Sustainability architects have for many years specified concrete for its thermal qualities, and it’s clearly an essential part of construction – especially in mid to high rise buildings and infrastructure. In recent times it’s attracted the attention of the Passive House movement.
There’s never been a better time to talk renewables, and the technology around will only speed things up manifold.
“Emotional tech” to track moods and a rise in measurement of indoor air quality are just some of the trends that will be under the microscope at Total Facilities wellness session this year
Given that the most energy efficient building is one that uses no energy at all, then the star studded Naturally Cool session at the National Energy Efficiency Conference, looks like it just might create new aspirational thinking in “cool” for buildings – in both senses of the word.
We humans are such variable and fickle creatures. Turns out we’re not that fussed about “perfect” indoor quality, what we want is agency – to have some control over our environments.
How can Canberra’s contemporary urban renewal efforts make visible our city’s distinctive design identity, inclusive processes and the hopes and dreams of our community?
Talk of Melbourne needing a second desalination plant to meet future demand ignores a much more cost-effective solution – rainwater
Local government has enormous capability to progress the transition to a low carbon built environment and economy, as the upcoming Cities Power Partnership Summit in Kiama, NSW will showcase.
Stopping air leakage in buildings is one of the next big wins in the journey to a zero-carbon built environment, according to the Australian Sustainability Built Environment Council (ASBEC).
Hospitals are challenging environments – needing to deliver a high-quality patient experience despite increasing patient presentations, staff often facing change due to new clinical models and facilities typically maintenance heavy in a 24/7 environment.
You don’t get many chances to shape the future of our residential energy rating methods or policy but a CSIRO conference coming up in Melbourne on 28-29 May will provide just that.
It’s a “night of nights” for sustainability in Victoria when the winners of the Victorian Premier’s Sustainability Awards are announced. As the stature of the Awards has grown, so have the benefits for winners and finalists alike. There are some unexpected benefits for Victoria’s sustainability champions looking to boost their profile through the Premier’s Sustainability […]
If you want to shift to a zero-carbon built environment and make it as efficient and effective as possible, the first thing you need is a highly engaged collaborative industry.
Among the many presentations on topics relevant to all stakeholders across the built asset space will be Safety in Design.
Data, smart buildings and energy management are three of the mega-trends front of mind in the property sector. However, as Optergy Australasian channel manager Nicholas Heydon explains, while they can be integrated, building systems and building data tend to exist in independent silos.
Smart cities, changing workplace design, new international standards, sustainability and improved waste management are changing the face of the facilities management sector, and how facility managers do their job.
When it comes to sourcing materials for a building project, thinking local can have huge benefits, including sustainability wins, greater transparency around compliance and enhanced financial flexibility.
In just one year Ecosave has surpassed its own growth goals in the vast energy efficiency market unfolding at the upper end of the institutional and manufacturing property portfolios, thanks to fiercely rising prices in the sector.
Sustainability means being a warrior standing up for a better future, according to CitySwitch national program manager Esther Bailey, speaking at this week’s National CitySwitch Awards in Sydney.
The energy space is humming with breakthroughs, new business models and technological innovations – such as the move to negawatts, indicating energy savings, and the exciting advances in hydrogen being used to export wind and solar power.
All-Energy Australia is back for its ninth year, with more than 120 speakers, more than 120 domestic and international exhibitors, and the launch of new program streams, making the event one of the world’s most significant platforms for the clean and renewable energy industry.
The sustainable development challenges of cities are escalating in the face of increasing densification and deepening understanding of the climate change crisis.
Five key megatrends are shaping the way technology is used to improve the performance of commercial real estate portfolios, according to Switch Automation chief executive Deb Noller.
For many developers of industrial sheds, warehouses and other no-frills properties, adding extra internal linings beyond what the building code requires is not a priority. According to an independent technical report undertaken by professional fire engineer Benjamin Hughes-Brown from Ignis Solutions, for many of these buildings exposed insulation on internal walls and ceilings counts as […]
Hospital design and planning processes are going through a major revolution led by the many technological advances and the digitalisation of the Healthcare industry, according to WSP | Parsons Brinckerhoff Technical Director, Roneel Singh. A hospital’s spatial design requires entirely new thinking at masterplanning to accommodate today and future technological advances. There is a need […]
The new WoodSolutions Mid-rise Advisory Program (WSMAP) pilot is offering developers and building design and construction professionals in Victoria and Queensland support for using timber in mid-rise projects.
The media has been rife with stories about non-conforming building products – poor insulation in particular – but according to at least one industry leader there will be no real action until we get third-party certification.
Institutional investors should look for robust reporting of environmental, social and governance performance when considering investing in infrastructure, according to a new discussion paper released by WSP | Parsons Brinckerhoff.
The market’s growing appetite for lightweight and massive timber building systems is creating a solid pathway to achieving more sustainable buildings.
According to a growing swathe of research, timber used as a material for interiors and furnishings can enhance human wellbeing and contribute to improved indoor environment quality, from maintaining a sense of warmth in winter to absorbing moisture and enhancing our ability to think. Wood works on multiple levels, director of the Centre for Sustainable […]