Jeremy Mansfield OAM

MBS 007 has been released (& sorry, not that 007, a different kind.) I've just released Revision B of The Ultimate Guide to Navigating the South Australian NCC for Architects with the latest insights on the Ministerial Building Standard MBS 007. This revision brings clarity on the energy efficiency concessions and, for those who've been asking, some initial guidance on alterations and additions covered by Ministerial Building Standard MBS 013. Feel free to read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/gN4578Pq I’d love to hear people's thoughts on how these alteration and addition modifications might impact projects here in South Australia. What are your initial takeaways? Thoughts on almost an entirely new code specific to alterations/additions? Thoughts on the NatHERS Star Rating concession calculation similar to Victoria's? I have lots of questions and would love to hear your thoughts!! ARKATA #architecture #energyefficiency #healthyhomes #sustainability #sustainablehomes #resilienthomes #comfortablehomes #sustainablearchitecture #betterbuilding #energyefficienthomes

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SUSTAINABILITY // Built Environment Key Sector in Transition to Circular Economy The Circular Economy Ministerial Advisory Group's interim report highlights the built environment's crucial role in Australia's transition to a circular economy. Despite its potential for circularity, barriers like fragmented policies and limited information on recycled materials exist. Recommendations include integrating end-of-life considerations into building codes and promoting circular practices in public procurement. This follows a CSIRO study revealing Australia's circularity rate lags behind the global average. Additionally, a new Environmentally Sustainable Procurement Policy will require sustainability outcomes for businesses bidding on large government construction projects starting July 1st 2024, including circularity. Read more here: https://hubs.li/Q02zMv5n0 #Fairview #CountonFairview #Sustainability #BuiltEnvironment #CircularEconomy

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🏘🏗 𝗛𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗖𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗶𝘀 - 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗦𝗮𝗳𝗲𝘁𝘆 & 𝗤𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆: 𝗧𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗮 𝗕𝗥𝗥 (𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗥𝗲𝗴𝘂𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗼𝗹𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻) 🏛 ✨ The recent announcement from the Victorian Government about replacing the 𝗩𝗶𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗮𝗻 𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗔𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆 with a new Building (and Plumbing?) Commission (https://lnkd.in/grEJ24dH) represents a potential time of change, hopefully. 🤞 Winds of hope came from the recent statement by the CEO of the VBA, acknowledging that things are not good: '“𝙄 𝙖𝙥𝙤𝙡𝙤𝙜𝙞𝙨𝙚 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙧𝙤𝙡𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙑𝘽𝘼 𝙝𝙖𝙨 𝙥𝙡𝙖𝙮𝙚𝙙 – 𝙬𝙚 𝙘𝙖𝙣 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙙𝙤 𝙗𝙚𝙩𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙑𝙞𝙘𝙩𝙤𝙧𝙞𝙖𝙣𝙨.” - Anna Cronin, 24 October 2024 👉 https://lnkd.in/gihnmjZE However, to build confidence in the current broken building regulatory system, simply changing one institution for another with a new name is not enough to restore the trust that has been lost. 💡 We need a 𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗥𝗲𝗴𝘂𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗼𝗹𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻, which would involve rethinking the current system and seriously proposing improvements to the safety and quality of our buildings. 🌟 The entire system must be centred on 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘃𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗱𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻 and the qualifications and competencies of designers and builders in architecture and engineering, with clear responsibilities for clients and owners. A building is the product of a design by #architects and #engineers, and the new regulatory system needs to acknowledge and reflect this. Paulo Vaz Serra #construction #constructionindustry #buildingquality #buildinginspections #quality #buildingact https://lnkd.in/gihnmjZE

