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We just love reading press releases about projects that aim to find solutions for the housing and affordability crisis. The Tasmanian Government has launched the ModHomes program to increase the supply of social and affordable housing across the state. Through this program, a minimum of 50 prefabricated modular-constructed social housing units will be delivered annually for four years on land owned by the Director of Housing. The Government has stated that modular construction offers numerous advantages. Producing modular units in a factory setting creates employment opportunities for a different workforce, which is beneficial at a time when trades are in high demand. Additionally, factory builds experience fewer weather-related delays. Guy Barnett, the Minister for State Development, Construction, and Housing, highlighted the significance of innovation in constructing homes more efficiently and quickly. Similar to Michelle Blakely's My Home Project, these residences are intended to accommodate vulnerable Tasmanians from the Housing Register and are a component of the Tasmanian Government's $1.5 billion housing package, which aims to enhance housing availability in Tasmania over the next ten years. Read the full article on Built Offsite: https://lnkd.in/gZsMATFa #21stcenturyhomes #affordablehomes #affordablehousing #airtightconstruction #airtightness #builtformdeveloper #cadcam #carbonfootprint #carbonsink #closedtimberpanel #construction #constructionautomation #constructionindustry #constructionrobotics #constructiontechnology #designedformanufactureandassembly #DfMA #energyeffeciency #engineeredtimberframe #engineeredtimber #homebuilders #homebuilding #housingnews #lowcarbonhomes #lowthermalbridging #massivwalls #mcc #offsite #offsiteconstruction #onedaycraneaway #passivehousebuilder #passivhaus #passivhouse #perthbuilders #perthbuilingindustry #precisionmanufacturing #realestatedevelopment #sellablefloorarea #sustainableconstruction #timberframing #townhousedevelopments #townhouses #zerocarbonhomes #zerolotbuilding #communityhousing #socialhousing #affordablehousing #homelesshousing

Work has started on North Somerset’s first Passivhaus housing scheme, with 52 environmentally friendly homes being built in Nailsea 🏡🌍   Passivhaus is a design standard making sure houses are energy efficient, reducing a building’s ecological footprint. The scheme is being built on land we own, south of The Uplands in Nailsea and will be called ‘Elm Grove.’   It’ll be a flagship development for high quality, sustainable housing, providing homes for local people as well as helping to tackle the climate emergency and reach net zero carbon emissions by 2030. Elm Grove will include:   🏡 20 homes (40% of the scheme) to meet local demand for affordable housing, including rented and shared ownership, to be managed by Alliance Homes. 🏡 17 adaptable or accessible homes, which will provide for people with mobility difficulties, or for those who develop them during their lifetimes. 🏡 All 52 homes will be Passivhaus certified, the highest standard of energy efficiency meaning lower carbon and lower energy bills for residents. 🏡 A higher than usual proportion of two-bedroom homes, as well as eight bungalows and features designed to enable home-working and/or downsizing – all intended to help meet local needs. 🏡 All homes are at least 10% bigger than required by National Space Standards. 🏡 Solar panels and electric vehicle charging points in all homes.   We expect building to be completed by the end of 2025. A show home is planned for launch in spring 2024 and the first homes are due to be available for occupation by the end of 2024.   This is the second major residential project to be progressed as part of our development strategy which was adopted in February 2021. The first scheme was Winterstoke Gate at Locking Parklands, Weston-super-Mare, where 425 net zero affordable homes are being created.   Find out more by reading our news story at https://lnkd.in/eke6MckH #Passivhaus #OpenFairerGreener #Housing #Development #Nailsea #SustainableHousing #AffordableHousing #AccessibleHousing #NetZero #ClimateEmergency

Thank you Lester Kiewit for having me on CapeTalk to discuss developments in Cape Town that offer zero parking bays. For those who don't know, the #CapeTown CBD is exempt from parking requirements. This means that developers can build as much or as little parking as they wish. Outside of the CBD, the required ratio is 1.5 bays for every bedroom built. There are pro's to having no parking in a building, such as encouraging more walking, cycling and use of public transport - however - we do need a reliable public transport system and safer streets to be able to encourage the above. Basement parking increases the building costs of a development substantially while also reducing the amount of space that can go towards much needed housing. Some say, there should be no parking requirements and rather a free market. Developers should have the right to decide how much or how little parking they wish to include in their development. What are your thoughts on parking bays and whether they should or shouldn't be included in new developments?

