The Brabham racing car name is behind Adelaide’s drive for local electric bus production
Market Pulse: Insiders have been saying for ever: one door closes and another door opens. In this case it’s car doors. Replaced with electric bus doors.
Poppy Johnston
Here’s a company that wants to power an industrial revolution – with biogas
Australia has an immense opportunity to unleash biogas to fuel industry, but we need precincts to make this energy source commercially viable, according to chief executive officer of Utilitas, Fiona Waterhouse.
Gold star sustainable Gisborne development is snuffed by council despite serious community backing. Now it’s up to Daniel Andrews to help
A new project in Gisborne heralded as a model for truly regenerative, carbon positive regional development may not go ahead. Instead, the town could end up with more suburbanisation to accommodate its swelling population.
Stockland ramps up its net zero ambitions with 2028 target
Stockland has shifted its net zero goalposts closer, committing to net zero carbon emissions across all its business activities by 2028.
New 8-star Northcote project shows sustainable townhouse design is doable
Townhouses could be the sweet spot for people looking for inner city housing that has enough room to comfortably work-from-home. The trouble is, this housing type is notoriously hard to make energy efficient. But a new residential development in Northcote, Melbourne, looks like it can change all that.
Climate resilience is on the agenda for building code update
The national building code may soon be altered to reflect the risk climate change poses to buildings. Buildings are meant to last 50 years or more so it’s important that the structures built today can withstand the onslaught of extreme weather events triggered by climate change. That’s why the Australian Building Codes Board has teamed […]
We’ve got so much solar! But what do we do with old solar panels?
Australia is doing a fantastic job with renewables. But what we do with the solar panels and wind turbines at end of life leaves a lot to be desired. According to the experts around 100,000 tonnes of solar panels will be redundant by 2035.
“Australian made” now means jobs and employment and it’s a proxy for ethical labour
As many as six in 10 people in Australia are prepared to pay more for a sustainable product, although most are only willing to pay a fraction more – just 5 per cent.
How to make a home in Adelaide get to 10 stars – maybe more
There’s only a handful of Australian houses that can boast a 10-star NatHERS rating, and now Adelaide has its first.
Aware Super on affordable housing and logistics tilt
Last year industry super fund Aware Super cut the carbon footprint of its holdings in equities by 40 per cent in one big divestment hit and now Australia’s second-largest superannuation fund has its sights set on housing affordability and decarbonising its property portfolio.
A regenerative housing estate at Gisborne that’s attracted a lot of savvy people and community buy in
Glen Junor in Gisborne is liveable, carbon positive and good for your hip pocket, with half the land to remain open for people and nature to share. Modelled on Serenbe in the US, it’s caught the attention of Nigel Sharp, Brian Haratsis, Mark McCrindle, Mike Day, Brendan Condon and more.
How to hoick up Australia’s insulation industry and get some great outcomes
Less than 30 of the 3200-5000 insulation installers working in Australia have been formally accredited to correctly install insulation. Fortunately, government buying power could turn this around.
Neometro’s James Tutton on Melbourne’s green heartland, and beyond
In Melbourne’s progressive inner north, where Greens stickers abound, sustainability sells.
CEFC backs Ingenia Communities to turn the twilight years green
A green retirement is on the cards for residents of Ingenia Communities senior’s lifestyle residences, with the company securing a $75 million investment from the Clean Energy Finance Corporation to reduce emissions across new and existing properties.
Richard Florida on the return of the city, “Roaring 2020s” style
American urbanist Richard Florida expects the Covid-recovering 2020s to mimic the “Roaring 20s” that marked the recovery from the Spanish Flu.
Here’s a blueprint for an “impossible” sustainable affordable off-grid house. In the inner city
Take a dingy old workers cottage on a tight partly dark site in Sydney’s inner west suburbs of Newtown, ambitions for an off-grid oasis and a tight budget. Sounds unrealistic? Not for Laura Ryan.
Buildings need EV chargers and Everty shows owners where to start
The electric vehicle revolution hinges on getting the right charging infrastructure into our buildings.
South Australians to hit the showers to solve solar duck curve
Around 2400 South Australian households will treat their electric hot water systems like one big coordinated battery to soak up excess solar generation in the middle of the day in a new trial.
Planners Declare aim to embolden better outcomes from the get go
Last year wasn’t an easy time to start a national “Declare” movement but that didn’t stop a small group of dedicated planners joining forces to declare a climate and biodiversity emergency. The group of about 15 planners has spent the past year coordinating the movement via video conference, with the most pressing task developing an […]
UPowr hit Australia’s solar market with force despite Covid
Startup UPowr chose last year to enter the solar market. With nearly 1000 clients that was probably a good call.
Amazon unveils shell-shaped forest building for new HQ
It’s been a big week for one of the biggest tech companies in the world. Hot on the heels of the announcement that the founder of online retailing behemoth, Jeff Bezos, would step down as CEO – but remain on as executive chairman – Amazon also unveiled plans for the curly new centrepiece of its headquarters in Arlington, Virgina.
Australia’s ebike fever set to continue in 2021
Ebikes are flying off the shelves in Australia, with sales doubling in 2020.
Market Pulse: Watch the circular economy for new business opportunities and jobs
If you need to plan ahead in the jobs market you could do worse than look at the circular economy.
Green loans on the rise with Plenti’s OpenSolar deal
Fintech company Plenti (previously Ratesetter) spotted a gap in the market for renewable energy loans three years ago
Will our regions thrive or dive under a Covid-induced boom?
Let’s hope the rush to the regions doesn’t mean duplicating the urban planning mistakes we’ve made in our cities.
Complete the circle and beat climate change with fewer, smaller and smarter buildings
How we construct and use buildings presents the biggest opportunity to close the enormous circularity gap in the global economy, according Planet Ark CEO Paul Klymenko, with Australian companies such as Bingo and AMP Capital at the forefront of this movement.
Why blockchain just might be the answer to better construction
Blockchain could unlock desperately needed modernisation in Australia’s construction industry, according to Professor Srinath Perera from Western Sydney University’s Centre for Smart Modern Construction.
Educators are getting serious about sustainability, and so are students
We need an army of skilled workers to run the green economy so it’s no surprise demand for sustainability education is on the rise.
Passive subtropical architecture takes off with BVN-designed Brisbane tower
Brisbane could get another building that “breathes”, with plans lodged with the city’s council for a six-star Green Star commercial tower in the CBD. The 46 storey BVN-designed tower at 25 Mary Street will be accessed from a state heritage-listed synagogue, which will be retained and revitalised for ongoing use by the Brisbane Hebrew Congregation. A […]
Lobsters on the menu for stronger 3D-printed concrete
Lobsters have long inspired top chefs in high-end restaurants. Now, their tough outer shells have become a source of inspiration for stronger 3D-printed concrete.