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Big news on #EmbodiedCarbon and #climate #resilience from Building Ministers’ Communiqué June 2024: Ministers also agreed to include a voluntary pathway in NCC 2025 for commercial buildings to measure and report on embodied carbon utilising the National Australian Built Environment Rating System (NABERS) method. Ministers also asked the ABCB to investigate how to incorporate and fund inclusion of a future minimum standard for embodied carbon in NCC 2028 to further support Australia’s transition to net zero. On climate resilience: Ministers agreed to include climate resilience as a specific objective of the Australian Building Codes Board (ABCB) from 2025. This will give the ABCB a clear mandate to develop future National Construction Code (NCC) requirements that reduce the impact of natural hazards (my edit) on housing and other critical community facilities. This is in response to a recommendation from the Royal Commission into National Natural Disaster Arrangements. https://lnkd.in/gaFsQp3D Australian Sustainable Built Environment Council (ASBEC) NABERS Australian Building Codes Board

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Congratulations to Australian Sustainable Finance Institute on the launch of the first round of public consultation on the development of an Australian sustainable finance taxonomy. Being involved in the Construction & Built Environment Advisory Group, I can only begin to describe the level of collaboration, consultation, and hard work that's gone into designing and developing an Australian sustainable finance taxonomy that is credible, usable and internationally interoperable, while reflecting the Australian economy and context. Now it's over to you, and in particular, the built environment & construction industry, to have your say. ASFI is seeking feedback on: - the draft headline ambitions for the Australian taxonomy’s environmental objectives, and - the draft climate change mitigation criteria for the first three priority sectors under development (electricity generation and supply, minerals, mining and metals, and construction and the built environment). This public consultation process will run from 9:00am Tuesday 28 May 2024 until 9:00pm Sunday 30 June 2024 (AEST). The development of an Australian taxonomy cannot be done well without First Nations people, ASFI particularly encourages First Nations people to provide feedback.

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Last week, a Bill titled the 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘀𝘂𝗺𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗟𝗲𝗴𝗶𝘀𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝗺𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 (𝗛𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗥𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺) 𝗕𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟰 was introduced to the 𝗩𝗶𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗮𝗻 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁, featuring several planning reforms aimed at implementing the Red Tape Commissioner’s Report. Key highlights include changes to the following processes: 𝟭. 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗣𝗲𝗿𝗺𝗶𝘁 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀  𝟮. 𝗠𝗲𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗼𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗻 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗟𝗲𝘃𝘆  𝟯. 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗦𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗺𝗲 𝗔𝗺𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀  𝟰. 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗣𝗮𝗻𝗲𝗹𝘀  𝟱. 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗖𝗹𝗮𝗶𝗺𝘀  𝟲. 𝗔𝗺𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗖𝗲𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝗩𝗖𝗔𝗧 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗰𝗲𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 This is a great opportunity to discuss the implications of the proposed bill with the development sector, joined by our panel and keynote speaker, Ms Colleen Peterson, 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗼𝗳 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴. Due to high demand, we’ve increased the number of spots available. 𝗗𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝗺𝗶𝘀𝘀 𝗼𝘂𝘁—𝘀𝗲𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝗡𝗢𝗪! 𝗕𝗨𝗬 𝗬𝗢𝗨𝗥 𝗧𝗜𝗖𝗞𝗘𝗧𝗦 𝗛𝗘𝗥𝗘 https://lnkd.in/g7xpZW_v This event is open to all, 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗮𝗱𝗺𝗶𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗺𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿𝘀. For more information, please email [email protected]. #planningreforms #VCAT #planningschemes #proposedbill #planningpermit

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Today marks the welcome release of updated planning guidelines for renewable energy projects in New South Wales, with the release of the Renewable Energy Planning Framework.   The framework aims to strike the best balance between a timely energy transition and managing the impacts of projects.   New benefit sharing guidelines are a fundamental component of this framework, designed to ensure that local communities are empowered and supported through reaping the significant economic benefits of hosting renewable energy projects, including a projected $400 million shared over a 25 year period and the creation of local jobs.   The Clean Energy Council’s Dr Nicholas Aberle said the guidelines will play a crucial role in ensuring wind and solar farms in NSW are assessed in a timely manner while helping the state to maintain a reliable electricity supply.   “Clearer guidelines create a more predictable process for the companies seeking to build renewable energy projects as well as for the communities where these projects are proposed to be built, which is a win-win.   “This outcome reflects a significant volume of advocacy work by members and the Clean Energy Council, and we look forward to continuing to work with the Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure to ensure NSW’s energy transition is on track.” #cleanenergy #renewableenergy