From old farm land to twelve stylish apartments - we transformed this site in Trallwn, Swansea for our client Caredig. Residents are now settled into their apartments, and enjoying the stability and security they offer. This video shows the build progress - from old farm land that once sat derelict, to dream homes for those in need. The newly constructed apartments offer sleek and easy-to-maintain properties with affordable rents. Each block features a double-height glazed entrance, creating a welcoming atmosphere for tenants. The design of the apartments prioritizes energy-efficiency, with solar panels installed to keep energy costs low for residents. Additionally, the development includes onsite parking, green areas, and bike stores to enhance the quality of life for the residents. We discovered the site after sending a letter to the vendor. The entire project has been funded through private investment, demonstrating our commitment to delivering high-quality affordable housing. This construction project not only provides much-needed affordable housing in the area but also contributes to the overall goal of creating sustainable and inclusive communities. Moreover, the inclusion of units adapted for disabled users highlights the importance of accessibility and the need to cater to diverse housing needs. By working in collaboration with Caredig, we have successfully transformed underutilized land into a valuable asset for the community. This project showcases our expertise in delivering high-quality, energy-efficient, and affordable housing solutions. Overall, the completion of the Trallwn Farm Close project is a significant achievement in meeting the demand for affordable housing and improving the living conditions for residents in Swansea. #socialhousing #buildmoresocialhousing #newbuilds #affordablehousing #housing #southwales #accessiblehousing

When looking for solutions to getting housing on the ground quickly and affordably, I tend to favour infill development, as the hard, soft, and social infrastructure is already in place and - by nature - infill sites are well-located. Plus, low and medium density suburbs are enhanced through gentle renewal, while most are craving the diversity that a variety of dwelling sizes and types would deliver. One low-hanging fruit solution would be to allow Dual occupation dwellings to have both a Primary AND a Secondary dwelling. One average suburban lot could deliver four homes...virtually invisible density in our existing neighbourhoods. Plus, as the Secondary dwellings would be limited in size, this solution would address the rising need for smaller homes, with the number of one person households expected to increase substantially from 23.4 per cent in 2021 to 40.5 per cent in 2046. There are other benefits too: -QUICK (straight to the certifier then the shovel) -AFFORDABLE (Class 1 construction is the cheapest build) -SUSTAINABLE (timber vs concrete) -SMALL (Secondary dw codes restrict the dwelling size) -RESILIENT (an embedded Secondary dw can be designed to be joined with the Primary dw when a larger home is desirable) -ATTAINABLE (Whether the Dual occ is two smaller dwellings or one larger one should not negatively impact valuations and/or housing funding assistance) -ACCESSIBLE (the Secondary dw can more easily be-and in the case of this "Pademelon" is-designed as Gold Level Livable Housing) -REPEATABLE (project home builders could invest in standard plans with the confidence that the product could go virtually anywhere is Qld. I love the fact that this conversation is gaining some real traction! #housingsupply #housingcrisis #affordablehousing #communites #communityhousing #localgovernment #qldgovernment #developer #architects #yimby #townplanning #housingdesign #accessiblehousing #sustainablehousing #urbanplanning

