The Cape, Australia’s first net-zero carbon estate, continues to shape the nation’s future of housing, with the arrival of MillBuilt’s first prefabricated modular home – a breakthrough in speed, performance and affordability.
The Cape has spent a decade proving that net-zero living can be desirable, comfortable and community-driven. Its latest collaboration with MillBuilt takes that philosophy to the next level – making sustainable housing faster to build, easier to own and accessible to more Australians.
As Australia confronts a housing crisis alongside escalating construction costs, The Cape’s partnership with MillBuilt demonstrates how smarter building systems and sustainable design can converge to create homes that don’t just meet modern needs, they anticipate them.
“At The Cape, we are seeing the next generation of stunning homes take shape,” said Brendan Condon, director, The Cape. “MillBuilt’s prefabricated home proves that sustainable design, energy efficiency and affordability can go hand in hand. It’s an exciting blueprint for addressing the housing crisis, while cutting emissions and creating comfortable and resilient coastal homes.”
Sustainable living meets smart construction
MillBuilt’s home at The Cape exemplifies how modular construction aligns perfectly with the estate’s net-zero vision. Built in sections within a Yarra Valley factory and transported to site for final assembly, this home was completed in just six weeks, with only four days of on-site work required to connect services and finish fittings such as shower screens, pendant lights and ceiling fans.
“Each home leaves our factory almost fully finished,” said Daniel Pobjoy, director, MillBuilt. “They have powered up, checked and are ready to connect once they arrive. The result is less disruption on site, fewer trades to coordinate, and a much faster path to handover.”
Performance designed for life at the coast
Designed for passive solar gain, with north-facing living areas and thermally broken PVC windows, MillBuilt’s first home at The Cape delivers energy performance well above minimum standards. Like all homes at The Cape, it’s fully electric, solar powered, and ready for EV charging, eliminating gas and petrol bills and cutting electricity costs to near zero. When paired with an electric vehicle, homeowners can save more than $5,000 per year in running costs, all while enjoying year-round comfort. The home features a Mitsubishi Heavy Industries 8 kW reverse-cycle split system, Aquatech Rapidly X6 heat-pump hot-water unit, Bosch induction cooktop, and a 4.75 kW solar array, a combination of performance, efficiency, and comfort.
One upcoming collaboration between MillBuilt and Adapt Design Group at The Cape is targeting an impressive 9-Star NatHERS rating – achieved without slab thermal mass – demonstrating that exceptional performance is possible when the building envelope is optimised.
Unlike traditional slab-based builds, MillBuilt’s modular homes sit on stumps with a fully insulated subfloor cavity (R5 with lined underside), enhancing comfort, serviceability and termite protection – an ideal fit for coastal conditions.
Homes that grow, move and evolve
MillBuilt’s modular system is designed for flexibility. Homes can be pre-framed for future additions, allowing new modules to attach seamlessly as families grow or needs change.
“If a home ever becomes the wrong size or style, it’s an asset you can move or sell, not waste,” Daniel said. “That’s a big sustainability win.”
Affordability without compromise
MillBuilt’s popular three-bedroom ‘Red Ironbark’ design starts from around $400,000 for a 3-bed, 1-bath configuration or $450,000 for 3-bed,2-bath (factory build, typical inclusions).
For first-home buyers and regional homeowners alike, the model offers a realistic entry point to ownership – a home that can grow with your family and budget, or a low-maintenance coastal retreat.
Tackling Australia’s housing challenges
Factory-built modular homes are transforming how Australia approaches housing delivery. By significantly reducing construction times to as low as 4–to-12 weeks, they enable new supply to keep pace with growing demand and relieve pressure on overstretched markets. Standardised, controlled processes also help builders maintain cost certainty, minimising the risk of budget blowouts and weather-related delays that have plagued traditional builds.
On-site disruption is kept to an absolute minimum, with only a few days needed for installation rather than months of heavy machinery, scaffolding and trades. Unlike conventional homes that often end their lifecycle in demolition, modular designs can be relocated, repurposed or expanded — turning housing into a circular asset rather than a disposable one. This ready-to-connect model also supports regional communities, delivering high-quality housing to areas where skilled trades are in short supply and construction backlogs are most acute.
See the innovation first-hand
The MillBuilt display home is now open at The Cape, Cape Paterson. Visit 2 Trumpeter Street, Thursday–Sunday, 12–4 pm, or call (03) 7022 9790 to arrange a tour. The Cape is currently offering House and Land Packages from $899k.
The Cape is Australia’s first net-zero carbon housing estate, located on Victoria’s Bass Coast. With a strong focus on renewable energy, climate resilience and community well-being, it stands as a national model for sustainable living — where innovative housing and transport solutions come together to create a better future.
