High Density Means High Employment

I’ve just read a great editorial by Ryan Avent in the New York Times called ‘One Path to Better Jobs: More Density in Cities’

Ryan defines the things that make a city a city and a not-city a not-city is the fact that a city is dense and a not-city isn’t.  And, he argues that when it comes to economic growth and the creation of jobs, the denser the city the better and that density brings many benefits.

Economists studying cities routinely find that after controlling for other variables, workers in denser places earn higher wages and are more productive. Some studies suggest that doubling density raises productivity from between 6 and 28 percent and other economists have concluded that more than half the variation in output per worker across the United States can be explained by density alone.

I’ve always thought that higher density (compared to suburban sprawl) is good for the economic viability of cities and here’s some more support for that proposition.  So, there’s another reason why strata and community title development, ownership and living is a good thing.

Ryan Avent is also the author of the Kindle Single “The Gated City” from which his editorial was adapted.

Francesco …. 

Sydney Strata is Going Greener

The City of Sydney is launching its Smart Green Apartments program on 20 September 2011.

Smart Green Apartments is about getting a more sustainable apartment building sector by inspiring, driving and supporting cost-effective and efficient buildings, minimising environmental impacts and improving liveability in strata communities.

The launch will be at the Barnet Long Room Customs House, 31 Alfred Street, Circular Quay between 6:30pm - 8:30pm on 20 September 2011.  And, you can register here.

You can find out more about the Smart Green Apartment program by Melinda Cook (Sustainability Engagement Coordinator) on 02 9246 7826 or smartapartments@cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au.

So, why not join the green strata movement and come along to the launch.

Francesco …

What Makes Cities (and Buildings) Liveable?

I was reading the Australian Government’s discussion paper Our Cities and was intrigued by their identification of the things that make a city liveable.

They say that that “liveability” is “the way the urban environment supports the quality of life and wellbeing” including “mental and physical health, happiness and life satisfaction plus supportive social community relationships”. 

And according to the Australian Government the key factors for cities are –

• Balancing infill and green-field development
• Facilitating the supply of appropriate housing
• Supportive affordable living
• Improving transport options and reducing our dependence on private vehicles
• Improving the quality of the public domain
• Improving public health outcomes
• Redressing spatially concentrated social disadvantage

You can read more about these issues (and the Government’s approach to them) in the discussion paper.

On a different dimension the Economist Intelligence Unit runs the world cities Liveability Index every year and ranks cities on 30 qualitative and quantitative factors across five broad categories –

• stability
• healthcare
• culture and environment
• education
• infrastructure

Each factor in a city is rated as acceptable, tolerable, uncomfortable, undesirable or intolerable. 

You can read more about these factors in their summary report.

But what are the factors that make a strata building liveable?  Are they the same, similar or different?  And, if not the same should they reflect the same themes?

I’m not sure but am certainly ready to start a debate.  So, my strata building liveability factors are as follows. 

Location - The building location suit a variety of occupiers’ needs – with access to work, transport, living, health, education and entertainment needs.

Built form - The configuration and construction of the building provides for safe, comfortable, private and useful separate accommodation and matching shared spaces.

Maintenance – The building is in good order and maintenance is ubiquitous (in that it happens without people noticing except in unusual circumstances).

Expenses - The steady state operational costs should match the socio-economic mix and capacities of owners and occupiers.

Disputes – Whenever conflicts arise they are resolved quickly in fair and transparent ways.

Commerciality - Buying, selling and leasing in the building is trouble free.

Adaptation - Longer term maintenance and building upgrades are regularly considered and (if agreed) promptly implemented.

Socialisation – Occupiers have opportunities to interact with each other on different matters.

There may be others too.  But, I think that if you could rate your building over 3 stars (out of 5) on all these it would be a pretty good place.

What do you think? What makes your building liveable (or not)?

Francesco …

Putting More Energy into Less Energy

Saving energy is crucial to our future.

Smart facility managers already know it. Smart commercial property owners already know it. Governments are already mandating it.  

But not all property owners have realised it yet.  Especially strata owners.

Property owners should take of savings associated with improving energy efficiency while reducing energy, waste removal and water consumption costs.

Although this is happening and mandated for in commercial real estate and private home owners (who are more directly in control of their properties) are making energy saving improvements, it’s not really happening in high-density strata titled real estate.  And, unfortunately Government support schemes have not identified and/or do not provide for multi dwelling residential housing.

World wide research has identified that the potential savings in energy that could be achieved in multi dwelling residences are about 30 percent in a decade (an estimated $9 billion in the USA).  That’s a lot of energy (and money) globally.

But even at building level, a 30% saving on energy (electric, gas) and water expenditures would allow significant changes to strata corporation budgets.

