the start” of what the company plans to roll out in the future.
Homebuyers are increasingly demanding green and sustainable features and most are willing to pay a premium for it, according to the most recent Property Seeker Report from realestate.com.au.
The largest survey of its kind, the research probes respondents on hundreds of questions relating to the home-buying journey and has found the vast majority are eager to go green.
The 2022 report found 81 per cent of homebuyers see sustainable features in a property being critical in their decision-making and 87 per cent are willing to pay extra for green features, from solar panels to efficient insultation.
The average premium those buyers are willing to pay is 15%, the report found.
Recent analysis by KPMG found the Green Building Council of Australia’s Green Star Homes not only benefit the environment, but owners are better off financially almost immediately, with savings outpacing initial upfront costs.
While the modelling shows a Green Star Home will increase typical loan repayments by up to $84 per month, the savings in energy costs are up to $140 per month.
“The results are particularly exciting as they show that the economics now align with the significant amenity uplift of a greener, more efficient and healthier home,” said Mark Spicer, KPMG’s partner of ESG advisory and assurance.
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Strong consumer spending and tight supply have driven retail to the top of commercial property, but signs of pressure are starting to emerge.
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Australia’s retail property sector entered 2026 as the strongest performing commercial asset class, but rising geopolitical risks and cost pressures are beginning to test its resilience, according to new research from Knight Frank.
The latest Australian Retail Review shows the sector rode a wave of consumer spending and constrained supply through 2025, delivering total returns of 9.2 per cent and driving transaction volumes up 43 per cent year-on-year to $14.4 billion.
That momentum carried into early 2026, with around $3.6 billion in deals recorded in the first quarter alone.
“Retail clearly emerged as the standout commercial property performer in 2025,” said Knight Frank Senior Economist, Research & Consulting Alistair Read.
“Improving household spending, limited new supply and stronger leasing fundamentals combined to drive better income growth and renewed investor confidence in the sector.”
Spending rebound drives retail strength
A lift in household spending has been central to the sector’s performance. Consumer spending rose 4.6 per cent year-on-year to February 2026, supported by easing inflation and improving real incomes.
That shift flowed directly into retailer performance, with average EBIT margins across major retailers rising to 8.9 per cent in the first half of 2026, their strongest level in several years.
“Stronger consumer spending was critical in restoring momentum to the retail sector,” Mr Read said.
“Retailers have generally been better able to absorb costs, rebuild margins and support sustainable rental outcomes, particularly in higher-quality centres.”
Improved trading conditions also pushed leasing spreads up 4.2 per cent in 2025, reinforcing income growth and supporting capital values.
Geopolitical tensions begin to bite
But the outlook has become more complicated. The report warns that escalating conflict in the Middle East and its impact on fuel prices, supply chains and interest rates could weigh heavily on consumer spending.
“Higher fuel prices, flow-on cost pressures across supply chains, and recent interest rate increases are collectively squeezing household budgets, and early consumer sentiment data suggests confidence is already softening,” Mr Read said.
“While household balance sheets remain generally resilient, heightened uncertainty over future costs is likely to weigh on spending — particularly in discretionary categories — in the months ahead.”
The impact is already being felt in investment activity. While the year began strongly, transaction volumes slowed in March as investors paused amid the uncertainty.
“Early indicators suggest elevated uncertainty has already begun to affect the market. While retail investment enjoyed its strongest start to a year in a decade, with nearly $3 billion transacted by the end of February, activity stalled in March, as investors took a pause amid elevated uncertainty,” Mr Read said.
Solid foundations support medium-term outlook
Despite the near-term headwinds, Knight Frank maintains that the sector’s underlying fundamentals remain strong. Limited new supply, high construction costs and population growth are expected to continue supporting rental growth over the medium term.
“Retail has entered this period of uncertainty from a position of strength,” Mr Read said.
“Supply-side constraints, population growth and improving income fundamentals remain powerful structural supports for the sector.”
The report highlights several trends shaping the year ahead, including steady yields as interest rates rise, mounting pressure on tenant margins, continued outperformance of prime centres, the growing need for logistics integration, and risks linked to underinvestment in capital expenditure.
For now, retail remains a sector with momentum, but one increasingly at the mercy of forces far beyond the shopping centre.
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