Posted in Sustainable housing

Housing Affordability: A Problem With A Solution?

The unaffordability of housing is an almost universal problem, with planners and politicians alike being accused of killing the Aussie or Kiwi Dream. This is not a new issue —in the 1950s the ‘working man’ faced problems financing their first home. That was addressed by the emergence of the ‘working woman’ and her income and government assistance from soft loans to building subsidies, to smooth the way to home ownership.

While government intervention is still possible, present governments are less willing to intervene in those ways and the ‘working family’ has no one left to send out to work. Governments have instead instituted supply side solutions such as removing planning restrictions or increasing land supply. These have had limited success, often at the cost of further sprawl and a less sustainable city.

Caroline Miller

We first need a better understanding of who house buyers are and what expectations they have for the home they are having difficulty buying, to underpin more effective housing policies.  Houses as investments and stores of value for small time and overseas investors are a reality, and can add speculation pressure to a rising housing market.  That’s an issue best dealt with by tax policies or limits on overseas buyers. Home buyers are also changing and look for a complete housing package including landscaped grounds.

For Generation Y, a house is more than a place to live; it is an expression of their values and aspirations and is expected to demonstrate those values and aspirations to the world. Simply proving more fringe suburbia will not meet their needs. Higher densities are a solution if planners, architects and developers can create developments existing communities will tolerate and which speak to younger buyers.

Financial issues also need to be addressed making monetary policy as reflected in housing interest rates, an integral aspect of addressing affordability. Address housing affordability requires comprehensive policies addressing both the demand and supply sides of the affordability equation and solutions that are informed by the expectations of all sectors of every generation.

Associate Professor Caroline Miller, Resource & Environmental Planning Programme, School of People, Environmental & Planning, Massey University, Palmerston North, NZ.

Sustainable Strata Schemes

sustainability for business renewable trendsThe issue of sustainability is currently very topical, given the level of commentary around climate change, increasing greenhouse gas emission levels and global warming.

The current generation wants to ensure the population’s needs are met without compromising the needs of future generations, and there is general agreement that people need to reduce their carbon footprint. One of the key areas to take action is by having more sustainable living quarters.

Not only will this benefit future generations, but it will probably reduce the cost of living with lower energy and water bills.

According to City of Sydney Council, over 73 per cent of the City of Sydney residents live in apartment buildings, emitting up to 10 per cent of the city’s greenhouse gases, consuming more than 39 per cent of potable water and generating nine per cent of the city’s waste.

Therefore, strata managers and owners corporations are examining how to respond to the challenges of making buildings more sustainable by targeting waste reduction, and becoming more energy and water efficient.

The high cost and effort involved in modifying existing strata titled buildings to become more green means many owners corporations can be reluctant to invest in sustainability.

Decision making for upgrades is often a slow, complex and problematic process, as someone is normally required to prepare a business case, obtain and compare quotations and options, decide on the best solution, manage the project, verify and report outcomes and savings.

It is important to consider the following factors:

  • Modifying common property requires a special resolution at a general meeting
  • Alterations to machinery or equipment must comply with Australian Standards
  • Large schemes require three or more quotations for any contract work undertaken
  • The scheme’s budget may need a special levy to be raised to cover the cost of the works

However, there are still a number of things owners of strata titled property can do to reduce their carbon footprint without the need for any approval.

To get started on being more energy efficient, an energy audit of the common property assets can be obtained, which will identify areas of improvement and potential upgrades to reduce energy demands. Having more energy efficient assets such as lighting, hot water systems and pumps will generally result in lower energy costs. This may reduce levy contributions for all owners. Furthermore, lower levies and a well maintained building with efficient assets may make apartments more valuable. To read more click here.

WA Indigenous Elders apartments win at 2015 Sustainability Awards

Architecture and Design

The Walumba Elders Centre by iredale pedersen hook architects (ipha) was the winner of the Multi-Density Category prize and the Best of the Best award at the 2015 Sustainability Awards. ipha received the prestigious honour at the awards ahead of 68 finalists and a record number of entries.  

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On 13 March, 2011 the Giga people’s home town of Warmun was devastated by a catastrophic one in 300 year flood event. Three hundred people were displaced for 12 months while new houses were built.

Working directly with the community Elders and the Home and Community Care staff, iredale pedersen hook architects designed a new home for the Elders based on their Cultural and social needs. The site was selected to be close to the school and town centre to ensure the Elders are able to continue their role as educators and Cultural leaders.

Addressing the Cultural requirements of the Giga people is a sustainability initiative. The Cultural needs of the community were given priority.