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As of October 2023, new reporting requirements for NSW building projects include disclosing key material quantities and their associated upfront embodied emissions, specifically covering “cradle-to-gate” emissions (stages A1-A3) of a building’s life cycle.   For non-residential developments, the NABERS Embodied Emissions Tool will become the standard framework upon its anticipated release later in 2024. In the interim, projects are required to complete the NABERS Embodied Emissions Materials Form, quantifying at least 80% of the materials used; such as foundations, basement retaining walls, superstructure elements, cladding, roofing, windows and building services. This form will be required at both the Design Application (DA) and Construction Certificate (CC) stages.   At erbas™ SUSTAIN we are committed to helping our partners finalise and certify this form. We also offer recommendations on low-carbon materials and essential design principles for heating, cooling, air ventilation and insulation to ensure compliance with these new requirements. Photo: James Sullivan    #erbas #erbassustain #Sustainability #EmbodiedEmissions #NABERS #Construction #BuildingStandards #LowCarbonMaterials

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Curious to know more about supportive housing? Great video from QCOSS in conjunction with The Corporation for Supportive Housing to get you thinking differently about housing solutions! #housingfirst

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🔊 "This report underlines the importance of inclusive investment strategies that unlock capital for the majority of buildings, ensuring that no part of the #builtenvironment is left behind," said BRE Deputy CEO, Jane Goddard. 📄 BRE joins a coalition of global green building organisations, including the Green Building Council of Australia, the Singapore Green Building Council, the U.S. Green Building Council and France’s Alliance HQE - GBC to unlock finance to bring more buildings up to environmental standards. The coalition's new report, "Building Transition: How to Scale and Finance an Inclusive Transition for the Built Environment" deals with the financing gap between top-performing green buildings and the broader #buildingstock. Outlining recommendations to make #sustainable finance more inclusive and effective, the report specifically targets the estimated 75% of lower-performing buildings that have yet to adopt #sustainable practices. Full story by Sidhi Mittal in edie: https://lnkd.in/ewQGVcsm #sustainability #netzero #zerocarbon

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This cost forecasting algorithm is part of our value-based practitioner-academic research at WSU. Our team’s work provides a starting point for equitable protection of residential stakeholders. Thus, future cost chaos in the built environment can be lessened. Cost escalation, especially in construction, has been a significant factor since the dawn of the COVID-19 pandemic. The most prevalent effects are housing affordability and increased bankruptcies. These effects have made cost increases a root cause of several societal ills. This algorithm provides a prediction and should not be used solely to make cost forecasts. Other factors must be considered but are not quantifiable, such as extreme legislative activity and man-made disasters.  The housing market is chaotic, and economic “animal spirits” make consistently accurate forecasting a challenging vocation. To clarify this further, the stock market is notoriously irrational. However, if four reputable share advisors unanimously recommend “buy” or “sell,” following their advice has a high probability of benefit. The same applies here—more independent predictions outside of ours should be reviewed to make this significant economic decision, that is, to construct or not. When markets are calm, not chaotic, less destruction occurs. For example, consumers receive credits when costs decrease, and contractors receive reimbursement when costs increase. Everyone receives mostly what they bargained for. We predict our continuing research will become more holistic and complete. In the coming decade, Australia may experience unpredictable conditions that have not been part of our two-decade data capture. Additionally, the construction process will change (as it has always). John (Jan) Smolders AM Dave Froslie Rosalind Wang