🌍 Ensuring Sustainable Infrastructure in Harare 🏙️ Earlier this year (2024), City of Harare issued a 14-day ultimatum to all property owners and occupants of buildings in the Central Business District (CBD) and those outside the CBD, requiring them to enhance the appearance of their buildings in terms of Section 49 (1) Chapter 2 of the Model Building By-Laws (1977). This decisive action is a commendable step towards maintaining our city’s infrastructure. 🛠 🔧 This highlighted the need to systematically address the state of our infrastructure, and possibly implement a building grading system based on the following criteria : ▪ Capacity : Evaluates whether the building can adequately serve its intended purpose and accommodate current and future occupancy levels. ▪ Condition : Assesses the overall physical state of the building, including structural integrity and cosmetic appearance. ▪ Funding : Considers the availability of financial resources for ongoing maintenance and necessary upgrades. ▪ Future Need : Looks at the anticipated requirements for the building based on urban development plans and population growth. ▪ Operations and Maintenance : Reviews the efficiency and regularity of current maintenance practices and operational procedures. ▪ Public Safety : Ensures that the building complies with safety regulations, including fire safety, emergency exits, and health standards. ▪ Resilience : Measures the building's ability to withstand and recover from environmental stresses, such as natural disasters or climate change impacts. ▪ Innovation : Encourages the use of modern technologies and innovative practices to improve building performance and sustainability. ***The weighting of each criteria item would be determined by specific building characteristics, location and as per council discretion. This should total 100% in order to allocate a grade*** 🏅 Grading Scale: A (Excellent): Meets or exceeds all criteria with minimal need for immediate attention. B (Good): Generally in good condition but may require minor repairs or upgrades. C (Fair): Functional but needs significant maintenance to prevent further degradation. D (Poor): Requires urgent attention to avoid becoming unsafe or unusable. F (Failing): Structurally unsound and in need of major renovation or demolition. To build on this momentum, we can take it a step further by implementing a similar grading system. This will help prioritize maintenance efforts, allocate resources more effectively, and ensure a safer, more beautiful Harare for all. Let’s work together to create a sustainable future for our city. 🛠️✨ #UrbanDevelopment #SustainableCities #Harare #Infrastructure #CityPlanning #BuildingMaintenance #Community

As the housing and rental crisis continues to linger, we are thrilled to receive development approval for Celsius Property Group’s major residential development within Montario Quarter. The proposal is split between a ‘Build to Rent’ building consisting of 226 dwellings designed by Rothelowman, and a ‘Build to Sell’ building consisting of 72 dwellings designed by Space Collective Architects. Diverse housing that is accessible, desirable and deliverable is exactly what our city needs. The BTR building is only the third approval in Perth to break past the 200 dwellings barrier. This project alone will expand the approved BTR pipeline in Perth by 15%. Whilst BTR is well established in larger cities on the east coast, it is still relatively new in Perth. It has arisen in the context of changing building conditions – the acute housing and rental shortage is as much a construction crisis as it is a housing crisis. By eliminating the pre-sales process and simplifying the build through avoiding owner requested customisations to apartments, BTR significantly improves the ability to bring urgently needed homes to market. Through centralised management, the BTR model also provides lifestyle and social benefits to its residents, and offers a more curated and low maintenance living experience. Substantial communal spaces are also key to the development, as this encourages casual interactions and builds a community and support networks amongst neighbours. This model also allows for greater flexibility and ‘right-sizing’, whereby residents can live in the apartment that suits them at that moment of their life, rather than buying the ‘future family home’ or having ‘empty nesters’ living in homes that are larger than necessary. Urbis is committed to being at the front of the conversation on how to continue to derisk, optimise and implement investment in the housing we so clearly need. Congrats to Celsius for their vision for the development, the broader project team for all the expert inputs, DevelopmentWA for their curation of the amazing Montario Quarter precinct and Rebecca Travaglione for managing the development application to approval and overseeing what is a really complex project that has been resolved so perfectly for its site and locality. #perth #property #cityshaper #BTR #buildtorent #residential #housing #precincts

A pair of ageing Salford tower blocks are going ‘green’ as part of a multi-million pound eco-transformation. Salix Homes has unveiled ambitious investment plans for neighbouring blocks Greyfriar Court and Whitefriar Court in the Greengate area of Salford. The 14-storey high rise buildings will undergo a £10million refurbishment, making them greener and more energy efficient. The planned improvement work includes external wall and roof insulation, new windows and ventilation; while the façade and balconies will be completely rendered and transformed. An eco-friendly ground source heating system will also be installed, which, combined with the external insulation will improve the thermal efficiency of the building and help reduce energy bills. The state-of-the-art heating system works by harnessing the natural heat from the ground, rather than burning fuel to generate heat. #businessinnovation #businesssupport #businessgrowth #innovation #growth #growthanddevelopment #businessfunding #governmentfunding #funding #fundingopportunities #ecobuild #sustainability #gogreen