Nature Based Cities (NBC), the not-for-profit organisation focused on improving biodiversity and nature outcomes in urban development, has launched its latest industry design guidelines and accreditation framework, this time targeting precinct-scale residential communities.

The move extends NBC’s influence beyond its initial focus on medium and high-density residential developments. Several projects have already achieved NBC accreditation since the launch of its Medium &amp; High-Density Residential Guidelines in early 2025.

The expansion into masterplanned communities and new residential precincts reflects the growing need for stronger nature-positive benchmarks as Australia’s outer suburban growth corridors continue to expand at pace.

Paul Hameister OAM, NBC Founder and the Executive Chairman of Melbourne developer Hamton who itself leans heavily into nature and biodiversity in its developments, says the&nbsp;nature-first approach to mitigate the effects of climate change has become standard in other parts of the world such as the UK, but Australia is lagging.&nbsp;Australia’s environmentally sustainable design (ESD) rating tools have no minimum mandatory requirements for living landscapes.

“We’ve always wanted to do more, and we know other developers who want to do more, but the ESD rating tools just aren’t there,” Hameister says. “In Australia, you can have a five-green-star rated building that’s concrete and glass with not a blade of grass. 
 
“The focus is on reducing emissions, which is laudable, but there hasn’t been enough attention paid to protecting and re-establishing nature. We need both for the health of the environment and for communities.”

He says that having now&nbsp;made good progress in supporting developers of medium and high-density residential projects, NBC is now looking to bolster better nature-based decision-making and recognise developers of greenfield projects in the outer ring and large inner-ring brownfield precincts, who want to champion nature and living landscape as a defining feature.

Since 2022, the not-for-profit has sought to remove the roadblocks preventing developers from incorporating nature and living landscapes into their projects, shifting the conversation from the reduction of emissions and grey infrastructure, toward recognising nature as an essential infrastructure.

The New Communities Design Guidelines and Scorecard arm developers with the tools needed to deliver a nature positive outcome for their new communities. Intended to be adopted at the outset of the planning process, the guidelines are designed to help create communities that are cooler, healthier and more resilient while also enhancing social wellbeing and long-term economic value.&nbsp;

New Communities developers seeking accreditation will be independently assessed across a range of key criteria including ecology, tree canopy, biodiversity, and walkability. Once the masterplan is complete and submitted for approval, the scorecard is formalised based on proposed outcomes. Projects that meet the NBC criteria will receive either Commended or Exemplary accreditation outcomes, creating a clear benchmark for nature-positive new communities in Australia.&nbsp;

Janis Fischer, Director at Tract and NBC Advisory Council member, said the development of new communities in our suburbs can have a substantial impact on nature and biodiversity.

"By incorporating nature-based design principles at the inception of a project, developers and their design teams can achieve nature positive outcomes that are good for both people and the planet.’’&nbsp;

NBC accredited New Community projects will gain access to NBC branding and marketing tools to help communicate their nature-based credentials to purchasers and the broader market.&nbsp;

Joel Robinson

Nature Based Cities: A new Australian benchmark for developing nature-positive new communities

Apartment buildings are increasingly being designed around how people actually live day to day, not just how they want a building to look.

For buyers, that shift is showing up in practical inclusions that respond to changing habits. Work-from-home spaces, EV charging, wellness amenities, secure bike storage and parcel management are becoming part of the broader apartment conversation, reflecting a move toward buildings that reduce friction in everyday life.

Online shopping has become one of the clearest examples of that change.

Australians spent a record $82.6 billion online in 2025, with nearly one in four retail dollars now spent online. That has made parcel delivery a regular part of apartment living, rather than an occasional inconvenience.

For apartment residents, however, the delivery process can be less straightforward than it is for detached homes. Parcels may be left in lobbies, redirected to Post Offices, missed entirely, or placed under the responsibility of building managers and concierge teams.

That is why secure parcel infrastructure is increasingly being considered alongside more familiar apartment amenities.

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/-VjjLwoViX0?si=A3k7ws9NX35Uac7_" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>

Australia Post Parcel Lockers offer one way to address the issue. When a parcel arrives, residents receive a notification through the AusPost app or SMS, then collect it using a QR code or one-time PIN. The parcel is kept secure, accessible and removed from common areas.

The broader Parcel Locker network now includes more than 1,500 locations across Australia, positioned at Post Offices, shopping centres, supermarkets, transport hubs and other accessible locations.

For new apartment projects, the relevance is clear. A building’s amenity offering is no longer only about lifestyle spaces, but also about convenience, security and functionality.

As buyer expectations evolve, secure parcel delivery is becoming part of the same design conversation as flexible working, sustainable transport and resident wellbeing.

It is one less thing for residents to worry about, and another example of apartment design adapting to the way Australians now live.

Apartment design is adapting to the way Australians shop

While school holidays and trips to Europe tend to define the winter property market, there's been no cold snap at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/the-walden-north-sydney-177-walker-street-north-sydney-nsw-2060">The Walden</a> in North Sydney.

Developer-builder&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/aland">ALAND</a> sold more than $35 million worth of apartments throughout June, including a $6.8 million apartment that now ranks among the highest apartment sales ever recorded in North Sydney.

SRM Residential agent Ben Stewart said buyer demand throughout June reflected a mix of improving market confidence and longer-term thinking from owner-occupiers.

"We're seeing strong demand from owner-occupiers who are taking a longer-term view," Stewart said.

"Many recognise the opportunity to secure an apartment in an iconic building and premium location while values remain attractive. They may initially lease the property, but the intention is to eventually move in themselves, rather than purchasing purely as an investment."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134323 project_image_fid=367129]

Located at 177 Walker Street, The Walden will deliver 161 one, two, three and four-bedroom residences across a 30-storey tower designed by Rothelowman. Every apartment occupies a corner position, maximising natural light, cross ventilation and views across Sydney Harbour, the Opera House, Sydney Heads and the northern districts.

Rather than a traditional balcony, the residences feature winter gardens that seamlessly extend the open plan living areas, creating versatile spaces for relaxing or entertaining throughout the year. Floor-to-ceiling glazing draws in natural light while showcasing sweeping views from the building's elevated Walker Street position.

Every apartment features high-end Calacatta marble, bespoke joinery, and fully integrated appliances.

The larger residences have been planned with distinct entertaining and private zones, with many master suites positioned on corners to capture natural light and harbour views. Walk-in dressing rooms, freestanding baths and refined stone finishes reinforce the house-like feel that has resonated with downsizers and owner-occupiers.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134323 project_image_fid=6393]

Rothelowman Principal Ben Pomroy said the project was designed to make the most of its unique position overlooking the harbour.

"The Walden is a celebration of all things beautiful, curated for those who expect nothing less than exceptional," Pomroy says.

"Meticulously designed entertaining spaces and light-filled living areas that capitalise on capturing the natural beauty of Sydney's iconic harbour."

Residents will also have exclusive access to The Pavilion, a dedicated amenity building featuring a rooftop pool, wellness studio, gymnasium, sauna, concierge service, residents' lounge, private dining spaces and work-from-home facilities.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134323 project_image_fid=6402]

The project marks ALAND's first major luxury apartment development in Sydney's inner-city market after more than two decades delivering residential communities across Greater Sydney.

Founder and CEO Andrew Hrsto previously said the rarity of the Walker Street site made it an opportunity the company could not overlook.

"This is a rare opportunity to bring a truly exceptional project to life in one of Sydney's most iconic locations, and to showcase our craftsmanship and design expertise at a world-class level," Hrsto said.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134323 project_image_fid=6383]

The Walden has been introduced to the market at a time when demand for living in North Sydney is at an all-time high. Billions of dollars have been invested in infrastructure, including the recently opened Victoria Cross Metro station, located just 300 metres from The Walden, providing residents with direct access to the Sydney CBD in just minutes.

Private investment has also transformed the area through the arrival of new retail and dining destinations, elevating the lifestyle offering in what was once considered primarily a commercial precinct rather than an aspirational residential address.

