Eco Builders Blog
Sydney Housing Crisis
06 September '11 by Grant, under Planning, designer eco homes, eco homes, nsw, sustainable housing.
SYDNEY is in the grip of a property crisis, according to an article by the daily telegraph, with a huge shortage of homes as vendors hold on to their houses in a depressed market.
Slow conditions mean owners are opting to stay put, with just 362 auctions held in Sydney last weekend – down nearly 20 per cent on last year.
Rents increased up to 8 per cent across Sydney over the year, ranging from a median of $750 a week for a three bedroom in the inner suburbs to $375 a week in the outer suburbs, according to Housing NSW’s latest report.
The report shows a state-wide drop in sales prices of 2.3 per cent, with Australian Property Monitors figures revealing Sydney’s median sale price fell $4000 from July last year to $639,000.
Analysts say reduction in buying activity could mean higher rents but the real problem plaguing Sydney was the massive undersupply of dwellings with vacancy rates of between 1 and 1.7 per cent.
“It’s difficult to buy somewhere if there are no houses to buy,” Real Estate Institute of NSW CEO Tim McKibbin said. “The number of people who need a home outstrips supply. In NSW we have an increasing population and gross shortage of property.”
CommSec’s latest economic insight report said residential building work had fallen 4 per cent, with outstanding projects drying up.
Urban Taskforce CEO Aaron Gadiel estimates Sydney’s housing supply shortfall at 46,000 homes and predicts it to double within three years.
“We’ve seen three straight months where NSW private sector home approvals have trended down by more than 4 per cent a month,” he said.
The Robles family are the face of that property crisis, unable to find suitable rental accommodation despite applying for hundreds of properties and having a good tenancy record. The family of five, originally from Summer Hill, have fought for homes with 50 to 100 other applicants without success and have been living in hotels.
“It did not ever occur to us that we would ever end up like this,” Carlos Robles said.
Carlos, I’ve got the answer! Move to the South Coast of NSW. The air in cleaner, land is for sale at around $125,000 for a 800m2 block! And We can build you a beautiful new 3 bedroom plus study Designer Eco Home with a 6 Star NatHERS energy rating for under $350K.
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Housing NSW Leading the Way
01 September '11 by Grant, under Design, Planning, designer eco homes, eco homes, energy efficiency, nsw, solar power, sustainable housing.
The SMH reports, a project in Sydney’s inner west is leading the way in making life easier for its low-income tenants.
Award: Sustainable development
Project: Lilyfield Housing Redevelopment
Winner: Housing NSW
Energy price rises can affect the poorest people in the community the most because they spend a greater proportion of their income on basic living expenses. But a project in Sydney’s inner west is leading the way in making life easier for its low-income tenants.
Thanks to good design, the Lilyfield Housing Redevelopment, Australia’s first social housing scheme to be awarded a Green Star certification, will use less energy than conventional accommodation.
The dwellings don’t have airconditioning and instead are cooled by natural ventilation. All the buildings are designed to incorporate energy-efficient gas-boosted solar hot water and will have solar panels to produce power for lighting in the common areas.
Many of the apartments face north and their roofs tilt to catch the sun. Solid floors exposed to the northern sun heat during winter days and radiate the warmth back into the units overnight. In summer they cool overnight and provide a natural chiller on hot days.
The 88 apartments will have water-efficient fixtures and low-emissivity glass on the east and west of the buildings to reduce heat penetration in summer. Water for flushing toilets, washing cars and watering the gardens will be supplied from a large water tank.
For the full article go to SMH.
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NSW leads the way
30 August '11 by Grant, under Planning, nsw.
Building approvals rose in July, snapping three months of falls, but failed to increase as much as expected.
Building approvals rose 1 per cent in July following a 3.6 per cent fall in June, seasonally adjusted, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics. The increase was less than the 2 per cent rise in the month tipped by analysts.
By state, approvals rose 5.4 per cent in New South Wales but fell 3.1 per cent in Victoria. Tasmania saw the biggest fall of 26.3 per cent, while in South Australia approvals fell 8.8 per cent.
In Queensland, approvals declined 1.8 per cent, outpacing Western Australia’s fall of 1.4 per cent in the month. For the full article go to SMH.
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Non-toxic, eco-friendly timber finishes
29 August '11 by Grant, under Sustainable Products, eco homes, sustainable housing.
Enhance the natural beauty of your interior and exterior timber with non-toxic, eco-friendly finishes that are extremely durable, safe to apply and easy to maintain or repair.
Representing a whole new category of timber finishes for the Australian market, Whittle Waxes are the Australian experts in natural timber finishes. We supply a comprehensive range of products that are specially designed to suit any interior or exterior applications, including floors, furniture, decking, feature timber paneling or any timber surface.
Hardwaxes are highly effective coatings that consist of natural plant oils and waxes that have been used for the protection and enhancement of timber for centuries. The active ingredients are distributed in a carrier medium that evaporates upon application, leaving the waxes to form a protective surface on the timber.
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More Eco Carpets!
29 August '11 by Grant, under Sustainable Products, designer eco homes, sustainable housing.
Redbook greenTM…carpet that makes the world of difference is manufactured using Sorona® polymer, made from 37% natural corn sugar.
The renewable benefits of Sorona® polymer combined with the Redbook green exclusive ColourSafeTM dye process provides exceptional stain resistance, colourfastness and wear benefits that puts Redbook green in a field of its own.
The ultra softness of Redbook green will sustain a comfortable lifestyle for you and your family.
Choosing an Australian made Redbook green carpet with 15 Year Stain Resistance, Colourfastness, Wear and Lifetime Antistatic Warranties will make the world of difference to your home environment
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Good planning saves time!
29 August '11 by Grant, under Design, Planning, architecture.
If your thinking of renovating a property, check out these tips in a SMH article about starting before settlement. It could save you time and money!
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Timber Frame VS Steel Frame
24 August '11 by Grant, under Sustainable Products, eco homes, energy efficiency, sustainable housing.
“Steel is the most recycled material on Earth. Timber is the ultimate renewable resource. So finding the best option for framing your environment-friendly home may not be a clear-cut decision.” Check out the full article by G Magazines on the use of Steel Vs. Timber.
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Car tyre seats!
23 August '11 by Grant, under Design, Sustainable Products, architecture, eco homes.
Check out this creative way of using car tyres as ottomans!
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Solar Whiz
22 August '11 by Grant, under Sustainable Products, eco homes, energy efficiency, solar power, sustainable housing.
Roof temperatures throughout most of Australia often reach 60 degrees (C) – 70 degrees (C) in the summer months. These high temperatures will – even with good insulation – eventually radiate heat down through the ceiling and increase the internal temperature.
The Solar Whiz cools your roof space by replacing the hot air with cooler air pulled in through vents under the eaves or other openings to the roof space. This normally enables you to maintain roof temperatures only a few degrees above the ambient temperature.
Solar Whiz is affordable, whisper quiet, and a product that would benefit any home or indoor work environment. A class leader in performance – Solar Whiz is revolutionizing roof ventilation & heat extraction.
Leading energy efficiency consultants Ecomaster highlight the importance of roof ventilation for energy efficiency and comfort in summer as well as in winter, when adequate roof ventilation ensures the effectiveness of insulation, helps prevent condensation in the house – and mould or mildew on walls, in cupboards and on ceilings.
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DIY Computer Modelling
18 August '11 by Grant, under Design.
What to know what your renovation will look like before you even start, check out the article in the SMH showing you all the different online programs that you can use!