Chris Knierim's Forest Lodge eco-house masterpiece under the hammer

Chris Knierim's Forest Lodge eco-house masterpiece under the hammer
Jonathan ChancellorDecember 7, 2020

Builder Chris Knierim's award winning eco-house in Forest Lodge has been listed for November 28 auction.

Featured on the Grand Designs Australia television series, the inner west home comes with $1.6 million plus hopes through Jennifer Aaron of Jennifer Aaron Real Estate.

The 2013 built Foss Street home - just 3.9 metres wide - occupies a narrow gap in a row of heritage-listed terraces.

Designed to minimise its carbon footprint, it was Knierim's dream to build a sustainable three bedroom house for his family, putting to use his knowledge from working on eco-friendly building projects in Europe.

Knierim insulated the ground underneath the slab to store heat from solar panels on the roof to provide heating and hot water for the house.

There's eight metre tall vertical garden walls, 3500 litre underground water tank and extensive use of recycled materials, with the many ensuing awards including the 2014 HIA Green Smart Australian Home of the Year and the Australian Sustainable Project of the Year.

Chris and wife Belinda built on the vacant block next door to their then house. 

"Crowned by a green roof, it presents streamlined minimalism with state-of-the-art finishes and a focus on optimal light and airflow," Jennifer Aaron said.

This article first appeared in the Sunday Telegraph.

Jonathan Chancellor

Jonathan Chancellor is one of Australia's most respected property journalists, having been at the top of the game since the early 1980s. Jonathan co-founded the property industry website Property Observer and has written for national and international publications.

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