News

  • NEWS

    NABERS Sustainable Portfolios Index 2021 now published

    The NABERS Sustainable Portfolios Index (SPI) for 2021 (SPI) has just been published. The SPI is Australia’s first publicly available index showcasing the proven environmental performance of the top 43 bui... more

  • NEWS

    Heritage panel to bolster Queensland protection

    The Queensland Government has announced a new advisory panel will be established to strengthen the state’s heritage register and provide expert advice on heritage places and spaces. Environment Minister Me... more

  • NEWS

    Urban planner shares solutions to improve liveability of Perth streets

    Local urban streets geared towards walking and cycling increase liveability and social interaction among the community. In Perth, however, many streets are designed using standards better suited to major roads ... more

  • NEWS

    Festival celebrates Australia’s built, natural and diverse cultural heritage

    Special Minister of State, and Minister for the Public Service and Employee Relations, Aboriginal Affairs, and the Arts and the Minister for Heritage, the Hon. Don Harwin, has launched the Australian Heritage F... more

  • NABERS Sustainable Portfolios Index 2021 now published
    19 Apr, 2021
  • Heritage panel to bolster Queensland protection
    19 Apr, 2021
  • Urban planner shares solutions to improve liveability of Perth streets
    19 Apr, 2021
  • Festival celebrates Australia’s built, natural and diverse cultural heritage
    19 Apr, 2021

Union warns of solar farm site conditions

Video and pictures have emerged highlighting the dangerous conditions workers endure at a solar farm construction site in New South Wales. A video obtained by the Electrical Trades Union (ETU) highlights workers’ lives at the Suntop Solar Farm near Wellington are put at risk as a shipping container dangles precariously close to a lunchroom, while people are inside. Despite multiple complaints to the company running the site, the matter was allegedly not reported to SafeWork NSW. Disturbing pictures also obtained by the ETU show evidence of mice and rats eating food, unsanitary toilet and fridge cond... more

Property industry confidence continues to climb

New research has highlighted that property industry confidence levels are approaching record highs. The ANZ/Property Council industry survey for the March quarter found that national industry confidence soared to 142 points, the second-highest level since the survey began. This represents an 80-point improvement over the last 12 months when the pandemic first impacted confidence levels. A score of 100 is considered neutral. Property Council of Australia Chief Executive, Ken Morrison, said rising confidence was being driven by record-high economic growth expectations. “When the property industry is con... more

New principles to promote sustainability in infrastructure sector

Infrastructure Australia has released new guiding principles to promote sustainability across the infrastructure sector and ensure major investments deliver the best outcomes for the community. Infrastructure Australia Chief Executive, Romilly Madew, said: “Our role requires us to help ensure the benefits of sustainability are harnessed. With this in mind, we have developed new Sustainability Principles to guide our own approach to sustainability and drive change across the sector. Ultimately, we want to ensure that community needs are properly understood and met through the efficient delivery of sustain... more

Laing O’Rourke launches new global sustainability targets

Laing O’Rourke has today announced far-reaching new global sustainability targets, including a commitment to decarbonise its own operations by 2030 and achieve equal numbers of men and women among its 5,500 global staff. The decarbonisation target, which will also see the company develop a plan to tackle Scope 3 emissions before 2050, is aligned with the latest climate science and the most aspirational goal of the Paris agreement – to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius. Laing O’Rourke Group CEO, Ray O’Rourke, said the company has made progress delivering on its environmental plan, but the ... more

Global construction industry forecast to grow by 5.2 per cent in 2021

Following the historic collapse in construction activity in 2020 amid the severe disruption caused by restrictions imposed to contain the spread of COVID-19, the global construction industry is set to grow by 5.2 per cent in 2021, according to GlobalData. Output in 2021 is expected to be 2.5 per cent higher than the 2019 level. Although it is recovering from the COVID-19 crisis, the global industry has borne a huge cost in terms of foregone revenue; compared to GlobalData’s pre-COVID-19 predictions for construction output value, the output total in 2020–2021 is close to US$1.1 trillion lower than it would... more

NSW to modernise heritage protections

The New South Wales Government is taking the first steps to review and modernise the NSW Heritage legislation with the referral of a discussion paper to a Parliamentary committee for inquiry and consultation. The 2021 review is designed to make it easier, more affordable, and more desirable to own a state significant heritage property. The discussion paper proposes initiatives to incentivise investment in heritage conservation, make day to day use of heritage items easier, and introduce a category style of listing to accommodate the different and complex needs of heritage properties. NSW heritage legislati... more

NSW Government working to digitise trade licences

Minister for Better Regulation and Innovation, Kevin Anderson, has announced the NSW Government will digitise the licence card for more than 30 Home Building and SafeWork licence categories. Minister Anderson said currently, tradespersons are required to carry anywhere up to 15 plastic licence cards with them on the job. “It's an outdated system that is costing tradespersons time and money,” he said. “Under these changes, tradespersons will finally be able to say goodbye to the plastic licences clogging up their wallets and have quick and easy access to all the work licences they need on their sma... more