Julia Kay

Collaboration is the key to innovation, and at MODEL we’re committed to rethinking how we design, build, and ultimately live. While our primary focus is on creating Passive House-certified, decarbonised buildings that set new benchmarks for sustainability and comfort, we recognize the ripple effect these innovations can have across the entire housing spectrum in Australia. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to influence how Australians live - creating spaces that are not just homes but environments where people thrive. At the heart of it all is a belief that every Australian deserves a safe, secure, and healthy home. Whether it’s through reducing our carbon footprint, improving energy efficiency, or prioritizing well-being, the changes we implement today can create a better future for all. Let’s work together to transform the way we live - one home, one building, one community at a time. Alexia Lidas Phil Shelley Matthew Mattiske Daniel Penny

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For those coming to Sydney Build Expo next week please join Eloise Lobsey Meg Dennis and Pejman Sharafi for our panel discussion on circularity and the built environment. We are on at midday Wednesday 1 May. We will cover these topics: Why is prefabrication an excellent solution to solving current challenges including fast tracking circularity in the built environment?  What are the global trends in circular codes and how can Australia drive adoption of responsible materials & circularity? How can we make it easier for councils to make procurement choice that encourage and support circular solutions?

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Across Australia, only 2% of strata buildings have solar, all while facing an energy and housing crisis. Let’s take a sustainable approach by building new rooftop homes equipped with solar, rather than focusing solely on persuading NIMBY owners to sell up and demolish our character buildings to replace them with carbon-intensive concrete blocks prone to defects. We must prioritise our communities and their well-being over filling developers’ pockets.

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As our ARC Linkage with NSW Tenants Union, Tenants Victoria and Tenants Queensland draws to a close, Sophia Maalsen, Peta Wolifson, Desiree Fields and I are wrapping it up with this work in Urban Studies ... Proptech and the Private Rental Sector: New forms of Extraction at the Intersection of Rental Properties and Platform Rentierisation https://lnkd.in/gm3wyAgn Looking at build-to-rent, renting, rent rolls, and a suite of Proptech, this analysis focuses on the landed property (i.e. physical real estate) and technological property (i.e. digital infrastructure and data) in Australia’s private rental system. The picture of the various actors and assets developed in this work shows that for some large landlords both landed and technological property are at play for rent extraction. But in drawing out who controls the Proptech, and to what extent, we find that the control of Proptech depends on the land and real estate holdings of landlords. Many landlords are primarily interested in using Proptech to enhance or add value to their primary asset, which is landed property in the form of rental housing. In other words, their primary reason for using Proptech is to increase the capital value and rental opportunities of their physical rental properties. And while this is true for many landlords, a small collection of the largest institutional landlords are using their significant land and real estate holdings to capture and consolidate the Proptech market in Australia. We tried to capture this in the table below, but you can read more here: https://lnkd.in/gm3wyAgn

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Passivhaus is the gold standard for future-proofing assets, offering unmatched energy efficiency, superior indoor quality, and long-term value. We’re proud to see leaders like MODEL adopting Passivhaus standards at scale. Their commitment to energy efficiency, high-performance buildings, and sustainability is setting a benchmark for the Australian industry.

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The Institute of Public Affairs (IPA) reports that Australia is adding one migrant per minute. Mind-blowing. The Labor Government has already exceeded its promised immigration cap by 50,000, showing no intent to stop immigration for housing supply to catch up, despite 60% of Australians wanting this pause. Immigration, energy costs, and total reliance on green renewable energy are key election issues. IPA's analysis indicates that immigration will continue to grow as the Labor Government relies on it for economic growth, with 85% of growth attributed to population increase. IPA criticizes the government's competence in economic planning, noting that productive growth is currently one-third of what it was in the 90s.