The Walden is currently under construction and is scheduled for completion in 2028.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=134323]

ALAND records $35 million in sales in North Sydney as The Walden bucks quiet winter selling season

The long-awaited redevelopment of the former Eastlakes Shopping Centre site has reached a major milestone, with Conquest's plans for a new mixed-use precinct officially placed on public exhibition.

The State Significant Development Application would transform the 1.7-hectare site at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/19a-evans-avenue-eastlakes-nsw-2018">19A Evans Avenue</a> into one of Sydney's largest urban renewal projects, delivering 736 apartments above a new shopping centre anchored by Woolworths, alongside specialty retail, dining, commercial space and new public open spaces.

The public exhibition marks the next chapter for the project after <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/conquest">Conquest</a> acquired the stalled Stage Two development from Crown Group, who completed the first stage across the road prior to their voluntary liquidation.

<img alt="First look: Conquest unveils plans for 736-home Eastlakes Shopping Centre redevelopment" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="5fca22c5-d1ed-4e2c-8801-03f7df1eafc8" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/eastland%20podium.png?VersionId=uomwr41nF8CmLUZRDcu3mHQechlbxucS" />

&nbsp;

Designed by DKO Architecture, the proposal comprises four residential buildings ranging from 14 to 18 storeys above a two-level retail podium. The development would deliver 736 apartments, including 74 affordable homes, 215 Build-to-Rent apartments and 521 market residences. Provision has also been made for dual-key apartments, which could increase the total number of dwellings to 877.

At ground level, the shopping centre has been designed as the suburb's new meeting place, anchored by a full-line Woolworths and complemented by a curated mix of fresh food retailers, cafés, restaurants, health services and everyday convenience shopping. Generous pedestrian links and landscaped public spaces will connect the retail precinct through to Jack Mundey Reserve, creating a more walkable and connected neighbourhood.

Conquest CEO Michael Akkawi said the redevelopment was about far more than replacing a shopping centre.

"Eastlakes has been overlooked for too long, and this is the community’s moment. We are building a shopping centre and homes, a genuine heart for the suburb, and we genuinely want locals to help shape it."

"We enrich communities through the creation of homes, places, and experiences designed for life, built to last, and owner for generations. That starts with listening, so we warmly encourage everyone with a connection to Eastlakes to view the plans and share their thoughts."

<img alt="First look: Conquest unveils plans for 736-home Eastlakes Shopping Centre redevelopment" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="22f6fb20-54fb-4bd7-8a92-48fafdd00608" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/eastland.png?VersionId=cugp7s9hrMHGJJdYzkeAkrFoQgnF4GXf" />

DKO said the design had been shaped by the site's landscape setting and surrounding open space.

"Our vision for the site embraces its unique Bidjigal identity by blending the residential living with generous landscaping and a material palette inspired by the Bidjigal locality, and celebrating the panoramic views to Botany Bay and the wetlands reserves."

"Taking cues from Country, we seek to harmonise built form with the landscape and lightly touch the earth. By reconnecting, retaining and regenerating existing ecology, and weaving in natural elements, we can deepen our connection to Country."

The landscape strategy extends across the podium and rooftops, incorporating communal gardens, children's play areas, lawns, community gardens, family gathering spaces and extensive tree planting. New landscaped links will also strengthen the connection between the precinct and Jack Mundey Reserve, while publicly accessible open spaces have been integrated throughout the development.

The proposal builds on Conquest's broader placemaking strategy for the site. Through an ongoing partnership, local artist Joe Rashbrook has been appointed Urban Art Curator, working alongside young residents to transform the project's site hoardings into a public art gallery that allows the community to engage with the redevelopment before construction is complete.

Conquest has rapidly expanded its development pipeline since acquiring the Eastlakes site, with more than $6 billion worth of mixed-use projects now in planning across Sydney, including Stanmore, Castlecrag and Waterloo.

Conquest CEO Michael Akkawi said the redevelopment was about far more than replacing a shopping centre.

First look: ‘Far more than replacing a shopping centre’ as Conquest unveils 736-home Eastlakes redevelopment

Abadeen has lodged a State Significant Development Application (SSDA) for one of Mosman's largest apartment developments in recent years, seeking approval to transform the former Honeysuckle Garden and Midas site on Military Road into a 100-apartment mixed-use development.

The SSDA, lodged with investment partner Phoenix Property Investors, proposes around $230 million worth of new housing on the prominent <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/494-516-military-road-mosman-nsw-2088">494-516 Military Road</a> site.

The proposal comes as Mosman Council continues to progress its recently endorsed Masterplan, which identifies the precinct for increased housing density while maintaining the suburb's established character.

Designed by DKO Architecture, the development would comprise 100 apartments above ground-floor retail, with a rooftop wellness precinct including a gym, sauna, entertaining areas and landscaped communal spaces.

Rather than pushing to the full 12-storey height identified in Council's Masterplan, the proposal ranges between five and nine storeys, stepping down towards Hale Road. A tenth level would accommodate resident amenities rather than additional apartments.

The project has been designed to appeal to a broad range of buyers, from first home buyers and young professionals through to families and local downsizers looking to remain on the Lower North Shore.

<img alt="Mosman" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="5dada03f-5b4c-43ba-ba62-2868add31440" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-07-27%20at%209.57.55%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=7LBy0B.Jo8_iWAFJsClcV7Q3UnXrv49r" />

Abadeen Executive Chairman Justin Brown said the apartments had been designed as genuine long-term homes rather than investor-focused stock.

"The apartments have been designed as genuine long-term homes, with efficient floorplans that maximise usable living areas, generous storage, natural light and strong connections between indoor and outdoor spaces," Brown says."

"We've focused on creating homes for a broad range of buyers, from first home buyers and growing families through to downsizers who want to remain in Mosman."

The rooftop wellness offering forms a key part of the proposal, with residents set to have access to a gym, sauna, outdoor entertaining spaces, communal dining areas, landscaped gardens and a multi-use recreation court overlooking Sydney Harbour.

<img alt="Mosman" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="d37c2d6b-583a-4a0f-b7a9-9f46b893d2f4" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-07-27%20at%209.58.06%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=FPoa5FCm2RtzjhAh2w5FTWJbV6GHfY8D" />

DKO drew heavily on the site's natural and cultural history, undertaking a Connecting with Country process with local Aboriginal Elders to inform the architectural and landscape design.

Senior Associate Matthew Ritchard said the design sought to create a building that responded to both the site's landscape and its cultural significance.

"The architectural language of the project is a deep expression of Connecting with Country, where the materiality and colour palette serve as a bridge between the site's geological history and its future as a residential sanctuary."

The proposal also retains the site's established blue gum tree as the centrepiece of the communal landscaped gardens, while introducing activated retail fronting Military Road to strengthen the connection between Mosman and Cremorne villages.

If approved, the project would deliver 100 new homes within walking distance of shops, public transport, schools and local amenities, adding to the limited pipeline of new apartments on the Lower North Shore.

<h2>Project Snapshot</h2>

Project: Honeysuckle Garden Redevelopment

Address: 494-516 Military Road, Mosman

Developer: Abadeen and Phoenix Property Investors

Architect: DKO Architecture

Lead Architect: Matthew Ritchard

Value: $230 million

Residences: 100 apartments

Key features:

<ul>
	<li>
	Ground-floor retail
	</li>
	<li>
	Rooftop wellness precinct
	</li>
	<li>
	Gym and sauna
	</li>
	<li>
	Outdoor entertaining and BBQ areas
	</li>
	<li>
	Landscaped communal gardens
	</li>
	<li>
	Multi-use recreation court
	</li>
	<li>
	Retained mature blue gum tree
	</li>
	<li>
	Connecting with Country design process
	</li>
	<li>
	Harbour, CBD and Balmoral views from upper-level apartments
	</li>
</ul>

Abadeen Executive Chairman Justin Brown said the apartments had been designed as genuine long-term homes rather than investor-focused stock

First look: Abadeen plans 100 apartments on former Honeysuckle Garden site in Mosman

Sydney’s property market is known for high prices, competitive bidding, and mounting pressure on first home buyers. But change is on the horizon.

