NEWS
Stay updated with news on policy, ED Professionals, certified projects, events and more.
Solaire: Creating healthy homes of the future
Solaire’s latest initiative Vanquish, is the result of over 2 years’ worth of research and development within the building industry, to find components to create the most cost effective and scalable solution for sustainable housing in Australia. This is a fully certified Passive House and the largest architecturally designed Passive House in Australia to date. […]
WA leading the way with “Greywater Guide” launch
How to best reuse residential greywater is addressed in the practical West Australian Greywater Guide published recently by the Greywater and Wastewater Industry Group (GWIG). Available free on-line (www.gwig.org), its target audience is developers, planners, architects, builders, and the general public. GWIG is a not-for-profit based in WA which understands the frustration that many people […]
Geothermal heating: A Victorian case-study
At the beginning of this year Victorian development company Crystal Group embarked on crucial first steps towards introducing geothermal heating and cooling to Mitchell Shire. At their property in Wallan, Victoria they conducted the first geothermal testing to ensure the ground is suitable for the technology. This follows on from boreholes that were sunk on […]
A renewable-energy-based economy is coming
Written by Mark Taylor, Hesperia My observation over the last few years of working with developers and government on energy strategies and policies for buildings and residential estates, is that everyone sees the same future: an economy built on plentiful, cheap renewable energy. And everyone is mapping out the best way of getting there; looking […]
Smarter Early Learning Centres
Loving Hearts is arguably Australia’s most sustainable childcare centre, with over 42 sustainability innovations and features, many never found in a childcare centre before. Loving Hearts achieved Australia’s first UDIA EnviroDevelopment rating for a childcare centre, demonstrating its industry-leading credentials. It was a finalist in 2019 for the National Banksia Sustainability Awards. The centre’s builder […]
Project Snapshot: Ellarook by Intrapac
Ellarook is a new community in Truganina, 25 minutes from the Melbourne CBD, with a government school on site, central park, Tarneit train station nearby and a future Truganina train station and Town Centre. Ellarook includes 500 lots including a public primary school across 42.7 ha. Sustainability underpins the entire Ellarook estate with the following […]
Hub makes Woodlea the place to call home
Victoria’s fast-growing community, Woodlea, has shared their extensive range of eco-friendly initiatives that not only improve the environment for current residents, but protect the local landscape to ensure it can be enjoyed for years to come. Spanning across 711 hectares, the masterplanned community has dedicated over 30 percent of land within the estate to green […]
The secret life of the Plunkett Mallee
The Lendlease development at Yarrabilba in Logan is remarkable in many ways. This 2,200 ha project is set to provide homes for around 45,000 people by the project completion date. Despite the project’s size, considerable planning has gone into preserving fauna corridors, greenspace and significant conservation reserves throughout the new city. This includes providing homes […]
Ageing in place done right: Marblewood Apartments
Completed in March 2020, Churches of Christ in Queensland’s $8.2 million Marblewood Apartments development in Hillcrest, Logan City provides 32 modern units for seniors.. The apartments have been built in partnership with the Queensland Government Department of Housing and Public Works. Marblewood Apartments form part of Churches of Christ in Queensland’s seniors integrated campus at […]
Future cities – Could COVID be the tipping point for the circular economy?
Contributor: Leanne Weekes, Senior Associate – MinterEllison A circular economy aims to redefine traditional notions of growth by abandoning typical make, use, dispose behaviours. It represents a conscientious move away from mass consumption of finite natural resources towards re-use and recycling with a focus on positive society-wide benefits. COVID-19 has changed the wants and needs […]
Testimonials
With multiple new greenfields developments springing up around the area, Vista Park has relied on its main assets to set the pace and lead from example in this increasingly competitive market. One of which was the decision to become fully certified with EnviroDevelopment, where Vista Park was one of the first in NSW to achieve this level of accreditation and proudly boasts full certification on all three of its precincts. Carrying on from his grandfather’s legacy setup over 50 years ago, Sheargold Managing Director, Michael Sheargold, says of the EnviroDevelopment certification ‘We see our jobs not to simply provide place for a home to be built on but to create an inspiring space where people want to live and enjoy a good quality of life. It’s our responsibility as developers to create spaces like this with the least amount of impact on the environment as possible and to educate and hopefully inspire our residents in sustainable living.’