Plus there’s all the soft benefits of going “green” like -

• Properties that are known for ‘green’ practices stand out from the crowd
• Lower operating costs make the property more desirable for purchasers, translating to increased values
• Improved environments (air quality, cleaning products without harsh chemicals, less pesticide, less fertilizer to keep ponds clear instead of algae ridden, etc.) lead to happier residents and make your community a better place to live

So, let’s all work on getting awareness up, initiatives developed and shared and strata buildings going green.

See you in a cleaner (and greener) strata environment soon.

Francesco …

Urban Planning Goes National

In December 2010, the Australian government released Our Cities - building a productive, sustainable and liveable future, a discussion paper which sets out the framework for a national approach to urban development and the challenges that must be addressed for Australian cities to become more productive, sustainable and liveable.

It’s planned that a new National Urban Policy will be released in 2011 and the Our Cities framework is open for public comment until 1 March 2011.

The National Urban Policy will be focused on the following things.

Achieving the Australian government’s aspirations for realising the productive capacity of cities by supporting long-term and strategic planning in conjunction with the State, Territories and Local Government, the private sector and communities, and investing in quality, efficient infrastructure including transport, communications and smart infrastructure in terms of which critical infrastructure corridors, sites and buffers will be provided.

Improve sustainability by encouraging planning and development of more energy efficient, low carbon urban forms of transport and a sustainable transport system; encouraging investment and innovation in renewable energy; leading regulator reforms for more efficient use of resources including energy and water; establishing sustainability standards for buildings and infrastructure;  providing national data and best practice examples for resource consumption reduction and for managing risks such as climate change and security of water, energy and food; supporting updated and nationally consistent design standards and performance criteria to reflect the need to adapt to climate change; and investing in sustainable technology and smart infrastructure.

Improving livability by requiring future integrated long-term (15-30 year) strategic plans for capital cities, supported by medium (5-15 year) prioritised infrastructure and land-use plans. Additionally, the Australian government will link government investments to planning systems for the design of liveable cities, pursue regulatory reform to deliver secure, appropriate and affordable housing, and foster urban planning and design of the built form to encourage active lifestyles and social interaction while reducing dependence on motor vehicles in urban areas.

Reform urban planning operation and governance by working with COAG to create less ‘cumbersome’ administrative processes to minimise time and costs for proponent and administrative bodies, while still having regard to the need for community consultation. And, possible amalgamation of local councils areas to create larger entities that can plan, finance and coordinate larger population areas, and achieve greater economies of scale in service delivery and asset management.

This is happening in the following context –

• the Australian government’s State of Australian Cities 2010 report which points to challenges from population ageing; population growth; and climate change and the environment
• the 2010 Intergenerational Report which states that Australia’s population will grow from 22 million today to 36 million by 2020
• the National Housing Supply Council’s State of Supply 2010 report, which estimates that this will create a need for 3.2 million additional homes by 2029 and there is likely to be a shortfall of 640,000 dwellings if the market fails to respond
• the Bureau of Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Economics (BITRE 2007), which estimates that the avoidable cost of road congestion is in excess of $10 million per annum which will continue to rise to $20 billion per year under a ‘business as usual scenario’.
• with regard to climate change and the environment, Our Cities notes that growing urban populations place pressure on land, water and energy while increasing waste. It also acknowledged that Australia’s cities, including their housing and infrastructure are at risk from climate change including through higher temperatures, changed rainfall patterns, increased storm events and rising sea levels. Climate change impacts on infrastructure alone could reduce GNP by 1.2% by 2050 and by 2.4% by 2100.

Australian National Urban Policy complements the government’s Sustainable Population Strategy, which will also be released in 2011, and builds on the 2009 COAG agreement on cities reforms. The COAG agreement requires that by 2012, Australian States and Territories have in place capital city planning systems that are consistent with agreed criteria. The National Urban Policy will apply to 18 Australian cities with populations of over 100,000 people.

So, it’s clear from this latest initiative and the COAG agreement that the Australian government will be playing a greater role in directing the future profile of cities with respect to the built environment, housing, infrastructure, transport, sustainability, and the resilience of cities to climate change. Major streamlining of State and Local Government planning and assessment processes is also likely.

Medium and high density is a critical part of this debate so make sure you’re experience, views and preferences are heard and make a submission.

Francesco …

Greening Strata

Many people would like to claim the green high ground in strata but they can’t.

You see ... strata buildings are not very friendly to the environment (and neither are their owners or managers).  And that’s out of step with the rest of the world of building owners and managers – so it’s time we started doing something about it.

