Revolution in suburbia

FOR a multi-million dollar house, some might find the new home of Darani Winnie Tsao a little underwhelming. Nestled in District 10, one of Singapore's most exclusive neighbourhoods, its nondescript facade - partially covered with vertical planted walls and weather-worn timber cladding - seems to almost fade into the surrounding green verge while neighbouring mansions of shiny glass, stone and steel vie with one another for prominence.

But at the cost of around S$1,000 per sq ft to build, the 20,000 sq ft Tsao residence, which has a built up area of 7,000 sq ft, was not cheap. So where's the Carrara marble and titanium cladding one usually associates with luxury homes?

Dressed in a simple (but stylish) black tunic, with hair tied back in a ponytail, and sans makeup, Mrs Tsao reveals that much of the cost went into the "intangibles" required to build a house that is environmentally sustainable. "The initial investment for green (technology) is not cheap," she adds.