From late 2025, eligible first home buyers in New South Wales will have access to a new federal government initiative aimed at addressing affordability: the Help to Buy Scheme.&nbsp;

<h2>What is the Help to Buy Scheme?</h2>

The program introduces a shared equity model intended to reduce the upfront cost of entering the property market, particularly in high-demand urban areas such as Sydney.

The scheme operates under a shared ownership structure in which the federal government takes an equity stake of up to 40 per cent for new homes, or 30 per cent for existing dwellings. This arrangement allows eligible buyers to significantly reduce their loan size and avoid the added cost of Lenders Mortgage Insurance (LMI).

Under this model, purchasers can enter the property market with as little as a two per cent deposit, well below the traditional 10 to 20 per cent usually required. The government’s contribution is not a loan but a co-ownership stake in the property. As such, there is no interest or rent charged on its portion.

Because the government’s equity combined with the buyer’s deposit typically meets or exceeds the 20 per cent threshold, LMI does not apply. The remaining balance, generally between 60 and 70 per cent of the property’s value, is financed through a standard home loan with a participating lender.

The government's equity in the property remains in place until the buyer chooses to repay it voluntarily or until the property is sold. Buyers can buy back the government’s share over time, in increments of at least five per cent, depending on their financial situation.

There is no fixed repayment timeline, but the amount to be repaid will be based on the property's market value at the time of repayment, not the original purchase price.

<h2>How do you qualify for the&nbsp;Help to Buy Scheme?</h2>

To qualify for the Help to Buy Scheme, applicants must meet the following conditions:

<ul>
	<li>Be an Australian citizen at least 18 years of age.</li>
	<li>Be a first-home buyer who does not currently own property.</li>
	<li>Intend to live in the property as their primary residence.</li>
	<li>Earn less than $100,000 per year for individuals, or $160,000 for couples.</li>
	<li>Purchase a property within the regional price caps, currently $950,000 in Sydney, though this is expected to rise to approximately $1.3 million ahead of the program’s launch.</li>
</ul>

While the Help to Buy Scheme does not solve affordability challenges across the board, it does offer a more accessible pathway for a defined segment of the market, particularly younger buyers with moderate incomes who have been priced out of traditional lending routes.

The scheme is expected to commence in NSW in late 2025, as part of a national rollout.

Under the new model, purchasers can enter the property market with as little as a two per cent deposit, well below the traditional 10 to 20 per cent usually required

Help to Buy Scheme: What first home buyers in NSW need to know

The First Home Owners Grant (FHOG) is a government initiative designed to help eligible first-time home buyers by offering financial assistance towards the purchase or construction of a new home.

While the FHOG is a nationwide program, it is administered separately by each state and territory, meaning the eligibility criteria, grant amounts, and property requirements can vary depending on your location. This means that the amount available and the conditions attached to the grant will differ, so it is important to check the specific guidelines for your state or territory.

It’s important to note that the FHOG is just one of several incentives available to first home buyers. In most states and territories, the grant is not linked to stamp duty exemptions or concessions, with the exception of the Australian Capital Territory (ACT). The FHOG is typically a one-off payment, reducing the overall cost of purchasing or building a new home before any stamp duty concessions are applied.

Below, we provide a breakdown of the First Home Owner Grants available across Australia, outlining the specific details for each state and territory.

<h2>New South Wales First Home Owner Grant</h2>

First Home Owner Grant: Offers a $10,000 grant for new homes valued up to $600,000. For land purchases and owner-builders, the threshold extends to $750,000.

Stamp Duty Benefits: Provides full stamp duty exemption for homes valued up to $800,000, with concessions available for properties up to $1 million.

<h2>Victoria South Wales First Home Owner Grant</h2>

First Home Owner Grant: Provides a $10,000 grant for first-home buyers purchasing or building new homes valued up to $750,000.

Stamp Duty Benefits: Offers full stamp duty exemption for properties up to $600,000, with concessions available up to $750,000.

<h2>Queensland First Home Owner Grant</h2>

First Home Owner Grant: Offers $30,000 for contracts signed between 20 November 2023 and 30 June 2025. The FHOG applies to new homes valued up to $750,000.

Stamp Duty Concessions: Provides additional concessions for properties valued up to $800,000.

<h2>Western Australia First Home Owner Grant</h2>

&nbsp;

First Home Owner Grant: Offers a $10,000 grant for new homes valued up to $750,000 in the southern regions and up to $1 million in the northern regions.

Stamp Duty Concessions: Available for homes valued up to $600,000 for transactions entered into on or after 9 May 2024.

<h2>Australian Capital Territory First Home Owner Grant</h2>

First Home Owner Grant: Replaced by the Home Buyer Concession Scheme, offering full stamp duty concessions for eligible buyers.

<h2>South Australia First Home Owner Grant</h2>

First Home Owner Grant: Provides up to $15,000 for new homes, including houses, apartments, and townhouses. As of 6 June 2024, there is no property value cap for eligibility.

Stamp Duty Relief: Available for new homes and vacant land purchases.

<h2>Tasmania First Home Owner Grant</h2>

First Home Owner Grant: Offers a $10,000 grant for new homes and off the plan purchases.

Stamp Duty Exemption: Between 18 February 2024 and 30 June 2026, first home buyers of established homes valued up to $750,000 receive a full exemption on property transfer duty.

<h2>Northern Territory First Home Owner Grant</h2>

First Home Owner Grant: The Northern Territory provides a $10,000 grant for new homes only. Additional government grants and concessions are available for first home buyers.

Stamp Duty Exemption: The only stamp duty exemption available to property buyers is the House and Land Package Exemption (HLPE).

Eligibility criteria and application processes differ across states. Prospective buyers should refer to their respective state revenue offices for full details on grant availability, conditions, and additional concessions.

Every First Home Owner Grant for new property by state

In the ever-evolving landscape of sustainable architecture and environmentally conscious design, systems and ratings in place can help determine the energy efficiency of residential buildings in Australia.

Australia has multiple building rating systems that evaluate energy efficiency and sustainability in existing and new building designs.

Some systems assess individual building components, while others provide an overall rating for the entire structure.

A rating system ensures that homes are comfortable and energy-efficient, whether you are buying, renovating, or building.

NatHERS (Nationwide House Energy Rating Scheme) is a common way for new homes to meet energy efficiency requirements.

As new developments continue to shape the urban environment, understanding NatHERS ratings becomes essential for developers and homeowners. This article delves into the concept of NatHERS ratings, their significance, and how they contribute to creating energy-efficient homes.

<h2>What is NatHERS?</h2>

NatHERS is a national initiative implemented by the Australian government to promote energy efficiency in residential buildings. The scheme aims to provide a standardised method for assessing the thermal performance of homes, considering factors such as insulation, orientation, ventilation, and building materials.&nbsp;

NatHERS ratings are the most common way new homes meet the National Construction Code's (NCC's) minimum energy efficiency requirements.&nbsp;

NatHERS assessments provide thermal and whole-home ratings for new homes, townhouses, and apartments.

The rating helps evaluate the energy performance of buildings, guides homeowners and developers to make informed decisions about the energy efficiency of their properties, and encourages the construction of more sustainable, comfortable, and cost-effective homes.

<h2>How NatHERS Ratings Work</h2>

NatHERS ratings are determined through four accredited software tools (AccuRate, BERS Pro, FirstRate5, HERO) using a calculation engine CSIRO developed to predict building temperature based on various factors.

The tools can model complex effects of building mass, insulation, window size, and other elements.

The outcome is a star rating that reflects the building's overall thermal efficiency, indicating how well it can maintain a comfortable indoor temperature without excessive reliance on heating or cooling systems.

The star rating scale ranges from 0 to 10, with a 6-star rating being the minimum requirement for compliance with the National Construction Code (NCC).&nbsp;

Achieving a higher star rating demonstrates a commitment to energy efficiency and sustainability, as the building is better equipped to minimise its environmental impact and reduce long-term energy costs.