• Unfortunately, strata buildings have the following environmental problems -
• Strata buildings use more electricity than the same number of single residential dwellings per occupant and the same floor space commercial buildings
• Strata building residents use more water than non strata people
• Recycling in strata buildings is about one quarter the level of normal homes and commercial premises
• The use of solar, thermal and other centralized heating and cooling systems is lower
• Waste production is higher than the same number of single residential dwellings

Here’s a recent article about the problem called Strata is popular but neglected in green initiatives from the Fifth Estate.

There are many reasons for the poor performance of strata buildings (which are beyond the scope of the blog post) but regardless of why it occurs what can be done and how do you do it ?

Up until now it has been hard to do anything and only a few well intentioned and committed buildings, executives and managers have made improvements.

But a few smart and committed people are changing that to empower strata buildings to go green.

Christine Byrne and the Green Strata Network has launched a website called greenstrata.com.au and it describes itself as a site is for owners and their owners corporations to learn, find and share information about making our buildings more sustainable.  And, it is – covering the following areas (and much more)

• Community – what your owners corporation can do to help your residents live more sustainable lives and how to strengthen the community in your building to work towards greater sustainability
• Energy – what your owners corporation can do to reduce energy consumption and what options you have for producing energy from renewable sources
• Gardens & Grounds – sustainable uses for your gardens and grounds
• Materials – how you can use more sustainable products and building materials on your common property
• Rebates & Incentives – what rebates and incentives are on offer from governments and other agencies
• Transport Support – how your owners corporation can support your residents in choosing and using sustainable transport options
• Waste – how your owners corporation can help residents reduce the amount of waste ending up in landfill
• Water – what your owners corporation can do to reduce water consumption and what options you have for water capture and reuse

So check it out now and take some green initiatives into your strata building tomorrow.

Now, give me back my hemp bag as I need to buy some organic vegetables and I can’t carry them all on my pushbike without it.

Francesco …

Greenpeace should (also) love Strata

Never let it be said that strata owners don't care about the environment and endangered species.

We're often accused of sitting up in our ivory towers imperiously gazing on a world that is distant and detached from us.

But, ironically, it's precisely that status that has allowed Queensland apartment owners to help save the whales.

You see high rise apartments along the coastline are perfect for whale watching.  

And, I’ll bet you didn’t know that the Gold Coast's calm waters are the perfect location for Humpback Whales to rest and play during Spring before the final migration descent to the chilly oceans of Antarctica. The Gold Coast area functions similar to a bay in which the current reverses and calm water prevails. After giving birth in areas from Hervey Bay to the tropical coral coast, these bay-like functions provide a safe passage for the mothers and calves during their southern migration.

So an enterprising and clever Marine Ecologist at Griffith has set up a project where high rise residents can collect information about humpback whales when migrating up and down the Gold Coast foreshore.  The project's called Humpbacks & High Rises and it combines information collected through land, boat and aerial surveys along the Gold Coast to highlight whale abundance, distribution and behaviour. Boat surveys also support the collection of physical water properties and aerial surveys provide information on boat activities. National Geographic ‘s Crittercam is deployed for underwater tracking, noise levels are measured with hydrophones along the coast and skin biopsies are taken for genetic analyses. With additional photographs of flukes (tails) - individual life histories, social role, migration, habitat use, distribution and reproductive status are determined.

To find out more go to to www.humpbacksandhighrises.com.au and if you want participate contact Dr Olaf Meynecke from Griffith University on j.meynecke@griffith.edu.au  or by telephone on +614 2311 5503.

So, see you at the next Greenpeace-Strata Alliance march.  And thanks to Nicole Johnston at Griffith University for letting me know about this project.

Francesco ...

How many times do I need to tell you ?

Are you listening ???

The future of real estate is strata, community and other group titled property. 

No doubts !

No questions !

No arguments !

And, wherever you look at the data, it just proves it more (and more).

Recently information published by RP Data reveals the following interesting high density facts.

• 15 years ago only 25% of capital city home sales were units or apartments whilst today they account for about 35% of home sales
• Despite the proportion of unit and apartment sales moving down since 2005 (after the last significant property boom) from 2009, due to the First Home Owners Grant and sharply dropping interest rates, first home buyers returned to the market resulting in a rebound in demand for units and apartments
• The proportion of unit and apartment sales in the combined capital cities is, as you would expect, higher than across the rest of the nation
• As at August 2010 unit and apartment sales across the combined capitals accounted for 35% of sales compared to the 30% nationally
• In Sydney and Melbourne, there is an even greater proportion of unit and apartment sales. In August, unit and apartment sales in Sydney accounted for 43% of all dwelling sales and 37% in Melbourne

The following graph shows volumes of house versus unit and apartments sales since 2001.

