Sam Stubbs

State and territory building ministers met recently to discuss a range of topics including the shift towards achieving net zero, NCC 2025, and pre-fabricated housing. The discussion about pre-fabrication is particularly noteworthy, especially since it coincides with the Prime Minister's recent announcement regarding advanced manufacturing in Australia. 🏗️ 🏠 https://lnkd.in/gj3JaNEV Property Council of Australia chief, Mike Zorbas pointed out that industrialised construction is an excellent opportunity for Australia, but requires scalability. He emphasised the need for innovation, investment, and secure demand pipelines, especially during a time of increased construction, land, and capital costs. We agree. There are already many early adopters in #MMC here in Australia, but to capitalise on this opportunity at scale, we need greater support for industry now. This requires further government subsidy, support, and investment, just like any other innovation curve. It also requires further demonstration and pilot projects at key sites across the state and the country to prove what's possible, both in terms of volumetric and prefabricated components. This can be achieved either through direct investment, subsidies and incentives in design and procurement, or a combination. 🏡 What are the benefits right now? Speed. Not cost. 🏠 🏡 What are the benefits long term? Speed, cost, diversity of workforce, security over delivery timeframes. Just to name a few. It’s certainly an exciting space, and if we end up at the forefront of it, presents a significant opportunity to tackle future housing supply challenges. At the very least, it will enhance the supply chain resilience and responsiveness. Something we have witnessed the fragility of since covid. Footnote for those who often ask what is MMC: Modern methods of construction is a process which focuses on off-site construction techniques, such as mass production and factory assembly, as alternatives to traditional onsite building. #building #construction #offsite #modern #methods #housingsupply #residential #development #future #focussed #advanced #manufacturing Q Shelter Master Builders Queensland Building 4.0 CRC Property Council of Australia Queensland

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A new Plan for Victoria must ensure ‘efficient building heights’ can be achieved across Melbourne’s Activity Centres to ensure project viability and housing affordability. We recommend having no height limits in activity centre zones. Why? Existing height controls in activity centres mean most multi-unit developments aren’t commercially viable at today’s construction costs. When height controls are relaxed to allow taller buildings, this leads to construction cost savings on a per dwelling basis, which in-turn reduces marginal dwelling prices and therefore loan servicing costs. This reduces the total disposable income required to purchase a home, making dwelling ownership a reality for a larger percentage of the population. For example, at current variable interest rates, to meet mortgage repayments (principal and interest) the following household disposable incomes are required: - $750,000 dwelling | $160,000 p.a. income. - $850,000 dwelling | $190,000 p.a. income. - $950,000 dwelling | $235,000 p.a. income. This compares with the prevailing average apartment sale price in Melbourne of around $11,500/sqm. This would equate to about $863,000 for a 2-bedroom apartment (75 sqm). For an individual or family this translates into a disposable income of more than $190,000 p.a. For those unable to purchase a dwelling, the rental market is the only alternative. With very low rental vacancies, rental prices remain elevated across most capital cities and may increase further. An obvious solution is to extend building heights for multi-unit developments, which will support efficiencies of scale and reduce the marginal cost of delivering dwellings. This will increase affordable housing supply, take pressure off the rental sector and give people more affordable living alternatives. Glenn Lamont Declan Haratsis #anewplanforvictoria, #housingsupply, #planningreform, #housingcrisis, #macroplan