Michael Sheargold
Sheargold, Managing DirectorMosaic recognises the importance of reducing its impact on the environment. We are committed to the principles of sustainability, implementing initiatives in support of environmental improvement and ecological development in all our projects. The EnviroDevelopment system offers us a high level framework that encourages the design and construction of better buildings and it’s a system that Mosaic wholeheartedly believes in and uses as a benchmark to design by. We have found the benefits of certification are ongoing, with the strong environmental focus resonating with our local and direct buyers who find the long-term savings a compelling reason to buy.
Brook Monahan
Mosaic Property GroupEnviroDevelopment provides Intrapac Property with a tool to systematically assess and implement or improve the infrastructure and services we provide for our customers, partners and community members. Achieving and maintaining the EnviroDevelopment Certificate for the duration of our projects helps verify to our partners and customers that we are creating high quality, inspiring, liveable neighbourhoods.
Bill Knobel
Intrapac PropertyOne of Villawood Properties core values is sustainability, so we see great merit in the UDIA’s EnviroDevelopment program as a means to quantify and communicate our efforts in this domain. Where other organisations had introduced tools and reward systems to recognise developers for sustainable initiatives, there wasn’t anything that suited the land industry. The EnviroDevelopment program fills this gap, by providing a framework to recognise land developers efforts across six domains of sustainability: in creating sustainable ecosystems with native biodiversity; waste reduction and more efficient use of resources; reducing pollution caused by non-renewable energy sources; environmentally responsible material usage; improved water use efficiency; and ultimately the delivery of vibrant, cohesive, healthy, happy, adaptable, sustainable communities. The importance our younger generation places on sustainability, has translated as a positive influence on their parents’ awareness and behaviours. We’re seeing a multigenerational shift, whereby people are seeking more sustainable options in building their home and considering the sustainability credentials of communities before they buy. The EnviroDevelopment program provides a vehicle for these buyers, and the industry at large, to recognise projects and estates that have gone the extra mile to minimise impact of development, while maximising positive sustainability outcomes.
Villawood Properties
At Dacland we believe that being committed to delivering environmentally sustainable communities should be ‘a given’ in our industry. It’s easy to say you are committed, but it’s harder to follow through without utilising a framework to assist delivery and hold you to account. The UDIA EnviroDevelopment certification is the ideal platform for the urban development industry to utilise in order to implement basic and complex sustainability initiatives at limited to no cost to the project and purchasers. Sustainability is not only about responsible use of resources and protecting ecosystems, but creating healthy, happy and cohesive communities, which requires thought leadership and socially responsible design. We believe the framework that EnviroDevelopment provides over each of the six elements is an ideal resource for our industry to educate and demonstrate that sustainability can be both easy to deliver and beneficial to all.
Jonathon Fetterplace
DaclandIn the days before EnviroDevelopment, very little consideration was given to sustainability initiatives in the development of residential subdivisions and communities. EnviroDevelopment has changed this significantly through increasing awareness of sustainability across the development sector, and through the promotion of positive case study examples. This has helped to mainstream many initiatives and motivate people to create a point of difference in their project by trying something new and different in support of an EnviroDevelopment application. "It is interesting to observe that many of the projects now receiving UDIA awards are EnviroDevelopment certified projects. So, what I’ve seen is a real progression over time of projects improving their sustainability outcomes, first in relation to the common and public spaces, and in more recent times extending to an influence over the design and performance of homes and other buildings in a development. I look forward to seeing even more progress towards truly sustainable outcomes over the next 10 years.
Ben de Waard
Sustainable Development ConsultantsMelbourne Water values the EnviroDevelopment program because it contributed to enabling wetlands and waterways to be appreciated and enjoyed by the community for passive recreation and amenity use.
Olivia Vincent
Melbourne WaterEcology and Heritage Partners have been proud sponsors of the Ecosystems element of EnviroDevelopment in Victoria for a number of years. During that time I personally served on the Board and have experienced first-hand the integrity of the program, and the dedication of the people involved to raising sustainability standards in the urban development industry. EnviroDevelopment fills a valuable role in the promotion of quality, sustainable development in Australia and we look forward to seeing it continue to grow and make a positive difference.
Aaron Organ
Ecology and Heritage PartnersHaving worked with the development industry for over 15 years, I appreciate the significant role the industry plays in shaping our city and communities. I know that most of the businesses and individuals in the industry are very aware of making urban places livable and healthy places for families and business. EnviroDevelopment is a way of recognising developments with a serious commitment to sustainability and community. It’s also a source of guidance to developers who wish to make this extra commitment. I am pleased to be part of the Envirodevelopment Board in Victoria and its ongoing success.