Anyone can use NatHERS tools, but accredited assessors can provide certified ratings and professional advice.

<h2>Benefits of Higher NatHERS Ratings</h2>

Energy Efficiency: Buildings with higher NatHERS ratings are more energy-efficient, requiring less heating and cooling energy. This reduces the structure's carbon footprint and lowers occupants' energy bills.

Cost Savings: Homes with higher NatHERS ratings are generally more energy-efficient, resulting in reduced energy consumption for heating and cooling. This translates to lower energy bills for homeowners, making sustainable living environmentally friendly and economically viable in the long run.

Environmental Impact: Lower energy consumption directly translates to a reduced environmental impact. Buildings with higher NatHERS ratings contribute to the overall goal of mitigating climate change by lowering greenhouse gas emissions associated with heating and cooling systems.

Improved Comfort: Buildings with high NatHERS ratings offer better thermal comfort to occupants. Proper insulation, well-designed ventilation, and optimal orientation maintain a consistent and comfortable indoor temperature, providing occupants with a more enjoyable and healthier space.

Market Value and Desirability: Higher NatHERS ratings can enhance the market value of a property. As energy efficiency becomes a more significant consideration for homebuyers, a well-rated building may attract a premium price and stand out in the real estate market.

Compliance with Building Codes: NatHERS ratings are a vital component of the National Construction Code (NCC), and compliance with these ratings is often a mandatory requirement for new developments. Local councils and planning authorities may set minimum energy efficiency standards that must be met to obtain development approval.

The Nationwide House Energy Rating Scheme (NatHERS) is a crucial initiative shaping the future of energy-efficient, resilient, and cost-effective homes. With its recent upgrades, NatHERS has evolved into a world-leading tool for the building sector, supporting the global commitment to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050.

Staff Writer

What is a NatHERS rating in new off the plan apartment developments?

Mixed-use developments have gained significant popularity across Australia in recent years due to their unique blend of residential, commercial, and recreational spaces.

Unlike traditional single-purpose developments, mixed-use projects offer a harmonious integration of various functions within a single locale.

Residential units seamlessly coexist with commercial establishments, retail outlets, dining venues, entertainment hubs, and recreational facilities, with the combination not only enhances convenience but also fosters a vibrant lifestyle and a sense of community.

<h3>Convenience and accessibility</h3>

Mixed-use developments are designed with convenience in mind. They often integrate residential units with commercial spaces, retail outlets, restaurants, and recreational facilities, creating a self-contained community.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=114215 project_image_fid=204874]

The proximity allows residents to enjoy the convenience of having essential amenities and services within walking distance. Whether it's grabbing a cup of coffee, going grocery shopping, or accessing healthcare services, everything is conveniently located, saving residents time and effort.

<h3>Vibrant lifestyle and community</h3>

One of the major advantages of mixed-use developments is the vibrant lifestyle they offer. With a diverse range of amenities and communal spaces, residents have ample opportunities to interact, socialise, and build a sense of community.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=107714 project_image_fid=214122]

The presence of parks, community centres, and shared spaces fosters a lively atmosphere, encouraging residents to engage in various activities and events. The vibrant lifestyle within these developments creates a unique sense of belonging and camaraderie among the residents.

<h3>Potential for higher rental yields and property value appreciation</h3>

Mixed-use developments tend to attract a broad range of tenants and buyers due to their versatile nature. This high demand can result in higher rental yields for investors and potentially lead to property value appreciation over time.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=139989 project_image_fid=212887]

The integration of commercial and retail spaces attracts businesses, which can provide a stable rental income stream. Additionally, the popularity of mixed-use developments often drives up property values, making them a potentially lucrative investment in the long term.

<h3>Enhanced security and maintenance</h3>

Mixed-use developments typically have comprehensive security measures in place. With controlled access points, CCTV surveillance, and professional security staff, residents can enjoy enhanced safety and peace of mind.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=108019 project_image_fid=212658]

Additionally, these developments often have dedicated maintenance teams responsible for the upkeep of common areas, landscaping, and infrastructure. This ensures that the overall appearance and functionality of the development are well-maintained, creating a pleasant living environment for residents.

<h3>Live-work-play balance</h3>

One of the key attractions of mixed-use developments is the ability to achieve a desirable live-work-play balance. The integration of residential and commercial spaces allows residents to live closer to their workplaces, reducing commuting time and improving work-life balance.

The proximity to various amenities and recreational facilities encourages an active and healthy lifestyle. Residents can easily access fitness centres, parks, restaurants, and entertainment options, all within the same development, leading to a more fulfilling and convenient way of life.

alisonwarters@gmail.com

The top five reasons to buy in a mixed-use development

When buying a property, everyone needs to be aware of the additional costs that come as part of the buying process.

Often the largest outlay, after the deposit which goes to the bank, is stamp duty.

<h2 style="line-height: 1.38;">What is Stamp Duty?</h2>

Stamp duty is an extra tax to pay the government when you buy land, a property, and other certain assets.

It happens when the legal ownership is transferred. It can also be known as property transfer duty or transfer duty.

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="415" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/C32BWkB5--c" title="YouTube video player" width="660"></iframe>

<h2>Who pays Stamp Duty?</h2>

In some circumstances, you may get an exemption. For some states, you won’t have to pay for stamp duty if you are a first home buyer or a pensioner for houses under a particular price. There are also stamp duty concessions, where you may be entitled to a discount.

<h2>How much does Stamp Duty cost?</h2>

Each state has different rules which affect how much you need to pay. These rules can affect the rate you pay, and the timeframe you will need to pay in. Before you buy land or a property, make sure you check the up-to-date information for your state’s stamp duty.

You can use a free stamp duty calculator online to see approximately how much you’ll need to pay. Find out if you’re eligible for an exemption by enquiring on a project via Urban!

Overall, the stamp duty you need to pay will depend on:

<ul>
	<li aria-level="1">How much your land/property is worth</li>
	<li aria-level="1">Where your land/property is located</li>
	<li aria-level="1">What type of land/property it is</li>
</ul>

Want to find out more? <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@UrbanAustralia?utm_source=YouTube&amp;utm_medium=Video&amp;utm_campaign=Subscribe&amp;utm_id=Subscribe">Subscribe to our YouTube channel</a> for more property videos.

Ellen Walker

Off-the-plan property explained: What is stamp duty?

Prominent New Zealand apartment and hotel operator, <a href="/developers/safari-group">Safari Group</a>, is offering up a prime investment opportunity for Australians to purchase off the plan in one of the world’s most popular ski destinations.

They recently took to market Mountain Oak Queenstown Apartments, in the growing precinct of Remarkables Park in Frankton, near the airport and at the foot of The Remarkables - the mountain range the locals like to call “The Remarks”.&nbsp;

Sydney investors have shown interest in the one, two and three-bedroom apartments that secure high-season occupancy six months over the year, primarily over summer and winter months.

They average 90 per cent occupancy across their portfolio over January, February, March, August, November and December, while shoulder season months of April, July, September and October are still occupied 70 per cent of the time, with the growing appeal of Queenstown becoming not just a hotspot for the snow, but a lifestyle destination.

Even in the low seasons of May and June, occupancy levels reach around 40 per cent.

<img alt="Safari Group’s Mountain Oak Apartments brings new investment potential to Queenstown" data-entity-type="" data-entity-uuid="" src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/f_auto,c_limit,w_1440,q_auto/https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/field/image/Ext_Cam15_Sunny.jpg?VersionId=SJAROUM_1s.Tr5ciMk4EEj5oAt_Vewmv" />

Safari’s Safari Hotels arm can also manage the holiday letting for an investor, from the listing on holiday accommodation websites such as Airbnb and Booking.com to the cleaning and maintenance of the investment. They’ve been in the short stay management business for 15 years and offer 24/7 support for investors, an important convenience benefit for any overseas investor

Another major drawcard for Australians is that New Zealand doesn’t have a stamp duty policy - so the entry price of NZ$639,000 (AU$586,000), is all that is payable on completion.