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#Infrastructure #UrbanTransport In 1888 the Victorian Government hired a promising young engineer – John Monash - to survey a route for and build a grand Outer Circle Line connecting the suburbs on the outskirts of Melbourne.  With teams of men working mostly with picks and shovels, Monash finished the 25km circle line in three years at a cost of £297,361 (about $50m in today’s money). In simple terms the cost worked out at around $2m (in today’s terms) per kilometer of track. Economically, the Outer Circle Line was a bust. Later expansion of the radial rail network and the explosion of the motor car and the bus meant freight and passenger usage of the OCL never reached anticipated levels. Slowly, sections of the loop were closed, and the last train ran on what was left of it in 1943. Monash’s work was not completely in vain. Many of the closed sections of the loop were converted into parkland and, later, some great bike trails.  In the 1990’s the then Kennett Government sold off large chunks of the old OCL route to repay debt, once and for all killing off any chance that Monash’s orbital train route would ever be revived. Fast forward to today and a new Victorian Government has commenced construction of another Outer Circle Line, dubbed the Suburban Rail Loop. The SRL will take 60 years to complete and cost, on the latest best estimate, $217 billion. That’s $2411k per kilometer of track, or roughly one thousand two hundred times the (inflation adjusted) cost of the first city loop. The staggering increase in the cost of building a rail loop is due in part to technology (modern train systems are far more sophisticated and capital intensive than they were in 1888) and also due to the fact that the new circle line has to be built completely underground.  Over the past 50 years the population of Melbourne has exploded outwards, covering millions of hectares of land that were once farmland. That means building trail lines underneath all the infrastructure of a big city – staying clear of water, gas, sewer, power and telecommunications pipes and conduits. The SRL deeply divides Melburnians. Residents of the country’s fastest-growing city (for the past 23 years) hate travelling on overcrowded trains and grid-locked roads and recognize that something must be done. But a great many are worried that the State Government should be spending more money on improving hospitals and schools than on a new rail loop, the benefits of which will not be realized for decades. The economy of Melbourne and the dynamics of human movement will change dramatically if the SRL is built. If it is not built, and the city keeps growing at its recent rate, Melbourne’s congestion will be horrendous long before 2050. If Monash were alive today, I suspect he’d say: “Just built it and get it done with.”

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The NSW Government's announcement to expand the responsibilities of Infrastructure NSW and the Co-ordinator General marks a significant step forward in addressing the critical infrastructure needs of the precincts around the future Western Sydney Airport. This new direction will undoubtedly streamline processes and reduce delays that have long hindered unlocking private sector investment in the region. Western Sydney, particularly around the Aerotropolis, is poised for substantial growth, and efficient coordination between agencies is crucial to realising its full potential. By prioritising housing, energy infrastructure, and employment, this new approach directly responds to the frustrations of investors that enabling infrastructure is not being delivered in a timely fashion. The focus on freight logistics and employment-related development is just common sense to kickstart investment around the new Airport and start creating more jobs in Western Sydney. Renaming the Western Parkland City Authority to the Bradfield Development Authority, with a dedicated focus on the Bradfield Town Centre and investment attraction within the Aerotropolis, is the right path to driving private sector investment and making the deals we need to lock in business and jobs. Business Western Sydney applauds this strategy which aligns infrastructure delivery with planning and development. It is a clear indication that the government is listening to the concerns of business leaders, investors and stakeholders, ensuring that we can make the most of our new airport and the supporting infrastructure. We look forward to working closely with Infrastructure NSW and Tom Gellibrand and the Bradfield Development Authority under the leadership of Ken Morrison to bring these projects to fruition. Business NSW Daniel Hunter David Harding Chris Minns Paul Scully

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Digital Engineering, Asset Management and Sustainability for the future were front and centre at the meeting of the Australasian BIM Advisory Board on 7 June. I was delighted to Chair an important face to face meeting and hear updates from QTMR on its new BIM Guideline and the Information Delivery Specification from buildingSMART Australasia. The forum welcomed guests from the Sustainable Built Environment National Research Centre (SBEnrc), Australia, Asset Management Council and Facility Management Association of Australia (FMA) to discuss the shared challenges in managing asset information across the project lifecycle. These conversations emphasised the value of data and the importance of cultural change in driving developments for the digital built environment. It’s imperative that we embrace the challenges and opportunities of digital transformation to enhance the sustainability and efficiency of our built environments. Patrick Bossert GAICD’s presentation on the future value of BIM, drawing on international examples, demonstrating what more we can achieve with contracting, data and digital opportunities set the scene for a presentation by SBEnrc on their MetaBIM tool, an innovative open-source BIM platform designed for carbon accounting. This platform represents the culmination of SBEnrc’s dedicated research, and ABAB was fortunate to get a preview and visualise the substantial value of their work. The diverse discussions and presentations not only reflected the board’s ongoing commitment to enhancing digital engineering and sustainability but also highlighted the collaborative spirit necessary to navigate the complexities of modern infrastructure projects. With the board's proactive approach in aligning standards and fostering gender diversity, ABAB continues to pave the way for transformative change, ensuring that the digital built environment not only meets, but exceeds expectations. ABAB can not operate without the assistance and support of Australasian Procurement & Construction Council Inc (APCC) , Australian Construction Industry Forum (ACIF), NATSPEC, buildingSMART Australasia, Austroads and Standards Australia. The support and participation from all jurisdictions in Australia and New Zealand and Infrastructure Australia is tremendous. Of course, the industry participation is paramount as we work collectively to improve outcomes, ensure consistency and certainty and work to improve the deliverability of projects. Thanks to all participants, Teresa Scott, James Cameron, Dominique Holani, Kevin Rooney, Richard Choy, Ben van Deventer, Spiro Manolakis, Michael Petrelis, Eric Bugeja, Ross Guppy, CON CHARA, Andrew Brady, Simon Keal and Jenny Tseng. #bim #transformation #digitaldelivery #betteroutcomes #futurefocused