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"The NCC, which all states and territories sign up to in their building legislation and regulation, is revised every three years and establishes a minimum requirement for all Australian Buildings. Next year’s release is set to include stronger provisions to prevent condensation, mould, leaks, and to improve structural resilience against wind, storms, and earthquakes..... I note a 2021 study by the Australian Building Codes Board, which estimated building defects in 236,000 Australian dwellings in 2022 cost nearly $2 billion." State and territory governments are urging the use of modular and offsite building for greater efficiency in housing. However, the NCC needs comprehensive provisions, including three-yearly reviews, to support this innovation and avoid a legacy of faulty homes. The Architecture profession is committed to the ongoing improvement and unified adoption of the NCC by all states and territories in Australia. This standard is crucial for safeguarding average homebuyers entering into 30-year loans and to preserve the certainty of investment in home ownership. We understand the challenge of meeting housing quotas, but quantity can't come at the expense of quality — homeowners and investors need confidence in durable, lasting assets. Thanks Clémence Carayol and Architecture & Design (Australia) Australian Institute of Architects https://lnkd.in/gdESUciG

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🚀 'Pumped' to see the release of the RAP's Heat Pump Toolkit (2.0). This resource provides valuable insights into deploying heat pumps as a cornerstone of decarbonisation strategies globally. It was a personal pleasure to contribute to this work, particularly highlighting Victoria as a case study for the Australian context. Victoria's size, its Gas Substitution Roadmap, minimum rental standards consultation, and the innovative programs and schemes already underway made it a great example to reference when talking about the heat pump deployment scene in Australia. While we could never encapsulate the whole country's efforts on a single page (too many jurisdictions, not enough white space!), resources like this toolkit are useful for getting our international peers across the kinds of things happening here. Special thanks to the Global Buildings Performance Network (GBPN) team for bringing me into this work. 🔗 Check it out here: https://lnkd.in/gtY6gu8g. #heatpumps #energyefficiency #technology #decarbonisation

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Have you had your say on the Second Emissions Reduction Plan? It's not too late to get your submissions in before they close 25 August! Speaking at our recent Green Property Summit, the Minister of Climate Change Hon. Simon Watts encouraged our sector to get involved and present our vision to support climate action. The built environment presents huge opportunities to slash emissions quickly, and cost-effectively. With the draft ERP2 containing just a line or two about buildings, there's a large gap to fill. Suffice to say, our response is a whole new chapter in itself.   Our key recommendations include: ✅ Improving the Building Code to deliver lower-carbon homes and buildings ✅ Phasing out fossil gas in homes and buildings, including ending new residential gas connections from 2026. ✅ Requiring energy labels on homes and buildings ✅ Correcting the ERP modelling to align with MBIE’s production forecasts. ✅ Removing the reliance on carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS) ✅ Strengthening ETS pricing ✅ Expanding the Warmer Kiwi Homes programme to subsidise electrification of home heating and cooking from 2027, converting 25,000 homes a year. ✅ Implementing a concerted programme, building on the successful replacement of coal boilers in schools and hospitals, to subsidise 10% of commercial buildings per year from 2026 to electrify space and water heating. ✅ Incentivising improved home insulation and home solar generation. The recommendations aim to reduce emissions, reduce ongoing costs for families and Kiwi businesses. Many of our recommendations and policies were laid out in our recent report ‘Closing the gap: Hidden emissions and untapped potential of buildings to reduce costs and deliver for carbon budgets’ -https://bitly.cx/VV9nG Read our full submission, and feel free to use it for your own - https://lnkd.in/gQV9xDMc

