All Apartment Living Sustainability Articles

National

• City Living: Urban consolidation and the social sustainability of cities
  UNSW
  The project is investigating the broader implications of the lived experiences of apartment residents and owners for the social sustainability of cities. The project aims to raise awareness of the unique challenges of apartment ownership and apartment living and provide proposals to support better outcomes for apartment residents and for the broader community. Access the How to Guide: Sustainable Retrofits Guide + multiple Retrofit Case Studies.
• Green Strata
  A non-profit incorporated association (Green Strata Inc) based in Sydney. They are governed and managed by owners and residents in strata-titled properties and they focus solely on helping owners and occupiers of residential multi-unit properties improve the sustainability of their common property and their community of residents.
• Living Wall and Green Roof: Plants for Australia
  Melinda Perkins and Daryl Joyce, Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation
  This project has overviewed green roofs and living walls literature, developed a ‘plant selection matrix’ tool, identified plant species suitable for extensive green roofs and exterior living walls in subtropical Australia, and reported on a workshop aimed at conveying findings to industry and identifying consensus priorities for future work.
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  How To Make Positive Change Around Your Apartment Building – Apartment Living Sustainability
  Hi-RES project, Victoria
  This series of infographs illustrates how you, as an individual owner of a strata title unit or your owners corporation as a whole, can make a difference to the sustainability of your apartment block.
• Go Green in Your Apartment Month-by-Month (Infographic)
  Apartment Guide
  “Making the switch can seem intimidating — until you realize there’s nothing wrong with taking it one step at a time. When it comes to adopting an eco-friendly lifestyle, every little bit helps. We’ve got ideas for just one project per month that you can take on in your apartment that’ll help you live greener (and maybe even save a little money as well.)”

New South Wales

• Sustainable apartments
  City of Sydney
  • To help owners and residents reduce their water and energy use, and minimise waste, the City has developed the residential apartment sustainability plan
  • How to start a renewable revolution in your apartment building
    If you own an apartment, you may already be making smart environmental choices but it’s also worth thinking about common areas.
  • Green Roofs and Walls Implementation Plan
    In 2014 Council adopted the Green Roofs and Walls Policy, with the aim of the policy being to increase the number of high quality green roofs and walls in the City of Sydney.

Victoria

• Sustainable apartments: apartment living sustainability
  Living in or owning an apartment can create challenges in making your building more sustainable. The City of Melbourne can help apartment owners, residents and building managers reduce water and energy usage and better manage waste and recycling.
  High-rise apartment recycling
  If you live in a high-rise apartment you can help reduce waste, greenhouse gas emissions and water consumption simply by reducing how much you throw away and by making sure that you recycle everything you can.
• Growing Green Guide
  State of Victoria: Department of Environment and Primary Industries
  Apartment Living Sustainability: A guide to green roofs, walls and facades in Melbourne and Victoria, Australia.

Australian Capital Territory

• Business Energy and Water program
  Actsmart, ACT Government
  Supports ACT small businesses, community organisations and owners corporations to upgrade to more energy-efficient and water-efficient technologies.
  Since 2016, over 230 residential and commercial owners corporations have participated in the Actsmart program and have upgraded their inefficient common area lights to LED lights. On average, businesses save over $2,500 on their electricity bills after participating in the program.
• Fact Sheet: Sustainability and utility infrastructure
  ACT Government: Justice and Community Safety
  Section 23 has been included in the Unit Titles (Management) Act 2011 in order to create “a streamlined procedure for the installation of sustainability or utility infrastructure on common property. Previously, an owners corporation would have to pass a number of resolutions (financing, siting, easements etc) to install sustainability or utility infrastructure on common property, such as solar panels, a communal clothesline, cabling etc. The new rules applied from 30 March 2012.

Western Australia

• Projects: Increasing the uptake of solar photovoltaics in strata residential developments
  Australian Renewable Energy Agency
  This project will develop governance models to allow shared solar photovoltaics (PV), battery and monitoring systems to be used in medium density apartments. The governance models will be tested at 50 units of the White Gum Valley development in Perth.