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NZ & Australian Designers! Want to dip your toe in Carbon measurement. Here is the easiest to use tool for architects and engineers on the market. Plug it into your design software, start designing = start measuring. Start your carbon journey today. Book a conversation below. https://lnkd.in/ereWkJeA

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Great news - It is to good to know that over the next few years, smart water meters will replace 1.6 million mechanical meters across Greater Sydney. Though almost more than one decade late, it is good to see that finally Sydney Water is proceeding with replacing mechanical water meters with smart digital water meters. The benefits of digital water meters are as follows: 1. Identify leaks or flow issues 2. Respond to and fix flow issues faster 3. Quicker, safer and more efficient meter reading 4. Read meters without accessing customers’ properties 5. Provide more accurate billing to customers 6. Remotely monitor meters in real time 7. Promotes sustainability - Accurate and timely data on water usage, improves billing accuracy, reduces water waste, and promotes water conservation There was a misconception that water utilities may resort to peak tariffs water usage by introducing digital water meters. This misconception is unfounded and does not yield required water conservation benefits. Water conservation benefits can only be achieved by education only and by peak water tariffs. All surveys suggest that water usage is non-price elastic and hence two-part tariff system was never effective, let alone peak water pricing system. Sydney Water Engineers Australia Australian Water Association International Water Association #sustainability #realdata #monitir #waterconservation #accuracy #benefits #betterlatethannever #mecahnical #waterusage #circularwatereconomy #realtime #twoparttarriff #peaktarriff #waterpricing

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🚧 Attention Building Industry Professionals in NSW! 🚧 Are you involved in the building industry? If so, it’s crucial to stay informed about the Building Bill NSW 2024! This legislation proposes significant changes by amalgamating nine separate Acts currently in place. 🗓 Consultation Period: The Bill is open for feedback until 18 October 2024. 📹 Learn More: The NSW Department of Customer Service has created a detailed video overview of the upcoming changes. Check it out below to get the insights you need to navigate this transition successfully! 🔗 Don’t forget to follow our LinkedIn page for the latest updates and expert insights on this and other property law updates! #BuildingIndustry #NSW #BuildingBill2024 #ConstructionUpdates #IndustryInsights

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More focus on housing and homelessness again today. But I want to focus on the State Government’s announcement around Modern Methods of Construction (MMC). We welcome the fact that the Queensland Government will deliver 600 modular homes as part of the Homes for Queenslanders plan. And whilst I’d rather see a 1 or 2 in front of that number, it is a scaling up of where the program has been in its first couple of years, and I am hoping it is a signal of expanding the number of industry partners involved in delivering this product. I’m also hoping it’s a sign the government is heeding the need to accelerate advanced methods of construction, in a time where traditional construction is struggling. We’ve been on the record for awhile now calling for rapid scaling up of initiatives to modernise construction. In addition to modular housing, there are still further (and perhaps much larger) opportunities to support the transition to more industrialised manufacturing, including offsite manufacturing of building components and more demonstration sites to test, develop and accelerate industry development and application. Not to mention skills development and broadening the workforce. Queensland can lead on this agenda, given the Federal Government’s recently announced Advanced Manufacturing program and our strong regional footprint. I hope this is the first of many announcements in that general direction. #Modern #Methods #Construction #SmartBuilding #Queensland #Advanced #Manufacturing #Agenda Q Shelter Master Builders Queensland

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Highway to Hell - Climate Change and Australia’s Future. Looking forward to reading this essay in the latest issue of The Quarterly

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HAFF ROUND 1 RECEIVES BIDS TO DELIVER MORE THAN 50,000 NEW HOMES: Yesterday, Housing Australia CEO Nathan Dal Bon addressed the Senate Economic Legislation Committee and confirmed the total number of funding bids and homes received in Round 1. As reported by Michael Bleby in the Australian Financial Review, "Mr Dal Bon declined to discuss whether the government would boost funding from the HAFF this year beyond the planned $500 million, as the community housing industry and Greens want." “I would just say I’ve been incredibly pleased with the response we’ve had in terms of overall demand. Also, just the cross-section of responses," said Dal Bon. Bleby underscores, "The revelation will increase pressure on the federal government to release more funding for housing creation at a time when the private development industry is hamstrung by higher costs that render new projects unviable, even at a time of near-record vacancy rates and surging demand for homes." Faith Housing Alliance, along with other peak bodies, has called for the Albanese Government to double the HAFF to rapidly scale up the supply of social and affordable housing. With members' high-quality bids ready to meet community need, this is the perfect opportunity for the government to do more to address the housing crisis. Housing Australia issued guidance to all applicants last week advising that they're targeting communication of the outcome of Round 1 funding to applicants in August 2024. After Round 1 closes, Housing Australia expects to be able to provide further information to the market about the timing, frequency and scope of future rounds. #HousingAustraliaFutureFund #socialhousing #affordablehousing