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How much for a thermally efficient home? This new Canberra home (pre-pandemic) came in $100k over the cost of a conventional reno. It would cost more in dollar terms now - up to 40-50% more on its 2021 price - Light House Architecture and Science director #JennyEdwards says. That’s pricey, but this one demands no extra heating or cooling costs. Separate new figures from Australian Glass and Window Association put the average extra cost of upgrading a home from 6 to 7 stars at $4300. A big hurdle is builders having to redesign their set homes so they are better oriented on lots to ensure better thermal performance, says AGWA boss Clinton Skeoch. So design matters; as does size. And that also shines a light into energy efficiency ratios: measured in megajoules per sqm, big houses will have a lower ratio. But if they’re big, they still become a big - and expensive - house to heat and cool. #construction #design #thermalefficiency #architecture The Australian Financial Review

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The idea of a $4 billion per year funding pipeline for metro is a great way to ensure we maintain our metro expertise that has been built up over the last 20 years. Expanding metro services in Western Sydney is essential for addressing the region's growing transportation needs and fostering economic development. Western Sydney has and continues to experience rapid population growth and increased urbanisation, the current public transport infrastructure is struggling to keep pace. Enhancing metro connectivity will alleviate traffic congestion, reduce travel times, and provide a reliable alternative to road travel. A well-developed metro network can significantly improve accessibility to key employment centres, educational institutions, and recreational facilities. This will not only benefit residents by making their daily commutes more efficient, but also attract businesses and investors to the region, further stimulating economic growth. Business Western Sydney Business NSW Business Sydney Daniel Hunter David Harding Paul Nicolaou Chris Minns Jo Haylen Prue Car Peter Regan Sydney Metro Matt O'Sullivan The Sydney Morning Herald

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Encouraging more homes in places with good train and tram services is consistent with Infrastructure Victoria's recommendations. Victoria's Infrastructure Strategy 2021-2051 recommends that the government identify new priority locations in established suburbs for residential intensification to better use existing infrastructure. Following this, in partnership with local government, the government should review planning settings to allow increased housing density -https://lnkd.in/gK6G7kwQ Our Home Choices recommends that areas with good public transport service be rezoned to unlock more housing choices, in combination with updated guidance on apartment and townhouse standards. For more of Infrastructure Victoria's evidence-based analysis and recommendations on how more housing options can make better use of Victoria’s existing infrastructure, see https://lnkd.in/eeaNi4rb https://lnkd.in/gDktCYjB #housing #infrastructure #planning #reform #evidence #policy #recommendations

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An interesting snapshot of how each state is exploring Modern Methods of Construction (MMC).

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Should be a great day Lau. More important than ever to start discussing how we can better manage the funding and delivery of trunk development infrastructure.

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It's right to question scope and cost for the next stage of SH1 to Northland - what's missing here is discussion of the economic and social benefits that arise from major roading investments - the "why" we should build infrastructure. There are plenty of good examples of "why" close to home. The 4 lane section of SH1 from Silverdale to Puhoi built in the early 2000's has enabled development along the Silverdale Orewa Corridor. Major distribution (Mighty Ape) and manufacturing business have located there, and many tens of thousands of families live in new homes. Visitors to Orewa no longer have to brave 15,000 vehicles per day on the old SH1 to cross from the ice cream shop to the beach. The community is revitalised and growing. The Waikato Expressway SH1 Hamilton bypass enabled the Waikato-Tainui Ruakura logistics and freight development, home to Kmart and other major distribution centers for the top half of the North Island. Kapiti townships are ready for renewal and growth now that Transmission Gully has taken all but local traffic away from the former SH1 coastal road, which isolated those towns with difficult and unsafe access from the very busy highway into Wellington. There is huge economic and social value arising from those rosding investments and we should assume that will happen for the Northland corridor if the project proceeds and land development follows. If it doesnt proceed then we assume there wont be improved productivity and growth and that Northland and NZ Inc will be poorer for it. We can deliver benefits from projects like Northland RONS sooner if we choose PPPs to deliver and operate these assets. I am working on an update to New Zealand's PPP policy, which will be available toward the end of the year to support decision makers. The NZTA Northland PPP team have appointed an engineering consultant to advise on design and risk, and are conducting market engagement with designers, construction contractors and project financers. After six wasted years under Labour, the Coalition Government is getting ready to unlock productivity and growth with better infrastructure. Hold on Northland, we are coming! #PPP #Infrastructure

