Both tenacious and visionary, Adelaide Green Homes co-director Daniel Morton started his plumbing career in the remote arid Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara Lands on the SA/NT border. With a lack of trades on call, he was exposed to a range of jobs from concreting to landscaping.

Well-equipped with industry and trade knowledge, Daniel returned to Adelaide at the age of 23. He joined forces with Rebecca Robinson, a licensed residential building supervisor, to launch their own business, Alliance Development and Construction.

They soon expanded the business by launching Adelaide Green Homes (AGH), which delivers energy-efficient residences that remain affordable without compromising on quality or design.

‘AGH's mission is to make high-performance homes accessible to more homeowners,’ says co-director Rebecca. ‘Its approach combines passive design principles, a focus on airtightness, and advanced mechanical systems to create homes that are both sustainable and future-proof.’ 

Daniel believes the success of AGH stems from taking care of their team and diversifying their offering, which now includes in-house design and architecture.

Winning move

One of Daniel and Rebecca’s highlights was winning the 2024 HIA-CSR South Australian Home of the Year. Every element of the three-bedroom home in Adelaide demonstrates outstanding craftsmanship, with a design that seamlessly combines beauty and functionality.

According to HIA South Australian Executive Director Stephen Knight, ‘This is more than just a residence – it's an iconic achievement in South Australian home building. AGH has truly raised the bar with this exceptional project. It's a stunning display of artistry and meticulous workmanship, establishing a new benchmark for excellence in our industry.’

Early stages

In the early stages of the build, Daniel worked closely with the clients to incorporate their must-haves, which included natural light, easy flow and plenty of storage.

‘The first challenge was to design the layout to fit all their requirements in this tight block,’ says Daniel. His solution was to go down, not up – introducing a lower-level floor.

The clients then threw him another twist: Could they create secret rooms, hallways and doors? ‘I could already see a slight reference to Batman’s lairs,’ says Daniel, laughing.

Plans were drawn up and finalised over three months but when they broke ground on the build, the Adelaide winter hit. Going down meant they had an expansive hole in the ground that kept filling up with water.

Apart from dealing with the temporary lake on the site, all design elements and construction plan were meticulously detailed so the build was completed in 12 months.

The build

The resulting home is a serene sanctuary that emphasises sustainable living and quirky elements including hidden rooms and underground lairs, a surprise at every turn. 

From the sculptural curved stairwell to the sunken living space, this breathtakingly beautiful home is brimming with exquisite details and design. Polished concrete flooring, perfectly paired with black cladding and a monolithic stone island, creates an earthy yet dramatic aesthetic.

Internal lifts provide ease of movement between the spaces, and the underground gym even has a purpose-built wrestling ring.

The home's passive design is enhanced by the inclusion of R4.0 insulation, double-glazed windows and eco-friendly materials. Showcasing exceptional workmanship that sets a new standard of excellence, this home exemplifies how sophisticated design can coexist with sustainability measures.

In Daniel’s words, this build has everything you could ever imagine in a house.

Book now!

The HIA-CSR Australian Housing Awards – one of the country’s most talked-about events in the industry – will conclude the three-day HIA National Conference in Melbourne on 15-17 May.

Book now to be part of this peak annual event.

First published 20 March 2025