Once completed, GemLife Elimbah will include 404 homes and $20 million in premium lifestyle facilities, such as a two-level Country Club and a Summer House with a resort-style pool, designed to encourage connection, wellbeing, and active living.

The independent EnviroDevelopment certification assessed the 26-hectare community across six key categories: ecosystems, waste, energy, materials, water, and community.

“Achieving all six areas is something we’re extremely proud of,” said GemLife Managing Director and Group CEO, Adrian Puljich. “From 7-star energy-rated, climate-responsive homes and a market-leading solar power system with on-site battery storage, to protecting local wildlife habitats and preserving green space, sustainability is central to GemLife Elimbah.”

A standout feature has been the site’s innovative approach to renewable energy. A 3MW community battery system, which received Federal Government Australian Renewable Energy Agency grant funding*, will support a private virtual grid, allowing residents to feed in their generated solar power. GemLife expects this virtual power plant model to reduce greenhouse gas emissions beyond regulatory requirements, providing residents with greater energy security and savings.

Water management has also been carefully considered. Four underground combined treatment and detention tanks, with a total capacity of 5000 m³, will capture stormwater across the community. The water will be treated to remove pollutants and sediments, then reused for public facilities and irrigation. Any excess will be safely released into the adjoining eastern drainage reserve. In conjunction with water-efficient home design, these measures significantly reduce potable water usage.

The preservation of natural ecosystems has also been central to the project’s design. The south-eastern corner, a designated koala priority area, will remain a dedicated rehabilitation zone. All existing trees and native vegetation have been retained – a decision the National EnviroDevelopment Board described as rare for a project of this scale. In total, more than eight hectares of green space will be safeguarded.

“EnviroDevelopment certification is important because it provides independent recognition of our commitment to sustainable design,” Adrian said. “It validates the choices we make to balance lifestyle with environmental responsibility and sets a benchmark for future GemLife communities.”

For more information about GemLife Elimbah, visit: https://www.gemlife.com.au/location/gemlife-elimbah-resort/

*Gemlife’s Sustainable Community Battery Project is being delivered by Prospecta Utilities and is funded by GemLife with support from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA), through its Community Battery Round 1 funding under the Advancing Renewables Program. Views expressed in this article are GemLife’s and not necessarily the views of the Australian Government.

This thoughtful design has been matched by a strong commitment to sustainability, with GemLife Highfields Heights achieving full EnviroDevelopment certification from the Urban Development Institute of Australia (UDIA). The project was recognised for excellence across the six ‘leaves’ of ecosystems, energy, water, waste, materials, and community.

“At Highfields Heights we’ve worked to ensure sustainability delivers real benefits for residents as well as the environment,” said GemLife Managing Director and Group CEO, Adrian Puljich. “Our energy-efficient homes, solar power systems, and green spaces are designed to lower costs, reduce impacts, and create a healthier place to live.”

A key achievement is the project’s ecological net gain. More than 2.2 hectares of regrowth semi-evergreen vine thicket within the site will be rehabilitated, creating richer and more resilient vegetation than existed before development. GemLife has funded a two-year monitoring and management program to ensure the long-term success of this rehabilitation and to protect native fauna, before stewardship is handed to Toowoomba Regional Council.

Stormwater management has also been addressed innovatively. Four underground detention and treatment tanks, with a combined 7,133m³ capacity, will capture, treat, and reuse stormwater for irrigation and public facilities, reducing potable water demand. New trunk infrastructure will also improve flood protection for the wider community.

Homes across the resort have been designed with sustainability in mind, using north-facing orientation to maximise solar gain, together with roof insulation, light-coloured roofing, and shading to reduce heat extremes. Landscaping will use drought-tolerant native species, including local food-bearing plants such as lilly pilly berries and kauri seeds. These plantings not only provide habitat for wildlife but also create cultural and culinary connections for residents, with lilly pilly fruit often used in jams and sauces, and kauri seeds able to be roasted or boiled as a nutritious snack.

“GemLife Highfields Heights shows that it’s possible to deliver world-class lifestyle facilities while also protecting and enhancing the natural environment,” Adrian said. “Certification gives our homeowners confidence that they are part of a community designed for the future – one that is healthier, more efficient, and more resilient.”

For more information about GemLife Highfields Heights visit https://www.gemlife.com.au/location/gemlife-highfields-heights-resort/

GemLife Gold Coast is the company’s first development to be put forward for the assessment process.

The $200 million GemLife Gold Coast development is set on a 46-hectare elevated site in Pimpama capturing Surfers’ skyline and mountain views. It will ultimately comprise 365 homes, delivered in stages over more than three years, along with fitness, wellness, relaxation, and recreation amenities designed for today’s increasingly active and healthy over-50s.

GemLife Director and CEO Adrian Puljich said that with GemLife Gold Coast earmarked to benchmark innovative sustainability practices across the company and within the broader sector, certification by EnviroDevelopment provided an important first step towards achieving this goal.

“EnviroDevelop certification recognises projects that achieve exceptional sustainability outcomes and provides a point of difference in a competitive market,” Adrian said.

“Certification is designed to assess project initiatives across six areas; ecosystems, waste, energy, materials, water, and community. Given this is our first-ever assessment, we are extremely proud to have met five of those,” he said.

He added that it was GemLife’s goal to have a positive environmental and social impact by taking a proactive approach to sustainability.

“At a fundamental level, it is GemLife’s mission to achieve a net-positive impact on the community and what we create. GemLife Gold Coast will be where we showcase this, taking our sustainability practices and innovations to the next level,” he said.