For builders looking to stay ahead of the curve, the HIA Future Homes Forum on 22 July 2026 at Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre offers a unique opportunity to explore what comes next for the industry.

This full-day event will bring together leading speakers from multiple fields (see below) to challenge conventional thinking and examine exciting new opportunities for builders. From homes that promote better health and wellbeing to advances in building materials that reduce environmental impact, the Future Homes Forum will showcase ideas that have the potential to transform the residential building sector.

HIA Managing Director Jocelyn Martin says the forum is for builders preparing for the opportunities and challenges ahead. What does the home of the future look like? What alternative building materials do we already have access too, and what may we use in the future? What construction methods will builders use? And equally importantly, what do consumers want now and in the future?

‘The homes Australians want in the future may look very different from those we build today,’ Jocelyn says.

The event will conclude with the highly acclaimed HIA Australian GreenSmart Awards, recognising excellence in environmentally responsible housing, sustainable design, construction and innovation.

Who’s invited?

The HIA Future Homes Forum is open to anyone with an interest in the future of residential building. It will appeal to HIA members, HIA GreenSmart builders, custom home builders, volume builders, designers, tradespeople, suppliers and industry professionals who want to know where the industry is heading.

Whether you’re embracing new technologies and sustainable building practices or simply curious about what the next decade may bring, this event offers valuable insights, practical takeaways and opportunities to connect with like-minded builders and industry leaders.

Meet Australia’s thought leaders

Topic: Can farmers supply the building materials of the future?

Keynote speakers: Joost Bakker and Frank Burridge

Architect Frank Burridge and sustainability pioneer Joost Bakker are united by a bold ambition: to transform the way homes are built in Australia by working with nature rather than against it.

Frank specialises in ecological design that creates buildings which are carbon-sequestering, zero-waste and habitat-forming. His work explores the intersection of biomaterials, innovative construction technology and regenerative design.

Joost, the Dutch-born Australian designer, artist and environmental activist, is internationally recognised for challenging conventional ideas about waste and sustainability. Famously described by The New York Times as ‘the poster boy of zero-waste living’, he’s turning radical environmental ideas into practical reality.

More recently, Joost attracted global attention as the designer behind actor Zac Efron’s ambitious eco-home project in northern NSW.

Together, Frank and Joost have collaborated on multiple groundbreaking projects. In the process, they have embraced the use of (and in many cases helped develop) alternative materials that fuse agriculture with the built environment, including straw, a byproduct for grain growers, and hemp, a green crop that restores depleted soil.

Their shared vision is that buildings should do more than minimise harm. At the Future Homes Forum, Joost and Frank will be discussing their latest projects with the audience as well as their broader approach to closed-loop sustainable design.

Topic: New/non-traditional materials

Speaker: Jesse Glascott, Managing Director of G-LUX Builders

Managing Director of G-LUX Builders in Melbourne and Founding Director of the Sustainable Builders Alliance, Jesse Glascott has emerged as a leading advocate for high-performance housing, helping bring passive house principles into the mainstream construction conversation.

He believes the industry needs to look beyond minimum compliance and focus on measurable building performance. ‘Working beyond Australian construction standards was needed to create comfortable, energy-efficient homes lasting many years into the future,’ he says.

On his projects, Jesse is also an active user of new, innovative and non-traditional building materials. Some of these include reclaimed timber, insulation made from recycled denim, silica-free alternatives to fibre cement and boards composed of recycled food packaging.

The goal is not simply lower energy consumption, but homes that are healthier, more sustainable to build and more comfortable to live in. ‘I take great pleasure in building unique passive homes I know will be around for generations,’ he says.

Drawing on his experience delivering a range of innovative projects, Jesse will explore how builders can respond to changing environmental, economic and consumer demands, and how thinking differently about materials can help create homes that will contribute to a better future for all Australian families.

Topic: Respiratory benefits of passive homes

Speaker: Merylese Mercieca, Co-owner of Blue Eco Homes

Most Australians spend around 90 per cent of their time indoors, yet the quality of the air inside homes remains largely overlooked. According to Merylese Mercieca, Co-owner of Blue Eco Homes in the NSW Blue Mountains and a respiratory health professional, that needs to change.

Drawing on findings from the recent NSW Inquiry into Clean Indoor Air, Merylese argues that poor indoor air quality is not just a health issue but also one that affects productivity, learning, safety and social equity. ‘Clean indoor air should be considered a baseline service, equivalent to thermal comfort and water quality, not a premium feature,’ she says.

Merylese points to growing evidence linking poor ventilation, excess moisture and airborne pollutants to asthma, fatigue, poor sleep, reduced cognitive performance and increased disease transmission. ‘Prevention through clean indoor air is one of the most effective and least invasive health interventions available,’ she says.

Through Blue Eco Homes (which has won a plethora of HIA Australian GreenSmart awards), Merylese advocates for high-performance building practices including airtight construction, balanced mechanical ventilation, moisture control and air filtration. At the Future Homes Forum, she will discuss how passive homes can dramatically reduce indoor pollutants while creating healthier, more resilient homes that perform better for everyone.

Topic: Modern methods of construction: What can Australia learn from Japan?

Speaker: Nina Carrington and Zoe Weissel of Todd Devine Homes

Japan leads the world in the adoption of modular and prefabricated housing construction. What can we learn from their approach and apply to the Australian market?

Todd Devine Homes recently participated in a study tour to Japan, which included behind-the-scenes access to some of the most advanced manufacturing facilities in the country. At the Future Homes Forum, registered architect Nina Carrington and sales consultant Zoe Weissel from Todd Devine Homes will share insights from this tour and discuss what opportunities they could provide for the Australian housing industry.

In Japan, more than half of a home’s value is often created in a factory environment. Nina and Zoe state that this offers a compelling example of how modern construction methods can improve consistency, reduce waste and accelerate delivery.

In their presentation, they will explore what we can learn from the Japanese model, and how international practices could augment the advances that Australian builders have already made in the modular construction space.

Topic: What does the home of 2036 look like?

Speaker: Clipsal

As homes become increasingly connected, energy-conscious and technology driven, Clipsal by Schneider Electric is positioning itself at the centre of the shift.

Much of that work is happening at the company’s Pacific Development Centre in Adelaide, where designers, engineers and researchers are developing the next generation of electrical and smart home technologies.

The company also has its own flagship in-house research program, Clipsal Compass, that offers a forward-looking view of the evolving expectations of Australian homeowners. According to Clipsal, the 2026 insights are the most comprehensive to date, considering how factors such as economic pressures, lifestyle shifts, electrification and emerging technologies are redefining modern homes.

Generational shifts are having a major influence on the next wave of ‘dream home’ designs, and it’s clear that client expectations are changing around energy and technology. At the Future Homes Forum, Clipsal will break down the most significant homeowner and market trends, with the goal of answering the question: ‘What does the home of 2036 look like?’

They will also examine the strategic implications for builders, and the solutions that can elevate projects to meet rising consumer expectations.

How to book

• Book online: HIA Future Homes Forum & GreenSmart Awards
• Date: Wednesday 22 July
• Venue: Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre, South Wharf, Victoria
• Time: 7.30am–5.15pm
• Program: Speakers mentioned above and more, plus networking opportunities and the presentation of the Australian GreenSmart Awards
• Ticket: $440 for member; $880 for non-member.