<img alt="Safari Group’s Mountain Oak Apartments brings new investment potential to Queenstown" data-entity-type="" data-entity-uuid="" src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,dpr_2.0,q_auto:good/https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/313_Livingv2_WEB.jpg?VersionId=nV229fM0ZeYpoxOrX372HyGjfwY_LR8c" />

Safari is starting construction of the 141 apartments in Q2 this year, with a two-year build estimated to complete in mid-to-late 2027.<img alt="" data-entity-type="" data-entity-uuid="" height="15" src="https://lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXczFpFAb7WuA6f4f9TtKWcqXyNwR8qqtakWv352ERkpqNlP3KwIo8YKxw67jZNHfpjEGIZGv5MQTbnvLZwNt8iu9IVdOrswOjCvBZ4zhSoOOLrpt6etVEZTN1gkBho0r_R72zdHNA?key=yq3daOanqHSb88QFd8jGYKdb" title="Click and drag to move" width="15" />​

The apartments will feature modern amenities and contemporary designs with expansive windows capturing sweeping views of The Remarkables mountain range.&nbsp;

Interiors are equipped with modern finishes, premium appliances, and secure electronic key-locked doors, ensuring a comfortable living experience for residents and guests alike.

With its strategic location near Coronet Peak and Cardrona Alpine Resort, as well as key retail and dining precincts such as Market Street, Five Mile Shopping Centre, and Remarkables Market, Mountain Oak offers a strong proposition for investors seeking high rental yields and capital appreciation in one of New Zealand’s most sought-after locations.&nbsp;

Queenstown’s sustained demand for visitor accommodation and rental properties is underpinned by a shortage of housing options, attracting both local and international buyers.

Safari Group offers low-touch investment proposition in Queenstown’s popular ski fields district

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Family owned property firm GLG has submitted plans for its $35 million Mount Gambier retail precinct to the South Australian government department for approval.
The 58-72 Commercial Street East site spans an area of 24,400 sqm. 
The retail precinct will come up at the Target site (acquired by GLG in 1980) and the adjoining Fidler and Webb site (acquired by GLG in 2013). 
The office of the State Coordinator-General of the Government of South Australia for the Development Assessment Commission (DAC) will determine GLG’s development application.
Supermarket chain ALDI and Target have already committed themselves for the new complex. ALDI will occupy a 1,740 sqm space and Target will occupy a new 5,710 sqm tenancy, supported by a new light-filled mall, 31 specialty retail tenancies and circa 300 on-site car parks.
“We’re really excited to announce our development plans for what will be named the ‘Fidler &amp; Webb’ retail centre in recognition of the site’s rich history and relevance to Mount Gambier,” said Campbell Blennerhassett, director of GLG.
The firm’s proposed plan occupies the entire city block barring the plot of land where the South Australian Hotel stands. 
"Together with our consultants, we believe the project will create a key shopping destination for the limestone coast region, while providing employment and economic benefits significant to Mount Gambier, regional South Australia and the state as a whole.”
The proposal comprises a single storey, connected development with more traditional tenancies presenting to Commercial Street East that also draw references from the original Victorian Fidler &amp; Webb Ltd façade, said Tim Hargreaves, senior project leader of ClarkeHopkinsClarke Architects.
“A number of shops will also present to Ferrers Street with a central atrium and market square encouraging strong pedestrian links through the site. The interior will be light filled, high ceiling spaces with integrated landscaping and features encouraging people to enjoy what will essentially function as public space.”
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2017/05/09/Fidler2.jpg" alt="">
Other key features of the proposed Fidler &amp; Webb plan include: 
<ul>
<li>outdoor dining adjoining tenancies suitable for use by cafes/restaurants, with indented shop </li>
<li>fronts and wider pedestrian paths; </li>
<li>internal and external landscaping including a variety of native and deciduous trees and large shrubs around the perimeter of the car park;</li>
<li>with integrated climbing plants to grow over the façade and columns. </li>
</ul>
Construction of the Fidler &amp; Webb retail precinct is expected to start later this year, with completion scheduled for the end of 2018. 
 
 
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jonathanchancellor-7SQnKwU6yx

GLG to develop $35 million shopping centre in Mt Gambier

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Victorian shopping centres are emerging as the asset of choice for Chinese investors, with the sale of Arena Shopping Centre in Melbourne for $48 million being the latest transaction. 
Over the past 15 months, Chinese investors have spent more than $380 million buying shopping centres across Victoria – highlighting the ongoing strength in investment appetite for well-located assets backed by strong tenancy profiles, according to commercial real estate firm CBRE.
Arena Shopping Centre is located in the south-east suburb of Officer.  
It is anchored by a 4,100 sqm Woolworths Supermarket and BWS on a 20-year lease.
It is positioned on a 2.97 ha site, and has 25 specialty retailers as well as a freestanding McDonald’s and Caltex Service Station.
The centre generates an annual income of $2.65 million per annum and the initial yield works out at 5.38%.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/04/27/MELBRetail.png" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2017/04/27/MELBRetail.png" alt="">
The sale was brokered by CBRE with the limited supply of neighbourhood shopping centres being offered to the market underpinning strong sale results. 
 
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Chinese investor snaps up Melbourne shopping centre for $48 million 

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Sales in North Sydney increased in total value in the quarter to April 2017, according to CoreLogic's latest Cityscope.
The property data firm says that sales recorded in the most recent quarter totalled $524.8 million from 68 sales, an increase in total value compared to the $376.3 million from 70 sales in the quarter to January 2017 but a decrease compared to the $566.9 million from 85 sales in the quarter to October 2016.
This quarter brings the twelve-month total value of sales to $1.915 billion, a decrease from the $2.075 billion recorded for the previous year.
The table below shows sales recorded for the past eight updates of North Sydney Cityscope.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/04/28/Screen%20Shot%202017-04-28%20at%201.26.12%20pm.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2017/04/28/Screen%20Shot%202017-04-28%20at%201.26.12%20pm.jpg" alt="">
Notable sales for the April 2017 update of North Sydney Cityscope include:
<ul>
<li>2 Elizabeth Plaza, St Leonards, a 14-storey commercial building with ground and mezzanine retail space and four basement levels of parking for 157 cars, which sold for $81 million. The sale represented an initial yield of 6.20% on passing income of $5,022,000;</li>
<li>Ogilvy House at 72 Christie Street, St Leonards, an A-grade eight-storey office building with basement parking for 228 cars, which sold for $76 million. The sale represented an initial yield of 8.50% on passing income of $6,460,000;</li>
<li>30 Alfred Street, Milsons Point, a seven-storey building plus basement parking for 20 cars with net lettable area of 3,706 sqm, which sold for $50 million.</li>
</ul>
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/04/28/Screen%20Shot%202017-04-28%20at%201.26.40%20pm.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2017/04/28/Screen%20Shot%202017-04-28%20at%201.26.40%20pm.jpg" alt="">
Properties for sale in the areas covered by North Sydney Cityscope include:
<ul>
<li>Suite 102, 161 Walker House at 161 Walker Street, North Sydney, an office suite comprising 125 sqm on the first floor and one car space, for sale by auction on 9 May 2017 through Raine &amp; Horne North Sydney;</li>
<li>258 Military Road, Neutral Bay, a two-storey retail building on a site of 152 sqm, available through Richardson &amp; Wrench – North Sydney;</li>
<li>12 Ridge Street, North Sydney, a two-storey terrace house with a net lettable area of 140 sqm, available through LJ Hooker Commercial Sydney.</li>
</ul>
Leasing opportunities in the areas covered by North Sydney Cityscope include:
<ul>
<li>116 Miller Street, North Sydney, an eight-storey building with banking and retail space on the ground, which has office space ranging from 500 to 1,424 sqm for lease through Cadigal Office Leasing North Sydney;</li>
<li>141 Walker Street, North Sydney, a 24-storey office building with basement parking for 209 cars, ground floor retail space and landscaped terrace and forecourt, ground and upper ground level shops and restaurant and 22 floors of offices, which has office space of up to 4,697 sqm for lease through CBRE North Sydney and Dexus Property Group;</li>
<li>101 Miller Street, North Sydney, a 35-level commercial building with 5 levels of basement parking for 561 cars, which has office space of up to 15,500 sqm for lease through Mirvac Group and Colliers International North Sydney.</li>
</ul>
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j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

