The NSW building certification bill lets developers off the hook

Most buyers would happily pay a bit more for a safe and durable product, but new legislation in NSW will do little to protect them.

Car parks?

As public space becomes premium in our cities, could boutique sidewalk activations known as parklets be the solution?

What are four bins for?

Four bins might help the sorting of recycled rubbish in Victoria, but to solve our waste crisis we need a strong market for recycled products.

The high rise future of city living

Internationally acclaimed architect, urban designer, UNSW alumna Zhizhe Yu explores a multi-planetary and people-centric approach to high-rise urbanism.

Rethink before rebuilding

Suburban planning models are not suitable for bushland – so why would we continue to rebuild with them after the damage wrought by this summer’s devastating bushfires? 

Australian housing needs a shake-up

Millions of Australians are struggling with unaffordable housing. It’s a systemic problem that’s been decades in the making, and only concerted system-wide reforms will fix it.

How smart is your city?

The Australian government’s City and Regional Deals and funding through the Smart Cities and Suburbs Program are beginning to make Australian cities ‘smarter’, but disparities in performance remain.

A hard day’s night

While most people go home at night after a hard day’s work, almost 10% of Australian workers are employed at night, helping to keep the country running while the rest of us relax or sleep.

Tiny houses may not be the big answer

There has been significant growth in small house living, but that doesn’t mean Australia should “go big” on them in terms of overall housing policy.

Building better after the bushfires

Rebuilding the homes lost to bushfires offers an opportunity to use more resilient designs, but some areas may be better abandoned, given Australia’s fast changing climate conditions.

Do we need a bushfire royal commission?

The prime minister has announced that the cabinet will consider a royal commission into aspects of the ongoing fire disaster once the bushfires are under control, so how might this be organised to ensure it produces results?

The bushfire threat to drinking water

Regional and metropolitan areas around NSW are facing water quality concerns in the face of the bushfire crisis.