Model’s ambition is to lead the next generation of sustainable housing, starting with a pipeline of 700 highly sustainable BTR apartments in inner-Melbourne, by decarbonising at scale, prioritising occupant wellness, and ensuring robust returns for investors.
Chief executive officer Rory Hunter is not your regular developer. He bought and developed Song Saa Private Island in his early 30s – one of the world’s most sustainable eco retreats – located off the coast of Cambodia. The Song Saa Collective, which operates out of Hong Kong, pioneered the first marine reserve in the country’s history under Rory’s leadership.
Using experience gleaned from his first (and extraordinary) gig in sustainability and development, his new Australian business will deliver efficient, community oriented, residential precincts.
His ambition is that all BTR projects delivered will start with adaptive reuse or mass timber construction and be Passive House certified – reducing embodied carbon by a minimum of 50 per cent and operational carbon by 75 per cent.
“I’m very aware these are ambitious aspirations, but so was building one of the world’s best resorts in my early 30s. I’m a firm believer of dreaming big, and we’ve been really excited about the momentum that we are building.”
Rory says the concept of Model was to recreate what has been done for many years in Europe and the UK – delivering a trifecta of enhanced experience for residents, future-proofed returns for investors, and a strong sustainability performance.
“Model’s guiding principles are inspired by exemplar projects from around the globe and to set the agenda Model’s first step was to publish a white paper Tomorrow’s too late.
“My thesis in the white paper was that we are building for a future that is very different from today. It will be hotter and far more uncertain at a climactic level and policy and regulation is going to change – accordingly – at rapid pace. To protect the planet we’ll need to amp up the decarbonisation of the economy very quickly. And not all buildings will be created equal.”
Before the year is out Australia will understand what Model’s proposed solution looks like.