North Sydney commercial property sales rise in first quarter of 2017: CoreLogic

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A beachside location in the Gold Coast with development approval for 38 apartments has been listed for sale by Savills.
The site at 3550 Main Beach Pde &amp; 33 Pacific Street, Main Beach, has views over the ocean, the Broadwater and south to Surfers Paradise and beyond.
The site area is 1,510 sqm and the zoning is multi-unit.
The DA approval provides for 38 end-user apartments and 22 levels.
The site is close to Tedder Avenue Restaurants, Marina Mirage and Versace International Hotel and shopping.
Apartments designed for end users are in very short supply in Main Beach, according to listing agent Kevin Carmody
He said this was the “last development opportunity on Main Beach Parade”.
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Beachside site with approval for apartments in the Gold Coast listed through Savills

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No discussion on office market is complete without taking stock of the Sydney office market.
Since the start of 2017, the Sydney CBD office market has continued its market movement trend of 2016, with a decrease in both vacancy rates and incentives and an increase in average market rental rates, according to valuation firm Herron Todd White’s April office market report. 
Sydney is a rising market on HTW’s office property clock.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/05/09/Screen%20Shot%202017-05-09%20at%2012.12.57%20PM.png" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2017/05/09/Screen%20Shot%202017-05-09%20at%2012.12.57%20PM.png" alt="">
Due to the results of strong employment growth, especially in the office jobs created throughout 2016, which drives the absorption of office space, combined with additional ongoing absorption of office stock, under supply and rising rentals, we expect to see demand for commercial offices remaining strong, yields continuing to trend lower and steady vacancy rates throughout 2017. 
The Sydney metro office market vacancy rate currently stands at 6.2%, remaining the lowest of all capital cities, according to Property Council research paper dated 2 February 2017, thus reflecting the inherent strength in the Sydney market. 
An attributing factor to the compression in vacancy rates and growth in associated market rates is the commencement of the Sydney Metro Project, developing 31 new metro stations linking to Rouse Hill in the north-west through to the CBD and extending to Bankstown in the south-west. Further to this, the acquisition of secondary commercial office buildings by large-scale developers for residential or hotel conversion has further pressured the marketplace. 
“We note these acquisitions have led to the displacement of owner occupiers and tenants alike, now all in the market for available commercial office space, thus further pressuring the secondary office markets of North Sydney, Chatswood, St Leonards, Macquarie Park and Parramatta,” say HTW.
“We consider the Sydney office market to remain relatively stable in the short to mid-term, with the Property Council of Australia forecasting stable vacancy rates over the six months from January 2017.” 
An example of a recent listing was that of the iconic Australian Exchange Centre, home of the ASX, with price expectations of more than $325 million. The expressions of interest campaign closes on April 27.
The listing of the building at 20 Bridge Street in the heart of Sydney’s financial district makes it the first institutional grade Sydney CBD core offering since June 2013.
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2017/04/21/SydExchangeCenter.jpg" alt="">
Across the board, Sydney is continuing to experience yield compression in the commercial domain. 
“We note a heated residential market along with an inherently low cost of borrowing have seen yield compression across the office sector over the past 12 to 24 months, with a strong appetite on a micro and macro level for A grade Sydney offices on long-term lease covenants to blue chip tenants. 
“We would consider this trend to continue whilst supply remains relatively low.” 
With limited stock on the market for sale or lease, demand has pushed further out to fringe locations such as North Sydney, South Sydney, Chatswood and areas in the inner west. Notwithstanding this, “we consider rental growth to continue in line with demand and limited supply”. 
With the recent surge in purchases by owner- occupiers throughout the Sydney CBD office market, investors are cautioned that competition from this segment is forcing a tightening of yields. Investors should be wary of this market force when purchasing and avoid paying over market rates to compete with owner-occupiers who tend to be less reliant on yields. 
Further opportunities in emerging office markets may be present as the government focuses on increasing economic activity and development in outer Sydney suburbs. For example, the commercial centre of Liverpool is considered to benefit from the continued residential development in the south-west, proposed construction of the Badgerys Creek Airport and the possible extension of the Sydney Metro with a direct line from Bankstown to Liverpool, all of which will in time increase economic activity, employment viability and demand for commercial office assets. However, caution is drawn to the ability for emerging markets to withstand an economic or market downturn compared to established locales and other significant commercial hubs. 
Further opportunities within the commercial office market may be present in assets which are feasible for further subdivision. The rise of creative office suites, prevalent within the Southern Sydney office markets for example, has been driven by the demand for smaller assets catering to start-up companies with less capital that require lower priced assets or shorter or more flexible leasing terms. The increased focus on smaller companies has seen the rise of small scale business parks, sub-leasing sections of larger offices and the serviced office business model. Although smaller tenancy areas can derive greater returns due to the economies of scale principle, smaller offices tend to have increased risk due to the high turnover of tenants given shorter leasing terms. Caution may be drawn to the ability of an asset manager to derive adequate returns via minimising vacancy in addition to the aptitude to sustain a competitive asset within a market that could be easily saturated. 
While the outlook for Sydney’s office market is positive, as ever, caution as to the sustainability of current and projected office trends is recommended with road blocks to growth possible, including the very real and significant potential for a downturn in the local and wider residential market which will have a major impact on the wider economy, potential stock market volatility after recent record gains and political instability (both national and international). 
 
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Demand to stay strong for Sydney office market, yields to trend lower: HTW

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<img src="https://counter.theconversation.edu.au/content/77104/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-advanced" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1">
GUEST OBSERVER
The purpose of the “agile” working style is to help businesses adapt to turbulent markets by adopting a fast and flexible approach to work.
In one sense, it should come as no surprise that ANZ’s chief executive Shayne Elliot recently announced that ANZ will be shifting parts of its workforce to this style.
With the bank’s recent withdrawal from Asia and subsequent lower than expected revenues, this is part of ANZ refocus on its core business. In fact, each of Australia’s big four banks might be looking to become more efficient and responsive in the face of a tightly regulated market and slowly building retail banking competition from newer financial technology companies.
In another sense though, it’s surprising that one of Australia’s largest banks should signal such a profound change in work style. Finance is certainly not where agile got its start.
The origins of agile
The forerunners of agile stretch back as far as the Plan-Do-Study-Act method developed by Walter Shewart at Bell Labs in the 1930s and the Toyota Production System, based, in part, on the quality and systems thinking of Shewart’s student, William Edwards Deming.
However, agile as we understand it today is seen as emerging from software programming communities. It crystallised when 17 software developers gathered at the Snowbird ski resort in Utah in 2001 to share and refine their approaches to software development.
One of the participants had been reading a book on major companies coping with turbulent markets, called Agile Competitors and Virtual Organizations: Strategies for Enriching the Customer. Drawn to the agile’s connotations of speed and responsiveness, the group eventually adopted it as the moniker for their movement.
They published their views in The Manifesto for Agile Software Development, intending to help accelerate developers’ efforts to reliably produce software of the highest quality. Agile has since spread beyond the confines of IT to the other types of work and other organisations.
How to work in an agile style
As academics Rigby, Sutherland, and Takeuchi explain, agile now covers a broad range of methods, each varying according to their guiding principles and work rules. The three most well-known methods are scrum, lean, and kanban.
Scrum focuses on structuring teams to work across functions in a business, using creative and adaptive teamwork, daily stand-up meetings, and project reviews to quickly invent solutions and improve team performance.
Lean focuses on eliminating waste in systems and does not prescribe work rules to achieve this in the same way as scrum.
Kanban aims to shorten the time between the initiation and completion of work by visualising workflows, restricting the work being done at each stage in development, and measuring work cycle times to detect improvement.
ANZ seems to be most interested in the scrum method. ANZ’s Head of Product Katherine Bray stated:
There are vestiges of roles that we recognise, but with the underpinnings of hierarchy totally blown apart…[A scrum coach] is not your boss, that’s a coach, who is a peer. That product owner is not your boss, they’re a product owner who defines the how, and you galvanise around that.
Going back to the origins of agile and system thinking, it seems clear the agile approach is most likely to succeed where the organisation adopting it possesses structural modularity. Modularity proposes that organisations structure themselves in a way that allows teams to produce work that is layered, discrete, and testable.
This is what Bray is talking about - a radically new approach to roles and work styles at ANZ.
We might dismiss this whole reorganisation as marketing theatre, but intensifying competition and rapid change are all too real. This means many Australian businesses will have to come to terms with agile approaches if they are to remain responsive and competitive.
By taking up agile’s shift from top-down management to teams that organise themselves, and from a focus on compliance to a focus on innovation, ANZ is making its intent clear. It wants to achieve different results by doing things differently – surely a sane approach to change.
Yet this idea challenges the conventional structure and ethos of banks and similarly run businesses. These organisations are built to be secure and centralised in service of efficiency; modularity pushes them to be integrated and decentralised in service of innovation.
Modularity and agility are not easy to achieve. But they are fast becoming necessary if large companies, like ANZ, are to move with the times and adapt well to market turbulence.
<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/massimo-garbuio-369039" target="_blank"></a>
<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/massimo-garbuio-369039" target="_blank">Massimo Garbuio</a> is senior lecturer, University of Sydney.
<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/massimo-garbuio-369039" target="_blank"></a>
<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/dreu-harrison-369349" target="_blank">Dreu Harrison</a> is research assistant, University of Sydney.
<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/massimo-garbuio-369039" target="_blank"></a>
Both are authors for The Conversation.
<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/massimo-garbuio-369039" target="_blank"> </a>
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jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

