Housing our population. Sustainably.
Housing supply, costs of living, climate events, the energy transition and net-zero carbon targets have thrust our built environment (both residential and working) into the spotlight. This convergence of pressures is being felt by industry, government, owners and residents alike.
This is a complex and multifaceted challenge that demands our collective attention. It also represents an incredible opportunity to create substantial economic, social and environmental value for those prepared to look to the future, leverage collective expertise, and act now.
Housing affordability is a pressing issue, with energy costs, interest rates and cost of living dominating the media. However, ensuring an adequate supply of the right types of housing to meet our current AND emerging societal needs is a core component of this challenge, that demands our urgent collective attention.
Factors such as climate resilience, energy grid demands, thermal comfort for an ageing population, and the health of our homes and buildings may not be front-of-mind for most. These issues and more will increasingly affect the majority of Australian residents and workers, with significant implications for our economies, industries, and the environment.
We need to urgently expand housing supply through new builds but with improved measures, materials, and standards that are capable of sustainably addressing current and growing challenges. Many new builds are not being planned or delivered in ways that will stand up to our evolving needs, compounding the societal and environmental costs we will have to address.
Retrofitting can play a crucial role in enhancing the efficiency, sustainability, and lifespan of Australia's existing housing and building stock. Uplifting the efficiency, health and climate resilience of homes and places of work through retrofitting can support impact at a national scale. Although retrofitting is recognised as a more environmentally sustainable option than new builds, there are still barriers to making this a scalable or widely adopted solution.
In our early discussions with industry and government, some initial challenges have been identified, with needs emerging around 3 discrete yet inter-connected areas of potential impact. With your input and insight, we're testing and exploring the challenges and opportunities in these areas.
... home and building owners cannot easily identify the best improvements to achieve better efficiency, sustainability and health.
... the actual sustainability/efficiency of homes and buildings doesn't necessarily live up to their intended function.
... reliable home and building data aren’t readily available or accessible in a way that can better inform government policy decisions or industry practices and opportunities.
... retrofitting use cases can vary significantly based on building size, location, build type and programming, climate adaptation, as well as retrofitting goals and budget.
...retrofitting is currently viewed as a bespoke, expensive process, thus limiting its ability to make an impact on our vast existing home and building stock.
... retrofit strategies can be specific to housing typologies (such as stand-alone homes, mid-size buildings, and skyscrapers) and geographies (such as areas susceptible to climate-related disasters).
... there is an abundance of new and available technologies to support sustainable housing, but prices are comparatively higher than more traditional methods and materials.
... high up-front costs are slowing adoption across the sector/market and minimising the scale of impact new housing technologies can have, particularly in a time of housing affordability.
... labour and specialist installation costs increase the risk of failed tenders, and project/budget blowouts.
RMIT is a leading, applied University, ranked #1 in Australia for Architecture and Built Environment, equipped with a breadth and depth of research and innovation capabilities across housing, built environment, construction, engineering, manufacture, sustainability, economics and finance.
Together with our key influential partners, collaborators and networks, we are well-positioned to help address challenges such as these.
We invite you to join our small, focused and influential groups comprising representatives from key sectors of government, industry, and philanthropy. Gain insights, identify significant opportunities, and develop new pathways towards innovative, high-impact solutions.
Afterwards, stay for lunch alongside RMIT leaders and experts and for a chance to connect.
To allow for greater contribution from each participant, we are restricting places to this intimate session. All participants have been personally invited. Both sessions are the same, options provided for your convenience.
Thursday 4th July 9.30am – 1.30pm
9:15am arrival for 9.30am start (with coffee service)
9.30am – 12.30pm (3 hour session)
12.30pm – 1.30pm Lunch and connect
Thursday 18th July 9.30am – 1.30pm
9:15am arrival for 9.30am start (with coffee service)
9.30am – 12.30pm (3 hour session)
12.30pm – 1.30pm Lunch and connect
These sessions aim to bring together individuals interested in sustainable housing to facilitate innovative approaches to challenges in this field. They are an opportunity to share your insights, challenges, and aspirations in these related areas. Our broader aim is to converge and establish a range of multi-lateral partnerships that capitalise on the unique strengths, expertise and influence of each partner in creating effective, scalable solutions to complex problems.
While participation is voluntary and does not imply formal partnerships, the discussions are geared towards fostering collaboration and sharing knowledge. Additionally, the views expressed by participants are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the organising entity.
These are an invite-only session, with approximately 12 non-RMIT attendees participating at each of the 2 sessions. We have personally invited partners and parties with relevant expertise, experience, or a strong interest in sustainable housing initiatives.
We'd like these sessions to be useful to everyone involved. If you believe there is someone better suited to be involved, please contact us so that we can make appropriate arrangements.
We encourage open and insightful conversations, however, participants are expected to respect confidentiality regarding information shared during the sessions.
All information gathered or captured in the session will be de-personalised, have any potentially sensitive information removed, and then synthesised to identify common themes, challenges, insights and opportunities. This will be collated into a short report that will be provided back to participants from the 2 sessions. Any opportunities for further collaboration that are identified will be made available to attendees of the session/s.
If you have any other questions or would like further information, please reach out to us at hipi@rmit.edu.au.
Acknowledgement of Country
RMIT University acknowledges the people of the Woi wurrung and Boon wurrung language groups of the eastern Kulin Nation on whose unceded lands we conduct the business of the University. RMIT University respectfully acknowledges their Ancestors and Elders, past and present. RMIT also acknowledges the Traditional Custodians and their Ancestors of the lands and waters across Australia where we conduct our business - Artwork 'Sentient' by Hollie Johnson, Gunaikurnai and Monero Ngarigo.
Acknowledgement of Country
RMIT University acknowledges the people of the Woi wurrung and Boon wurrung language groups of the eastern Kulin Nation on whose unceded lands we conduct the business of the University. RMIT University respectfully acknowledges their Ancestors and Elders, past and present. RMIT also acknowledges the Traditional Custodians and their Ancestors of the lands and waters across Australia where we conduct our business.