KEY INITIATIVES

  • Reciprocal responsibilities – by providing a variety of spaces for family members of all ages to meet
  • Balancing privacy and family access- via controlling entry points to the facility to allow for simple visitation control
  • Generous outdoor living and private balconies to all bedrooms
  • Supporting Lore and Culture activities- fire pits on the main and ground activity areas, FIP isolation of rooms for smoking ceremonies, gender specific private activity areas
  • Avoidance relationships- by providing multiple paths of travel and good passive surveillance
  • Cultural surveillance – by providing good internal and external passive surveillance
  • Supporting cultural activities by planting bush medicine plants and smoking ceremony plants
  • Future proofing against future floods
  • Minimisation of power consumption
  • Maximise shade throughout the day- allow for more external living on protected veranda spaces the use of vertical polyester shading panels for natural lighting. Many of the residents are painters and have poor eyesight so high levels of natural light are desired.
  • Breeze paths have been carefully considered and pavilions are spaced to provide breeze paths across activity areas to provide for natural cooling.
  • Low energy level, long life LED lamps have been used extensively
  • Water heating via Solar Hot water system with a continuous flow pump
  • High levels of insulation including verandah soffits

Read more.

Sustainability the new goal in home design

Domain

A competitive return on investment is drawing more buyers to energy efficient homes, writes Amelia Barnes.

The vast majority of Australian homes cannot be classed as sustainable. Often derivative of American or European architectural styles that aren’t designed for the country’s unique environment and context, Australian homes are historically poorly insulated and made from materials selected primarily to keep costs down.

While the term “sustainable” is often used in design without true consideration of its definition, this most accurately means “a home that meets the needs of present generations without compromising on future generations”. Using efficient energy and materials both in production and in operation, a sustainable home benefits its current residents as much as its future occupants. They seek to embrace their environment, use natural materials, and are constructed to encourage passive temperature control.

Unlike design trends that fade over time, a sustainable home carries fewer ongoing utility costs, most often due to the implementation of solar energy generation. Until recently, buyers have struggled to place a price tag on existing solar systems, but as more owners of sustainable homes report lower bills, Australians are increasingly seeking out these features.

Agent Meg Pell at Kay & Burton says solar power, rainwater tanks, spring-fed dams, fruit orchards and properties with a north-facing orientation all add value and appeal to listings.

“It is certainly true to say buyers are seeking a more hands-on, back-to-basics, cleaner air, smaller footprint lifestyle for themselves, their kids and grandkids,” Pell says.

Developers and architects are also responding to this change, with numerous companies and organisations solely dedicated to sustainable design.

25 Eastern Grey Rise, Flinders.

Tips for sustainable home design

  • Tell your builder  of your commitment
  • Incorporate good passive solar design for natural heating in winter and cooling in summer
  • Orientate your home for north-facing windows to  bring sunlight into living spaces
  • Install double glazed windows
  • Install solar powered electricity and water systems where possible
  • Choose energy efficient appliances with a high star rating
  • Install a rainwater tank for gardening, toilet and laundry water use
  • Use recycled building materials where possible

View the full article here.

 

Are sustainable houses worth more?

AFR, 11 September 2015.

'We produce more power than we use. We export it to the grid': builder Jeremy Spencer inside the environmentally sustainable house he has designed for his family in Seaholme in western Melbourne. Pat Scala

‘We produce more power than we use. We export it to the grid’: builder Jeremy Spencer inside the environmentally sustainable house he has designed for his family in Seaholme in western Melbourne. Pat Scala

Jeremy Spencer built a house for his family and parents to move into last year. The three-bedroom, two-storey house in Seaholme, in Melbourne’s west, meets several needs – it’s accessible in its design, with wide passageways, ramps and counter-hung benches that permit his wheelchair-bound father to fully participate in the family life.

It’s also sustainable. The house is built with materials such as a recycled concrete-and-glass slab and recycled bricks on the inside to create a thermal mass that absorbs northern sun in winter and diffuses it at night. It also has a solar panel system on the roof.

“Our heating and cooling expenses are extremely low,” Mr Spencer said. “We produce more power than we use. We export it to the grid when we produce excess.”

Spencer’s house cost $525,000, or $2200 per square metre and it’s one of a range that his design and construction firm Positive Footprints builds. So how much more does sustainability cost?

“With all houses we’re putting about $20,000 of extra stuff in,” Mr Spencer said.

It pays off.

“The average Melbourne home has a power bill of about $2300 per year,” he said. “That’s the sort of savings that we’re getting.”

Read the full article and more on sustainable housing here.

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