The agile working style started in tech but it could work for banks

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The office vacancy rate in Melbourne's city fringe locations fell to 3.47 percent in March from 4.96 percent in September 2016, according to Colliers International’s Metro Office report.
“This is the lowest vacancy rate that Colliers International has ever recorded for the City Fringe market, and is the outcome of strong demand and very low levels of supply," said the report.
More than 23,000 sqm of office space was absorbed in the year to March 2017, about 9,000 sqm higher than the long-term annual average net absorption rate.
"While creative type tenants have always been attracted to the City Fringe market, tenant take up was seen across a variety of industry types, including National Home Doctor Service (Health), Grey Innovation (Technology), BSGM (Construction) and The Promotions Factory (marketing/manufacturing),” the report stated.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/05/02/Screen%20Shot%202017-05-02%20at%2012.38.21%20pm.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2017/05/02/Screen%20Shot%202017-05-02%20at%2012.38.21%20pm.jpg" alt="">
Colliers says that it’s not surprised that these strong demand levels and reduced options for tenants in the city fringe has given rise to good rental growth – both face and effective.
“Effective rents grew a record 22.7 percent in the year to March 2017. This effective rental growth is made up of a 13 percent rise in face rents, and a significant reduction in average A Grade incentives from 21 percent to 14 percent."
The secondary grade market is also benefiting from this strong demand with rents growing by 10 percent year on year, with incentives now averaging 18 percent.
Incentives in both the prime and secondary grade markets are low by Melbourne-wide standards (the CBD is averaging 29 percent), indicating the popularity of the city fringe market with tenants.
Owners of secondary grade stock have been taking advantage of the strong market conditions and, where space does come vacant, refurbishing their stock to attract the growing number of tenants who want non-conventional office space in the most sought after city fringe locations.
"The owners of Building 8, 658 Church St and 570 Church St in Richmond have recent leasing success stories following significant vacancy and subsequent refurbishment of their buildings,” the report said.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/05/02/Screen%20Shot%202017-05-02%20at%2012.38.30%20pm.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2017/05/02/Screen%20Shot%202017-05-02%20at%2012.38.30%20pm.jpg" alt="">
Both buildings were fully let post upgrade works, with incoming tenants paying significantly more rent than the outgoing tenants in order to secure the space.
It is expected that over the remainder of 2017 and into 2018, rents will continue to rise, Colliers says.
“Following the record rental growth over the year to March 2017, we expect that effective rental growth over the year to March 2018 will be 7.5 percent. While lower than the rate we have seen in this past year, this is still well above the long term average growth rate of 4.7 percent per annum.
"Developers, however, have been taking notice of the increase in demand, and the next supply cycle is well and truly underway."
There are currently 17 buildings in planning/mooted stage in the city fringe, a far cry from previous years where residential development dominated the landscape.
A total of 111,500 sqm is planned for construction to 2020, and a further 89,000 sqm in the ‘mooted’ stage.
The next year of supply will be relatively modest, with 10,500 sqm due to complete, said the report.
However, over 2018 and 2019, approximately 95,000 sqm of new supply will come on to the market, according to Colliers.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/05/02/Screen%20Shot%202017-05-02%20at%2012.38.43%20pm.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2017/05/02/Screen%20Shot%202017-05-02%20at%2012.38.43%20pm.jpg" alt="">
“It is anticipated that at this point in the cycle, incentives will begin to rise.
"Interestingly, the City Fringe market will also reach an important milestone over the next supply cycle– it will become a million square metre market.
There is currently just over 965,000 sqm of office stock in the City Fringe, and by the middle of 2019 we expect supply to tip over the 1,000,000 sqm mark."
The long-term average vacancy rate for the city fringe is 6.2 percent.
"We expect the vacancy rate to stay well under this level until March 2020, when large chunks of supply will tip the vacancy rate up to 7.7 percent,” the report stated.
Colliers says that the Melbourne CBD will also be in the midst of a supply cycle at this time, which will place further pressure on landlords to do competitive deals.
Strong demand in the city fringe hasn’t been confined to the leasing market. Of the $1.37 billion of deals in the Melbourne Metro market in 2016, 70 per cent - or $967 million worth of sales – were transacted on city fringe assets.
"Unsurprisingly, this level of activity had an impact on yields, and we saw 100 bps of compression over the year to March 2017."
A Grade yields now average six per cent in the city fringe.
"Current yield spreads of 327 bps are above the long-term average spread of 315bps, so we expect there is still room for yield compression in this cycle, particularly given the strong leasing conditions,” said the report. 
As an example, Property Observer found a 267 sqm penthouse-level office at <a href="https://www.realcommercial.com.au/property-offices-vic-melbourne-502375694">Level 11, 552 Lonsdale Street</a>, Melbourne (above) listed for sale.
Similarly, a 3153 sqm office at <a href="https://www.realcommercial.com.au/property-offices-vic-melbourne-502349974">114-128 Flinders Street</a>, Melbourne (below) has been listed for sale.
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2017/05/02/114-128%20Flinders%20Street.jpg" alt="">
A 79 sqm office at <a href="https://www.realcommercial.com.au/property-offices-vic-melbourne-501693013">Suite 4.04, 838 Collins Street</a>, Melbourne (below) was recently sold in April this year.
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2017/05/02/Suite%204.04%20838%20Collins%20Street.jpg" alt="">
Similarly a 291 sqm freehold office at <a href="https://www.realcommercial.com.au/property-offices-vic-melbourne-502333430">21-23 Anthony Street</a>, Melbourne (below) was recently sold in April this year.
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2017/05/02/21-23%20Anthony%20Street.jpg" alt="">
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Melbourne city fringe office vacancy rate declines: Colliers

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A modern, single-level, warehouse at Richmond on Melbourne’s CBD fringe sold recently at auction for $791,000 through Teska Carson.
The <a href="https://www.realcommercial.com.au/property-retail-vic-richmond-502315910" target="_blank">30 Baker Street</a> property is within a short distance of Victoria Street retail and entertainment strips, trams and trains.
The property was offered with with vacant possession and includes a 130 square metre warehouse building currently used as a fully-fitted automotive workshop. 
The site is zoned Mixed Use.
According to marketing agents, Teska Carson’s Anthony Choi and Fergus Evans, the property was one of the "best city fringe offerings to hit the market recently".
Choi said the area had benefitted from a number of high profile residential and commercial developments, driven by population growth and the attraction of Richmond’s well documented retail and entertainment offerings, as well as its proximity to the CBD.
"Richmond has consistently been one of the city’s most desirable inner-city locations and that popularity has driven a strong commercial and residential development market," Evans said.
 