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There is growing concern over the impact of "Negative Gearing" on the availability of affordable rental accommodation in NSW and the rest of Australia. The concessions introduced in the 80s to spur investment in "new builds" have instead fueled a housing rental affordability crisis. With over 2 million NSW tenants facing shortages of affordable rental housing, there is a pressing need for a scalable plan to address this chronic issue. Rising rental costs have pushed low-income workers to the outskirts of Sydney, impacting the CBD's footfall and risking the viability of numerous small businesses. Negative Gearing investors are often outbidding young families for homes across Australia, underscoring the necessity for a review of tax breaks to realign with the original intent of fostering investment in new residential properties. Addressing these challenges promptly is crucial to ensuring a sustainable and equitable housing market for all residents of NSW. It might be time for the ALP Minns State Govt of NSW to emulate the Mayor of London, who requires up to 50% of all surplus land sold off suitable for residential use by the London Council to be set aside for affordable housing. This policy setting has created over 30,000 affordable dwellings in the London Council. NSW State and Local Government's policy settings for setting aside enough affordable housing are minimal. The State and Local Governments of Sydney have vast public land holdings. All this public land suitable for residential use could be released immediately to ensure greater availability of affordable rental accommodation. This is especially true for "Essential Workers" who need accommodation near their jobs with easy access to railway stations. A minimum of 50% is required for affordable housing. #HousingAffordability #NegativeGearing #Investment #NSW #RentalAccommodation

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Sydney, Australia: Costing a staggering $65 billion, Sydney’s growing metro network is one of the largest suburban rail projects in the world, rivalling an expansion of Paris’ rapid transit system. Watch: https://lnkd.in/gw39f3BN Known for the past decade as Metro City and Southwest, the main section of the $21.6 billion second stage from Chatswood to Sydenham is set to reshape the way people traverse Sydney. It is an extension of the Metro Northwest line from Tallawong to Chatswood, which opened in 2019 at a cost of $7.3 billion. More than 264,000 passenger trips are forecast each weekday on what is now known as the M1. The final part of the M1 from Sydenham to Bankstown is due to open late next year, followed by a 23-kilometre metro link to Western Sydney Airport in 2026. When the $25 billion Metro West line between the CBD and Parramatta opens in 2032, the driverless system will span 113 kilometres and 46 stations in Sydney. Looking at the bigger picture, the M1 metro line has the potential to supercharge the city’s global economic corridor. Never heard of it? The corridor links three dynamic job hubs – the CBD, North Sydney and Macquarie Park – and the NSW government estimates it accounts for more than 41 per cent of the state’s annual economic output. Not only are there high-value finance, professional services, IT, engineering, research, and health companies, but there are also some of the world’s best universities, and it is a centre for creative industries, media, marketing, and tourism. “The vision of the former liberal government and the vision of all of those people involved is now being played out across our city,” Transport Minister said.

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Big news for local businesses in NSW. - New measures to support NSW jobs and businesses and encourage the development of local industries, removing barriers to local growth. It's a great way to welcome spring (with winds of positive change and transformation).