Contact me if you want a full extract from the article.  And, get on the high density craze with me.

Francesco ….

What's a NABERS (and a BEEC) ???

Everything just gets more complicated as time goes by ... and now there's more rules about commercial building space.

On 1 November 2010 the Commonwealth Building Efficiency Disclosure Act 2010 starts new obligations on owners and landlords of large commercial office spaces to disclose energy efficiency information to purchasers and tenants.

The new laws apply to owners, landlords and sub-lessors who are selling, leasing or sub-leasing buildings or areas of a building with a net lettable area of 2000 square metres or more and requires them to -

• hold a valid, current building energy efficiency certificate
• provide a copy of building energy efficiency certificate to prospective purchasers or tenants
• include in advertisements for the sale, lease or sublease of a building an energy efficiency rating

The Regulations explain what information must be included in a building energy efficiency certificate (called a BEEC) which includes - 

• the net lettable area of the building
• the hours of occupancy for the building
• the energy consumption of the building
• the greenhouse gas emissions generated by the building
• an energy efficiency rating

Only an accredited assessor can prepare a BEEC and once issued, the BEEC must be registered with the Building Energy Efficiency Register and is valid for up to 12 months.


There's a transitional period of 12 months during which a valid National Australian Built Environment Rating System (NABERS) certificate can be disclosed in place of a BEEC.


And, there are some exemptions (importantly for strata titled property because there is no current way of rating those buildings) and anyone can apply for a specific exemption on a building by building basis.


Non-compliance can be problematic because there's fines of up to $110,000 and anyone who fails to comply more than twice in 12 months will be recorded in a non-compliance register.  Plus there's auditors with powers of entry to check on compliance and the accuracy of certificates.


So, it's pretty important for owners, landlords and sub-lessors to understand the new controls, get their buildings rated and comply with disclosure requirements.


You can find out more about the scheme at the Commercial Building Disclosure website.


So now I have to get rid of my NABERS for a BEEC.




Francesco ...

Eco Strata Scheme has great Website

It's funny what you find on the web.


Whilst searching for something else I came across the webpage of a strata scheme in northern NSW that really impressed me. 

It's called Billen Cliffs Village at between the villages of Larnook and Cawongla on the Rock Valley road (found on the map at the hub of the towns of Lismore, Kyogle and Murwillumbah in the Northern Rivers of New South Wales) and is a 115 lot strata scheme that was converted from a company structured co-op.

Some of the interesting things about them and that they do include -

• each lot is 2 acres in size
• the common areas total 200 acres
• community commercial areas are 20 acres
• re-afforestation & conservation areas are 300 acres
• the strata scheme recently received a Federal Government grant towards the installation of a 1kW grid-interactive solar system on the Billen Cliffs Hall
• the Billen Cafe co-op operates every Saturday morning
• a Landcare programme runs on Saturday mornings in the commons
• the Billens Cliffs market Day is held the third Saturday of each month at the Social Space
• most lots  operate on environmentally sustainable stand alone 12 or 24 volt DC solar systems with an inverter to provide 240V power

And, there's lots of good basic strata information too.

So, if you're considering an alternative lifestyle ... why not make it a strata alternative at Billen Cliffs Estate ?

See you in your hemp shirt in the woods.

Francesco ...

Sydney Statues get Dressed Up

Sydney City Council sure likes to attract attention ... and this time its Sydney's historic statues who are putting on their finery (dressed up and flamboyantly decorated) for Art & About Sydney. 

Established and emerging Sydney artists, textile artists, and fashion and costume designers for this fresh take on historical symbolism, inspired by the colourful wearable art scene of the 70s and 80s. Working in collaboration with The History Council of NSW, Heritage NSW, International Conservation Services and City of Sydney Heritage and History Team, these artists have creatively enhanced the historical significance and life stories of some of the famous figures from our past. 

The artists include Ken Done, Linda Jackson, Bronwyn Bancroft, Liane Rossler, Michelle McCosker, Jonathan James, Susie Rugg, Zoe Mahony, Rachael Cassar, Bianca Faye, Spoke and Spool and Eloise Rapp.

The statues (and their locations) include -

Queen Victoria –  Queen Victoria Building Plaza George & Druitt Street

Captain Cook – Hyde Park South

William Bede Dalley  – Hyde Park North

Queen Victoria –  Queens Square

Prince Albert – Macquarie Street

Il Porcellino – Sydney Hospital, Macquarie Street

Shakespeare Memorial – Shakespeare Place

Edward VII –  Macquarie & Bridge Street

And, it runs until 24 October.

It's quirky, fun and brightening up Sydney.

Francesco ...