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Precinct Urban Planning is strongly supportive of the recent announcement by Toowoomba Regional Council (TRC) that the Council is set to embark on a Local Housing Action Plan project to review current and future housing needs across the region and is asking for community feedback. TRC Place (Planning) portfolio spokesperson Councillor Tim McMahon said Council had recognised that as the region’s population continues to grow, a greater supply of housing and increased housing type choice for residents is needed. “Council recognises its role in responding to the housing crisis and undertaking a Local Housing Action Plan. “This plan will ultimately allow Council to identify potential actions and opportunities to address a range of immediate, emerging and longer-term housing and infrastructure challenges in both the urban and regional areas of the Region. “We will collaborate with the Queensland State Government in the development of the plan and are asking for community feedback to ensure the need and wants of the community are considered. “We want to focus on the long-term affordability and sustainability of housing types for the needs, means and values of our community members in Toowoomba Region,” Cr McMahon said. “Council is asking the community to consider what factors influence their housing wants and needs, now and into the future, with residents encouraged to share their thoughts from Monday, 18 November to Friday, 13 December by visiting Council’s Your Say website. Precinct Urban Planning’s Director Andrew Bullen has long advocated for an increase in residential land supply across the region. Mr Bullen and other development industry representatives contend that “the evident under supply of residential land, inevitably results in many of those that might otherwise purchase a new home acquiring existing properties, and often investment (rental) properties. In other words, the rental stock is cannibalised by owner occupiers in a climate of insufficient supply. We know anecdotally that Toowoomba’s rental stock reduced by between 10-15% since pre-covid as a result of the undersupply driven rental crisis.” Mr Bullen noted further that “the reduction in rental stock results in more competition for available rental properties, an increase in rents and a consequential decline in rental affordability. Those at the bottom of the market get squeezed out and face the real threat of homelessness.” Mr Bullen believes “that while a housing strategy made sense, it is incumbent on Council and well within their power to take urgent action on the ground to release more residential land”. “The positive benefits of increased residential supply cascade through the broader housing market to ease price pressure for those seeking to purchase or rent dwellings – it is a win-win outcome”. For more information on Council’s Local Housing Action Plan, please visit https://lnkd.in/gjBU8tpU , call Council on 131 872 or email [email protected]

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We’re excited to have submitted our Green Star pathway to the Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA) for the formal design assessment of our Neighbourhood Activity Centre (NAC) in the northern Melbourne suburb of Wollert. While this isn’t a submission for formal Green Star certification, it’s still a significant milestone for Sandhurst Retail & Logistics as we look to verify that we are on track to achieve one of the first 6 Star Green Star certifications for a retail development under the Buildings rating tool. Some key highlights planned for our Wollert NAC include: · Reduced embodied carbon by design, highly energy efficient in operation, and 100% powered by renewable energy sources. · Responsible procurement plan in place to reduce embodied carbon and enhance workforce inclusion. · An integrated central amphitheatre for community events. · Detailed action plans to implement both climate and community resilience initiatives. · Inclusive design principles to enhance centre accessibility. · A biodiversity management plan with targets to provide native habitat by planting locally indigenous species. SRL’s ESG Manager Daniel Cloutt says achieving 6 Star certification under GBCA’s Green Star ratings tool represents world leadership in sustainable real estate. “Establishing a pathway to achieve 6 stars for a retail development has been a significant challenge for SRL, requiring extensive collaboration with various key stakeholders and industry experts,” Mr Cloutt said. Founding Director at ADP Consulting Pty Ltd, Jason Afford, says this new venture with SRL demonstrates significant commitment to long-term social sustainability. "The design submission for the Wollert Neighbourhood Activity Centre, a project aiming for a 6-Star Green Star Buildings Certification, marks a major milestone. Alongside significant reductions in operational and embodied carbon, this exemplar project will greatly enhance social sustainability to what is an emerging community in a significant growth corridor. It's terrific to see SRL champion sustainable procurement practices and enduring sustainable outcomes," Mr Afford said. A special thanks to all our partners who have helped us on this project, including ADP Consulting Pty Ltd, Nick H., CaseMeallin, Arie Haner and Daniel Goldberg.

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