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The planned new Metro Railway station service at Bankstown line will be a significant catalyst for the development of higher-density mid-rise apartments within a 1,200m walking distance radius of the Bankstown station with a peak period railway service of 4 minutes. However, there is a critical shortage of essential workers to operate the interim temporary bus service across Metropolitan Sydney. This is compounded by the staggering shortfall of affordable rental accommodations, with various reports indicating a need for approximately 25,000 residential-grade mid-rise apartments per year over the next 5-7 years with easy access to their jobs. This shortage mainly affects essential workers such as teachers, hospital staff, healthcare workers, and community workers, who are being priced out of the inner-city areas and forced to relocate to the outer metropolitan suburbs of Sydney, seeking more affordable rental accommodation. This results in lengthy and exhausting commutes of up to 4-5 hours per day, further exacerbating the shortage of public transport bus drivers and a whole range of Essential Workers. With an annual salary of $70,000, many bus drivers pay up to 60% of their income on rent, making it unsustainable for them to continue in their roles. The ALP Minns State Govt of NSW has no scalable plan to solve the state's worst shortfall of affordable rental accommodation, the worst shortfall in its history. The staggering shortages of tradies further exacerbate the problem with a mass exodus of tradies from NSW last year to scale up with conventional, slow, inefficient custom construction methods. New thinking is required to solve Sydney's worst shortfall of insufficient affordable rental accommodation and scalable solutions like advanced modular construction platforms built from renewable plantation forest trees into cross-laminated timber as fast-to-market solutions. It has been in place in Scandinavian and EU Countries for decades, and it has great design, detailing, and finishes. It minimises expensive building materials waste going to landfills, which is unsustainable.

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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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Macroplan recently lodged a submission to a new Plan for Victoria. Here is a summary of our recommendations: 1. Review of current open space planning and community infrastructure funding arrangements to give Councils and developers greater certainty and better tools for funding and delivering infrastructure. The Victorian Government’s housing targets suggest a requirement for up to 14,000 hectares of new open space in the next three decades. Where will it be delivered? 2. Review building heights to enable sensible densification in locations where it makes most sense e.g. no height limits in activity centre zones. Our discussions with the construction sector shows when ‘efficiencies of scale’ are achieved in multi-unit residential developments, this supports housing diversity, improves housing affordability and reduces rental prices. 3. Extend the urban growth boundary in areas where there are limited or no significant environmental or cultural heritage issues. Many of Melbourne’s key growth corridors have less than 5 years zoned residential land supply, which will start to put upward pressure on land and house prices in fringe locations. 4. Review the existing retail hierarchy to allow for supermarkets / express format uses in residential areas. The Victorian Government’s housing targets suggest a requirement for at least 300 new full-line supermarkets in the next three decades. Where will they be located? 5. Remove local Council rate caps and review existing ICP/DCP provisions to allow further cost-recovery for local infrastructure similar to NSW. 6. Include broader definitions of ‘affordable dwelling’ types in Planning Schemes, which may be built in Residential Zones, Green Wedge Zones, Farm Zones and Special Use Zones e.g. - Affordable Housing Estate (i.e. 30% affordable housing/10% social housing). - Affordable Housing Building (i.e. 30% affordable units). - Affordable Caravan Parks (30% affordable stock). - Affordable Retirement Villages / Land Lease Communities. (30% affordable/10% social). 7. Institute an Affordable Housing Corporation (or similar) with a mandate to oversee and support the delivery of affordable dwellings, with a requirement to ensure 10% affordable dwellings (which may equate to up to 6,000 dwellings p.a. or up to $3 billion in new dwellings. 8. Consider other scenarios for Melbourne’s future growth, besides a compact city model, which according to Infrastructure Victoria would have greater potential to increase affordable housing supply, improve whole-of-city amenity and reduce carbon emissions. 9. Engage in an ongoing dialogue with industry and the consumer market about the realities of what’s happening on the ground. We encourage all interested individuals and organisations to share their submissions, thoughts, recommendations, and feedback. See our submission https://lnkd.in/g3pj7VcZ. #anewplanforvictoria, #housingsupply, #housingcrisis, #macroplan

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A proposal to increase the heavy vehicle toll multiplier in Sydney from 3 to 3.5 times higher than light vehicle tolls has been criticised by the National Road Transport Association (NatRoad). The final report from the 2023 Independent Toll Review has sparked backlash from NatRoad, with CEO Warren Clark stating that the trucking industry's concerns have been disregarded. Clark emphasised that the suggested increase is unwarranted, detrimental to trucking businesses, and undermines the industry's crucial role in the economy and supply chain. The inability to absorb these additional costs without passing them on to customers poses a significant challenge for the sector. Read more: https://lnkd.in/gs5aBJxi

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