Innovation Precinct: Committed to Sustainability and Innovation 

SLA's Innovation Precinct in Whitlam is open to the public, inviting you to learn about and experience the benefits of sustainable design, building innovation and climate-wise gardening. The precinct is designed to demonstrate industry best-practice for ‘Multi-Generational Living’ and sustainable living designs that make the all-electric dwellings carbon-positive in operation. This means these dwellings go beyond achieving net-zero carbon emissions to create an environmental benefit by generating more renewable energy than they use.  

This precinct development consists of three terraces, an inviting garden with nature play, shaded seating, pollinator-friendly plants and vegetable plots. 

This area is also home to SLA’s Sales and Information Centre,  the Mingle Community Hub which hosts community events and gives an opportunity for local artists and residents to showcase their work. 

The three terrace homes are certified Livable Housing designs, highlighting three different performance levels for accessibility of Platinum, Gold and Silver. 

All homes offer:

• All electric appliances 
• Roof-top Photo Voltaic system and battery storage. A battery allows you to draw on your renewable energy even when the sun isn’t shining and make best use of the energy your home is generating at peak times to save more on your bills
• Passive solar design - taking advantage of the seasonally different angles of the sun to warm and cool your house and allow for crossflow ventilation
• High-performance double-glazed window system – to keep the warmth in during winter and the heat out during those summer months
• High levels of building insulation and sealing to draught-proof homes and improve energy efficiency
• Use of recycled and carbon-neutral materials in construction to lower our carbon footprint and lower the impact on the environment
• Ventilation system with heat recovery for energy saving and healthy indoor air quality
• Grey water re-use and water saving appliances 
• Electric vehicle charging points
• Permeable driveways and paving so that water can soak into the ground to support the growth of plants and trees, rather than going straight into the storm water drains 

The space also includes a climate-wise garden, including a green roof, pollinator-friendly landscape spaces, food crops, vertical greening and tree canopy for outdoor amenity and play to complement the built form.