Capricorn Blue
Dominic Stower is inspirational. He has only been in the management rights industry for five years but in that short period of time not only has he become the manager of one of Yeppon’s most sought after resorts – Capricorn Blue – Dominic was the brains and brawn behind its unique sustainable design and development.
After growing up in the tiny country town of Duaringa, at the young age of 24 Dominic decided to seek his fame and fortune in the property game in Brisbane. After starting out in residential sales, Dominic became interested in the concept of sustainable living when sustainability started to become part of mainstream development some five years ago.
Dominic said, “Initially I went to a home show in Brisbane and grabbed some basic information about sustainable development that worked towards a triple bottom line of better social, economic and environmental outcomes. For me this was a revelation and certainly a common sense approach to better development practices. In housing the triple bottom line is about creating homes that offer higher levels of living comfort (social), at a lower cost being mindful of what the ongoing costs are (economic), while leaving a smaller ecological footprint (environmental). Excitedly I took this concept to my employer at the time but the boss was very dismissive so in a moment of madness I went out on my own and started to work on my own pet project called Capricorn Blue which is what we see today.”
Dominic is the sole director of Sustainable Synergies P/L, the company he created to develop Capricorn Blue.
A year has now passed since it opened and Capricorn Blue has received an enormous amount of publicity and praise as a leader in both sustainable and mainstream development.
“Hopefully, Capricorn Blue will be seen as a leading example, that one person can achieve a desired outcome without having all the resources. Capricorn Blue is one-of-a-kind in that we incorporated a range of development processes unique to this project and it goes a long way at overcoming the popular misconception that quality sustainable development comes at a higher upfront cost.”
Yeppon’s Sustainable Resort
Capricorn Blue is Yeppon’s latest boutique resort. It is also one of the latest properties to be certified through EnviroDevelopment (the most stringent assessment process for sustainable development) by the Urban Development Institute of Australia. In this case Capricorn Blue achieved the highest possible rating.
Built in 2008, Capricorn Blue was designed to set a precedent in sustainable housing through successfully combining unsurpassed luxury with sustainable principals. Designed and developed by owner/manager and sole director of Sustainable Synergies P/L, Dominic Stower, Capricorn Blue successfully delivers a better economic, social and environmental outcome for both the individual and the broader community.
With a total of 18 units spread across three separate buildings, the resort features five different design layouts, each one having been carefully planned to maximise comfort, be effective over time, cheap to maintain and compliment Yeppon’s unique environment.
All the units have a north or northeast outlook and the passive unit design takes full advantage of the breeze to reduce the need for mechanically assisted climate control, although the apartments are equipped with ceiling fans and 2.5Kw split-cycle inverter air-conditioning units.
The foundation walls and floors are made from autoclaved aerated concrete (known as Hebel), which is a lightweight product that has superior thermal and acoustic insulation properties allowing the resort to also require less energy for cooling and heating. This product is also commonly used as a sound barrier making it a popular choice for noise reduction adding to the privacy and amenity for each residence.
The kitchens are fully self-contained with a fridge, microwave, electric oven/cook top and dishwasher of the highest energy star rating to maximise efficiency and the added luxury of CeasarStone bench tops.
In the bathrooms, a separate shower and full size bath is connected to a solar hot water system with electric booster set at an operating temperature of 50°. The bathrooms also feature wide mirrors, CaesarStone vanities and high performance skylights to enhance each unit’s already high usage of natural lighting.
Each apartment has also been fitted out with Smart Wiring, an industry wiring system that allows guests to access multiple telephone, Internet, fax and pay television options while having the capability for full home automation in the future.
Facilities within the resort also maintain Capricorn Blue’s sustainable luxury with generous indoor/outdoor living areas overlooking more than 2000m² of landscaped grounds and open play areas with resort style pool and spa as well as two separate sheltered seating and BBQ areas.
Importantly, Capricorn Blue is also in very easy walking distance to local beaches, shops, fine dining, medical and childcare centres as well as being close to the Keppel Bay Marina that boasts world class facilities and is on the doorstep to the Great Barrier Reef and local islands, some of which are of international significance. Perhaps the only thing missing is a local “watering hole” but this is about to change with the completion of the nearby neighbourhood tavern and family restaurant.
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