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Many older homes in Perth were built without considering the importance of natural lighting. Installing a skylight, high windows, or larger windows can transform your living space by bringing in more natural light.☀️ It's no secret that COVID-19 changed the landscape, leading more people to adopt hybrid roles or work from home. Ensuring sufficient natural lighting is crucial for overall well-being, as it reduces the need for artificial light. Exposure to natural light helps regulate sleep patterns and can boost productivity.✨ Sometimes, even small changes to your home can have a significant impact on your emotional and mental well-being. Transform your house into the home of your dreams! Discover flawless design solutions that breathe new life into your space - 💻 https://lnkd.in/gwFjue8u | [email protected] #homeextensions #perth #renovations #interiourdesign

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SE QLD is growing. Our population is growing, and we are the number one spot for inter state migration in the nation. Demand is high across most sectors. We have an acute housing shortage of all types, placing upwards pressure on prices and rents. The only thing restraining that growth right now is the lack of capacity with builders, which is underpinned by Labour shortages within the construction industry. Construction needs to be added to the skilled migration visa list to ease these pressures. Funnily enough, the now disgraced CFMEU have long pressured the federal government not to have construction included within a visa pathway. #constuction #architecture #development

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Transforming Australia’s Suburbia: The Untapped Potential of Solar and EVs Suburbia, often criticised for its unsustainable urban sprawl, is witnessing a sustainable transformation thanks to the widespread adoption of photovoltaic solar panels and electric vehicles, especially in outer suburban areas. Australia leads globally in rooftop solar installation, a change driven by environmental concerns and compelling economics. Integrating solar panels and battery systems offers a pathway to energy independence, reducing reliance on extensive infrastructure and cutting household energy costs. At NRN, we're at the forefront of supporting this shift, providing solar and battery solutions at no cost that enhance the suburban landscape's energy efficiency. This helps reduce the urban heat island effect and supports the nation’s transition to a more sustainable energy future. Discover more about how suburbia is evolving and what this means for renewable energy in Australia. https://lnkd.in/gS7nBFyD

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ClearCalcs: The secret tool behind SMARTBuild Engineering's rapid project assessments. Find out how 👇🏽 Meet Sameer Ramgoolam, founder of SMARTBuild Engineering PTY LTD. With nearly 30 years of experience, Sameer is passionate about sustainable building and social housing design. He uses eco-friendly materials like Structural Insulated Panels (SIPs) and Cross-Laminated Timber (CLT) to drive innovation. But managing bespoke projects while meeting multiple building codes is no small feat. That’s where ClearCalcs comes in: ✔️ Rapid preliminary design allows Sameer to assess beam and column performance to determine feasibility quickly. ✔️ Code-compliant calculators mean Sameer can seamlessly adapt designs to international standards, whether it’s Eurocode 5, CSA 086, or AS 1720. ✔️ Finally, the export to PDF feature enables Sameer to easily generate detailed computation reports to meet regulatory requirements. “ClearCalcs works fantastic because to do this manually will take too long,” says Sameer. “We want quick results to see if something works—especially during preliminary sizing or costing.” Sameer’s story shows how technology empowers engineers to focus on innovation while reducing inefficiencies. Read the case study: https://lnkd.in/gFmKZnTz Photo caption: An example of a residential building with modular SIPs construction (Reference: SMARTBuild Engineering Pty Ltd)

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