By Boris Kelly 13 August 2010 – With only days left in the federal election campaign and with both major parties poncing around the point on climate change, 2000 people packed the Sydney Town Hall for the launch of a plan to achieve zero emissions... 
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By Tina Perinotto and Andrew Starc 12 August 2010 - Mandatory disclosure of energy efficiency for large offices will at last take effect on 1 November. After a series of delays and lobbying to head off unforeseen problems, the industry has won itself... 
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 By Luke Walladge     From the ABC’s The Drum – 6 July 2010 - So, the leader Labor installed to win an election has now asked for the help of the leader they dumped (because he couldn’t win the election) because she needs him to win... 
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By Tina Perinotto 17 March 2010 – Australians could be on the cusp of “getting it” in terms of downsizing their houses to more sustainable and affordable levels, if you take note of Stockland chief executive Matthew Quinn. Mr Quinn, who heads... 
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…By Brian Moore… Sustainability is at the forefront of every significant commercial development. Building owners understand only too well that there is no point building projects for the future using yesterday’s technology and a sustainable... 
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By Michael Mobbs 1 July 2010 – Chippendale, a small Sydney inner suburb, is using Earth’s energy and water unsustainably and increasing its pollution of Sydney harbour and local air. The trends for increasing pollution and resource use show... 
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by Lynne Blundell 17 June 2010 - The Senate committee conducting the inquiry into the Building Energy Efficiency Disclosure Bill last month delivered its final report, recommending that the Bill be passed, with some changes. In doing so it appears to... 
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By Tina Perinotto 18 June 2010 – The Federal Government has ceded ground in the battle to water down the provisions of the mandatory disclosure scheme for commercial buildings, which is about to face Parliament in the final two weeks of sitting... 
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By Michael Mobbs 18 June 2010 – Is the Frasers Property Group to become Sydney’s BP? Frasers is excavating six hectares of a huge project at Broadway on the fringe of the CBD — more than 1600 units; more than 2000 car parking spaces; a shopping... 
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17 June 2010 – The fact that Sydney wasn’t listed first or second on the KPMG audit of major cities’ planning systems probably says as much as you need to know about whether or not some action is urgently needed, the audience at the Built Environment... 
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By Ché Wall 15 June 2010 – the Australian Prime Minister’s Task Group on Energy Efficiency wades through the 187 submissions it has received, it would do well to consider discussions in Paris last month about how best to measure and achieve... 
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26 May 2010 – The Shopping Centre Council of Australia says  that sustainability drivers for shopping centres “do not exist”, and that there are huge barriers to energy efficiency investment  that warrant government funding and changes to... 
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By Michael Mobbs 21 May 2010 – In his searing, timeless essay, “A hanging”, George Orwell describes an execution he witnessed when he was a policeman in Burma. I read it when I was about nine, during a year when I devoured a book a day and... 
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By Boris Kelly 3 May 2010 – In its submission to the Senate Inquiry into the federal government’s failed home insulation scheme, the Australia Institute drew on the results of its survey of home owners eligible for the scheme. The results... 
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2 May 2010 – UPDATED 3 May 2010  – The Henry Tax Review has been released today and with it some lengthy responses to the huge number of property items it considered.  Among these items – and of significant concern is the review’s... 
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From the Council of Australian Governments – 22 April 2010 – COAG said this week it would look at competition issues in land supply as part of its inquriy to target the slow supply of new housing, house price pressures, population growth and “a... 
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By Tina Perinotto 22 April 2010- Planners have reacted angrily to widescale moves to deregulate zoning controls, create land “competition” and fast track more urban sprawl that emerged in an avalanche of government announcements in the past week. Leading... 
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- By Marcus Spiller – 9 March 2010 - Vision and Plan for Social Housing” is a report on the future of affordable social housing in Australia, commissioned by PowerHousing Australia last year and undertaken by SGS Economics and Planning, ... 
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By Lynne Blundell 31 March 2010 – public discussion paper on the federal government’s proposed framework for setting energy efficiency standards for buildings has been released for public consultation. The discussion paper presents the National... 
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By Michael Mobbs Every time I wake up there’s a new rating scheme. Enough is enough. It’s cold shower time. Remember when we were invited to spray DDT on our food and in our houses because it “harmlessly” killed bugs? (If you’re... 
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By Andrew Starc - 31 March 2010 – The formation of the Prime Minister’s Task Group on Energy Efficiency has been welcomed by environment and green groups for its promises of economic benefits and emissions reduction. The Task Group, which will make... 
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By Lynne Blundell The Senate has rejected the Efficient Building Scheme proposed by Lend Lease and WSP Lincolne Scott. The Property Council’s Peter Verwer has lambasted the scheme and has pinned the PCA strategy for sustainable building upgrades on... 
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By Michel Mobbs 25 March 2010 – You go to an island, spend some time alone, and you can see things a little more clearly. That’s how it turned out for me. The idea was to visit Cockatoo Island and do nothing; maybe read, eat and walk a bit.... 
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By Tina Perinotto 16 March 2010 – Six key sectors of the Australian economy have the potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 25 per cent by 2020 levels for the cost to householders of a cup of coffee, according to a new report released today.... 
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by Nicola Woodward - FAVOURITES – 21 April 2009 - Accelerated Depreciation is a core platform of the property industry as a way to green buildings – but there are major flaws in this approach and better ways to achieve the desired outcomes…. “Green... 
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by Michael Mobbs - 10 March 2010 – Ah! As I write this, it’s such a perfect day for a Burr. A beauty of sun, clear light and, here and there, drops of silence. But Burrs will be burrs, so buckle up. We have here a classic case of do-gooders who,... 
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By Tina Perinotto The Green Building Council of Australia said the Australian Government’s State of Australian Cities 2010 report would support the property and construction sector’s drive to Sustainability. GBCA chief executive Romilly Madews said... 
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FAVOURITES: 4 March 2010 – Susan Roaf  is a UK academic who designed and lives in the well known Oxford Ecohouse. Her passion is help blend the architecture and engineering professions to achieve buildings that operate on a tenth of energy for... 
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- By Greg Budworth - HOUSING – 3 March 2010 – Superannuation funds in Singapore, Canada, Europe and North America are partly channelled into building the economy of the future. Australian super funds could do the same. And they could start... 
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