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COVER STORY
Breaking through
the barriers to
urban density
Romilly Madew
Written by Romilly Madew, Chief Executive, Green Building Council of Australia
Our cities are in transition. The
frameworks of the past are no
longer working and we are
facing a future of environmental
destruction, climate change,
pollution, traffic gridlock,
declining health, rising obesity
and worsening standards of
living.
That’s the picture painted at the recent
Built Environment Meets Parliament
Summit (BEMP) in Canberra.
KPMG’s Spotlight on Australian Cities
report, released in conjunction with
BEMP clearly pointed to federal and
state planning systems that cannot
cope. If that’s the case, how will they
function with a population of 35 million?
A selection of speakers was asked to
provide their ‘breakthrough strategies’
for a big Australia.
And guess what?
Their visions are
overwhelmingly
optimistic. The
auditorium full
of property and
construction
professionals,
policy makers
and politicians
were clearly
inspired by the
possibilities for
Australia’s future.
It’s clear
that we can
address traffic
congestion, rising
greenhouse
gas emissions, the obesity epidemic,
social isolation and climate change by
changing the way we live, work and play
in our cities.
Rather than lowering our standard of
living, higher levels of urban density can
deliver more liveable cities. What we
must do is to take the community on the
journey with us, and demonstrate clearly
the benefits of urban density to both
Australia’s natural environment and its
people.
Many people are already recognising
the value of sustainable, higher density
environments to their quality of life.
Apartments are outselling houses in a
number of Australian cities as demand
for smaller and more affordable housing
transforms the real-estate market. The
West Australian reported last week that
almost half the apartments at Australia’s
first Green Star residential building, The
Summer in South Fremantle, have been
sold off the plan.
“We had no idea just how significant
sustainable living is to the lives of many
people and we are definitely looking
to increase the bar on all our future
projects,” Lloyd Clark, the Managing
Director of developer Match told The
West Australian.
While the future residents of Match
won’t have access to the traditional
quarter acre block, what they will have
is open-plan apartments with large
balconies, high ceilings, energy efficient
appliances and good passive design
features.
That doesn’t mean that the Great
Australian Dream of a house and land
package is dead. But the BEMP Summit
did foreshadow a future where there
will be more choice for people who are
prepared to forgo the garden and sell
the car in exchange for a home closer
to work, entertainment precincts and
parks.
12 • Australian Building Regulation Bulletin