As the founder of the Sustainable Builders Alliance and director of G-LUX Builders, Jesse Glascott has turned his own family home into a showcase of what sustainable construction can achieve.
On a vacant parcel of land in Melbourne’s outer northeast, Jesse built a striking residence that has been awarded Passivhaus Premium certification — a recognition achieved by only a select few homes in Australia.
For those unfamiliar, the Passive House (Passivhaus) standard is an international benchmark for energy-efficient buildings. It sets out five key principles that ensure homes are not only sustainable but also comfortable, healthy, and long-lasting.
Jesse, however, is far from a novice. Beyond directing his own building company, he is a qualified Passive House tradesman and the driving force behind the Sustainable Builders Alliance. His family’s new home in Warrandyte perfectly embodies these ideals.
The project began when Jesse and his wife, Monica, discovered an empty block in the leafy suburb.
“There was no existing home or architectural style to consider,” Jesse recalls. “That gave us complete freedom to design something entirely from scratch.”
With a creative eye for building design, Jesse sketched out the vision himself. The goal was to meet stringent Passivhaus requirements—airtight construction, superior insulation, high-performance glazing, and a mechanical ventilation system with heat recovery—while also weaving in a strong connection to the natural landscape.
The design brief called for expansive natural light, exposed timber finishes, and family-friendly outdoor spaces, including a pool and a shipping-container-turned pool house for entertaining. Architect David Halford refined the plans to ensure strict compliance with Passivhaus standards, while Jesse chose mass timber panels to cut down on waste and speed up construction. Monica curated the interiors, pairing rich natural woods with bold black accents for contrast.
The result, now known as Panel House, is one of the very few homes in Australia to achieve Passivhaus Premium, the highest possible certification. To qualify, a building must actually produce more energy than it consumes.
“The design focuses on passive solar performance,” Jesse explains. “The house is oriented north to soak up the winter sun, while carefully calculated eaves keep out unwanted summer heat.”
The home runs entirely on harvested rainwater, with a 41,000-litre filtration system below, and is powered by a 20kW solar array, dramatically reducing dependence on the grid.
The end result is more than just sustainable—it’s beautiful, functional, and inspiring. For Jesse, it stands as both a family retreat and a living example of what thoughtful, forward-looking design can achieve.
Links
https://thedesignfiles.net/2025/09/sustainable-homes-panel-house