Overview
The Monbulk Residence is a fully off-grid modular home in a high bushfire risk zone. Designed by Australian-based designer and environmental innovator Joost Bakker alongside architect Frank Burridge, it was conceived from the outset as a building that could perform under extreme conditions without compromising on material values.
Durra Panel was used across the entire envelope, walls, floors, ceilings and roof. A full-scale assembly underwent bushfire testing at CSIRO’s Mogo facility, where it confirmed the system’s ability to limit heat transfer and maintain tenable internal conditions under sustained fire exposure.
Project Details
The Challenge / The Brief
The project needed to meet BAL 40 flame zone requirements across the full building envelope, using only natural, recyclable materials free of VOCs and toxic binders. Beyond fire compliance, the brief called for full off-grid capability, strong thermal performance, and a genuinely zero-waste construction process.
The modular pod configuration needed to be flexible enough to adapt to the site and evolve with the occupants’ needs over time. Construction took place through winter, adding practical pressure to the installation timeline.
Our Approach / The Solution
Durra Panel was specified as a complete building system, to create a consistent, integrated performance envelope throughout. Internally panels were finished with low-VOC paint, external panels were clad and sealed with a cork spray, and the modular pod arrangement allowed the structure to be configured efficiently to suit the site.
Every off-cut generated during the build was mulched on-site. The material itself contains no VOCs or toxic binders, stores carbon within the building fabric, and is fully recyclable at end of life.
Outcome / Results
CSIRO fire testing confirmed that the full Durra Panel assembly effectively limited heat transfer to the interior for the entire duration of the test, maintaining tenable thermal conditions for 1 hour and 29 minutes and validating the BAL 40 design intent with independently verified data.
The natural finish requires minimal maintenance and contains no toxic materials that degrade over time. The modular structure means future modifications can be made without generating waste or requiring significant intervention to the existing fabric and designed for disassembly; the building itself remains a recoverable resource at end of life.
What the Monbulk Residence demonstrates is that BAL 40 compliance, full off-grid operation, zero construction waste, and carbon-storing design are not competing objectives. Achieved together, using Durra Panel as the connective system throughout, they are simply what good building looks like.
Looking to design and build with materials that are fire-resilient, carbon-storing, and completely free of toxic binders?
The Monbulk Residence demonstrates what’s possible when natural performance meets rigorous compliance. Contact the Durra Panel team to find out how our systems can be specified for your next residential or modular project.
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