Australia’s first Passive House in a retirement village open
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Passive House Render The Grove at Ngunnawal

Australia’s first Passive House in a retirement village open

Thursday, 12 February 2026

Keyton, one of Australia’s leading retirement living operator-developers has showcased Australia’s first Passive House built in a retirement village, following strong interest from last year’s announcement of the innovative pilot program.

“The Passive House at The Grove is the first of its kind in an Australian retirement village and we are excited to bring it to market. For Keyton, the project has been, first and foremost a learning exercise,” said Keyton Chief Executive Officer Nathan Cockerill.  

“We wanted to understand how Passive House principles can enhance the efficiency, comfort and overall performance of future retirement homes.” 

The newly completed Passive House villa at The Grove, Ngunnawal attracted strong interest from industry specialists, builders, academics, residents and prospective residents during the open home event. 

“Visitors were most struck by the practical benefits: cleaner air, consistent indoor temperatures and reduced energy use,” Cockerill said.  

“These are features that can meaningfully improve how older Australians live, and we’re exploring how elements of this design can be applied in future developments.” 

Built as part of Keyton’s sustainability and wellbeing focused approach, the Passive House incorporates airtight construction, high performance insulation, triple glazing and mechanical ventilation with heat recovery. 

“We want to understand what works, what delivers the greatest impact for residents, and what can be adapted cost effectively across new communities,” Cockerill said.  

“It’s all about taking the best of Passive House thinking and applying it in a way that supports healthy and confident ageing; and saves residents some money on their energy bills as well.”  

The home forms part of the ongoing transformation of The Grove, alongside the revitalised Gold Creek Homestead and an incoming aged care facility delivered by Arcare. 

“The Passive House project reinforces our commitment to finding innovative ways to create homes that enhance health, comfort and long‑term wellbeing for residents,” Cockerill said. 

Media Contacts

Tim Mahony

About Keyton: 


Keyton is a leading owner and operator of independent retirement living communities in Australia with more than 65 villages nationally and 15,000 residents across the country. Keyton has over 30 years' experience in the market and an ongoing commitment to creating communities and care for residents.