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Warehouse on Melbourne CBD fringe fetches $791,000

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GUEST OBSERVER
Uber has shaken up the taxi industry and is trying to put driverless cars on our roads. Now the company aims to have flying ride-sharing vehicles in our skies by 2020.
Uber is not alone in working towards flying cars. But is this realistic, or just marketing hype?
To many of us, the concept of flying cars is synonymous with the future, just like silver jumpsuits and gourmet food in the form of a pill. Those dreams have not yet materialised so what about flying cars?
How is this a car?
The classic idea of a flying car was just that: a car that could somehow fly.
A Flying Car
Filmed in the 1940s in Italy, a propeller driven automobile that flies makes its first test flight.
In fiction, the author Ian Fleming was a fan of flying cars, writing his novel Chitty Chitty Bang Bang around the concept in 1963. He also included a flying car in his James Bond novel (1964) and subsequent film, The Man with The Golden Gun. These concepts are based on a car with wheels that can drive on the road but is also capable of flying when required.
Science fiction writers and directors have often dispensed with the need to have future vehicles ever drive on the road. Instead, the “cars” are simply small aircraft such as the one Anakin Skywalker used in the Star Wars film Attack of the Clones.
The recent flying car announcements vary in type from single-seat, multi-copter drone-type aircraft, to road-style cars that turn into light aircraft and small flying boats that hover above the water.
It would appear that almost any small flying vehicle capable of transporting a person is now referred to as a flying car. But clearly they are really just a kind of small aircraft.
How safe?
Any potential passenger will want to know: “How safe is this contraption?”
The likely answer right now is “not very safe”, as with all early-stage technology. Companies are working feverishly to make their aircraft “safe enough” in the hope of convincing regulators and governments that the vehicles can be entrusted with human lives.
But there are incredible safety challenges. One of the biggest is what to do when things go badly wrong.
With a normal car, you can often just slow to a halt and stop. But a flying car might fall out of the sky, killing not only its occupants but potentially bystanders too. 
Drone Taxi Dubai
Ehang’s flying taxi for Dubai.
The Chinese company Ehang is proposing to equip its flying car service in Dubai with a parachute. This service will apparently take a single occupant from the roof of one Dubai skyscraper to the roof of another.
Should the parachute deploy, it is not clear whether the vehicle will have any way to control where it lands, or how safely.
In the existing aviation industry, much of the mechanics of flying is automated. Given the challenges of a person flying compared to driving a car, and the efforts to reduce human error in aviation, there is even more likelihood of flying cars becoming automated so that no human pilot is needed.
But there will be differences between existing aviation practice and flying cars. Passenger jet air travel owes much of its impressive safety record to improvements in aircraft maintenance procedures and our understanding of failures. It is unlikely that the business case for small flying cars will allow for such rigorous practices.
Instead, flying cars will be less complex than modern jets, and the latest demonstrators show exactly that.
The use of large numbers of small electric motors, such as in the Lilium all-electric aircraft, reduces the maintenance complexity drastically. It also provides an inbuilt measure of redundancy in case one motor fails. 
The Lilium Jet – The world's first all-electric VTOL jet
The Lilium electric aircraft.
How fast, how far?
Wouldn’t it be great to avoid the traffic and public transport congestion of our major cities? We think so.
For example, it currently takes 23 minutes to drive the 19km from our offices in Brisbane to the domestic airport, when traffic is freely flowing.
If we could fly from our office roof (and there is a pad on our roof that is ideally suited to deploying a flying car), the trip would only take 8 minutes.
We’d get a double boost, first from flying at an average speed of (say) 100kmh, and second by taking the straightest path, a mere 13km.
This example journey is well within the capabilities of the flying cars being demonstrated today.
Of course it may be that authorities mandate that we stick to flight corridors reserved for flying cars, so a direct route is not always an option. These corridors may be strategically located over low-risk areas of land that have minimal population.
How easy?
There are lots of things about flying cars that are hard, but some problems may become easier.
There is a lot more space available for cars when you when you have access to three dimensions for travel, as long as the navigation challenges are solved.
Using the several hundred metres of space above the ground means you can potentially have a lot less traffic congestion. You also don’t need to build and maintain expensive road infrastructure.
For self-driving flying cars, moving into the sky actually makes some aspects of planning and traffic control easier.
How much?
It is too early to know how the economics of flying cars will work.
Given the huge regulatory hurdles, the safety issues to overcome, and the lack of special infrastructure to support flying cars (such as take-off and landing areas and charging points for the all-electric aircraft), it is difficult to estimate what a trip should cost.
The current non-flying car ride-sharing companies such as Uber appear to be operating at a massive loss.
The price paid by the consumer in an Uber vehicle is reported to be on average less than half the actual cost of the trip, but the company is hoping to recoup some of these costs by implementing driverless cars. Given that there’s even more chance that flying cars will be driverless, maybe the economics will be favourable.
What would a consumer be willing to pay to possibly get to their destination in half the time? There’s at least one famous historical example in Concorde that posed that same question, and had safety issues. Sadly, its supersonic passenger flights are not available any more.
How long the before I can fly to work?
There is still so much to do before flying cars can become common. The technology has come a long way, mainly due to the rapid development of drones. But the technology of the flying machine itself is just one part of a very complex system.
Like ground-based self-driving cars, it’s likely that if they ever happen, flying cars will occur in certain priority areas first.
Imagine a cheaper but still expensive option for high-level executives, such as the Dubai proposal.
For the rest of us, we may already be walking around in silver jumpsuits and eating meals in a pill before we get to ride in a flying car.
Jonathan Roberts<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/jonathan-roberts-94843"> </a>professor in Robotics, Queensland University of Technology and can be contacted <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/jonathan-roberts-94843" target="_blank">here</a>.
Michael Milford is associate professor, Queensland University of Technology and can be contacted <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/michael-milford-271854" target="_blank">here</a>.
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The future of flying cars: science fact or science fiction?

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A major construction milestone has been reached at Investa Office Fund’s new commercial office development, located at 151 Clarence Street in Sydney’s CBD.
The Barrack Place project will see a total of 40,000 cubic metres of concrete used and will generate a total of 2,000 jobs. It is being developed in collaboration with contractor Built, who are conducting the first concrete pour on the 18-level tower.
The concrete pour marks the end of a 12 month excavation process, which saw the existing B-Grade building on-site demolished. The next stages of the construction will see concrete pours for the footings, slabs and lift-cores, followed by floor by floor structures.
“Barrack Place will deliver something new to the Sydney CBD office market and will provide an important connection to Martin Place through to the Western Corridor,” remarked Mark Tait, group executive and head of commercial development, Investa.
“The open courtyard through site-link and retail precinct offering is set to create a new city destination. It will also complete at a time when the CBD market is lacking brand new quality office stock, so we expect tenant demand to continue to be strong,” he said.
Designed by Architectus, Barrack Place will deliver a 22,000 square metre workplace to the Sydney CBD. Its design places flexibility at its core, aiming to cater for open-plan offices and dynamic workspaces, which are complemented with smart building technology.
“Barrack Place has provided us with the opportunity to demonstrate the future of construction showcasing new levels of Building Information Modelling,” added Brett Mason, managing director, Built.
“We have worked closely with the project team to develop a highly detailed virtual model that goes beyond 3D modelling, to 6D modelling that links programme, cost control and facilities management modules,” he said. 
“This allows us to steer the most efficient construction process with one source of truth, removing cost, co-ordination and duplication inefficiencies. The model will also continue to inform the ongoing performance and optimisation of the building long after project completion.”
Engineering group Arup has already pre-committed to 35 per cent of Barrack Place on the podium levels from Level 1 to 6, and discussions continue with prospective tenants in the marketplace.
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