On why Jamie Dimon is in our sights The Fifth Estate - our view News from the front desk, issue 464: Right now, while government twiddles its thumbs and minsters glance constantly at their watches waiting for the next holiday, the private sector is doing…
How design of our cities is amplifying urban heat and what to do with it Dr Mittul Vahanvati, RMIT; Dr Adriana Keating, Centre for Urban Research; Helen Cheng Most of the time we discuss climate change as affecting cities and the people who live in them. Less well known is that cities – specifically their planning and design – also create climate change through the urban heat island. Encouragingly, this means that cities can provide climate solutions. Why are we not discussing this?
How schools are getting the cheap capex option to improve comfort at the cost of bigger operational bills Willow Aliento – Oxygen Files | 27 June 2019 One of the big flaws in many schools is the poor thermal performance of existing classrooms, particularly during the increasingly hot summers.
The Box Hill Institute will be among the first movers in the race to train up workers for offsite construction David Chandler | 25 June 2019 A promising new school and leveraging the residential sector to train the construction workforce of the future were among the key takeaways from a recent off site and prefabricated construction conference in Melbourne.
Buck-passing on apartment building safety leaves residents at risk Geoff Hanmer, UNSW | 20 June 2019 Hundreds of residents in a Sydney apartment complex, the 122-unit Mascot Towers, were evacuated last Sunday when cracks began to appear due to a serious structural failure. And it isn’t clear when the residents can return.
The slow road to eco-renovation of existing buildings David Thorpe | 18 June 2019 The only way the world can possibly tackle climate change successfully is to decarbonise existing buildings at pace, in line with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s recommendation that global…
Monash University’s “living laboratory” for zero carbon, micro-grid innovation The Fifth Estate | 13 June 2019 Melbourne’s Monash University is in a good position to become a “living laboratory” for sustainable, zero carbon, micro-grid innovation.
Swinburne University shows why hydronics makes for healthier buildings Erwin Boermans | 11 June 2019 Swinburne University’s Advanced Manufacturing and Design Centre’s use of hydronics is unlike most educational buildings in Australia.
The Australian prefab industry needs a new narrative David Chandler, Western Sydney University | 6 June 2019 Any number of interest rate cuts will not make non-compliant buildings saleable.
North Sydney gets new sustainability and wellness-focused office tower Poppy Johnston | 6 June 2019 Wellness and sustainability play a big role in a new 35-storey office tower in Sydney’s technology North Sydney.
Adelaide gets its first 6 Star NABERS Energy rating Poppy Johnston | 4 June 2019 Flinders Street in Adelaide is now home to what is claimed to be South Australia’s first building to achieve the top six star NABERS Energy rating and the first NABERS Indoor Environment rating.
Reality TV asks the right question: renovate or rebuild Georgia Roach | 28 May 2019 A new kind of lifestyle reality television program premiered on YouTube today, Tuesday 28 May 2019. Normally this isn’t our patch, but Renovate or Rebuild is a home improvement show with a difference.
Meet the technologies that will make new buildings net-positive power stations David Thorpe | 27 May 2019 A year ago The Fifth Estate covered the UK’s first energy-positive office space, which is right next door to the UK’s first energy positive classroom. Both are designed by SPECIFIC,…
Why the building industry and social housing are missing the big picture David Thorpe | 22 May 2019 Design decisions in the building industry, and arguments for backing social housing, often focus on the wrong criteria for success. According to damning new research, this is often why projects…
Sydney the country’s most expensive city for construction Georgia Roach | 22 May 2019 Sydney is Australia’s most expensive city for construction according to a recent report by Arcadis.
A tale of two cities: Which one will we choose? Suzanne Toumbourou, ASBEC | 14 May 2019 This is a tale of two cities. They’re both imaginary – or are they?
