National diversified developer Fortis has officially launched Crest &amp; Walker, its latest Brisbane apartment development, with construction now underway on the 20-storey Newstead project.

Award-winning builder BINAH has commenced construction on the Bureau^Proberts-designed building, which will deliver a limited collection of 65 two and three-bedroom apartments on Kyabra Street.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=145922 project_image_fid=373556]

The project marks Fortis' fourth active residential development in Brisbane, following River House, which is nearing completion, alongside projects in New Farm and Hamilton as the national developer continues to expand its South East Queensland pipeline.

Fortis General Manager – Development Queensland Dan Boman said Crest &amp; Walker reflects the developer's long-term commitment to delivering design-led residential projects in Brisbane's established inner-city suburbs.

"We're proud to be strengthening our presence in Brisbane with Crest &amp; Walker, particularly in such a sought-after lifestyle destination as Newstead," Boman said.

"Every Fortis project is shaped by its context, and we approach each one with the respect and care it deserves.

"Our focus is always on creating places that feel connected to their neighbourhood and elevate the everyday experience for residents. Newstead continues to evolve as one of Brisbane's most sought-after urban communities, and Crest &amp; Walker reflects our ambition to contribute meaningfully to that story."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=145922 project_image_fid=373559]

Positioned between Gasworks Plaza and James Street, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/crest-walker-newstead-12-kyabra-street-newstead-qld-4006">Crest &amp; Walker</a> has been designed as a boutique residential address offering privacy and generous living spaces within one of Brisbane's most established lifestyle precincts.

The building features a contemporary brick podium softened by integrated landscaping, while the upper levels are characterised by restrained architecture and enduring materiality. Interiors have been designed to maximise natural light, acoustic performance and long-term liveability.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=145922 project_image_fid=373583]

Residences comprise spacious two and three-bedroom floorplans, with two-bedroom apartments priced from $1.55 million and three-bedroom, half-floor residences from $3.95 million.

Residents will have access to a wellness-focused rooftop featuring a swimming pool, sauna, steam room, landscaped dining spaces and outdoor lounge areas overlooking Newstead and the Brisbane CBD.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=145922 project_image_fid=373571]

Sales are being managed by Slaite Projects, with Fortis expecting strong demand from owner-occupiers seeking a high-quality, design-focused apartment in one of Brisbane's most tightly held inner-city suburbs.

Completion of Crest &amp; Walker is slated for late 2028.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=145922]

Joel Robinson

Fortis expands Brisbane pipeline with launch of Crest & Walker in Newstead

The enormity of delivering a true skyscraper in Australia's new development market is often overlooked.

It has taken the best part of a decade since plans for Chevron One were first unveiled, but the 52-storey tower is now complete, with residents collecting their keys and moving into what has become one of the Gold Coast's most recognisable new landmarks.

Rising 127 metres above Chevron Island, Chevron One stands almost twice as high as any other building on the island. Its scale places it alongside the trio of towers at Jewel, arguably the last truly significant addition to the central Gold Coast skyline when they were completed around six years ago.

While there are several developments underway around a similar height to Chevron One, they are more concentrated within clusters of the highest towers in the city. The fact Chevron One sits within a developing precinct, looking back at the other high-rise developments in Surfers Paradise and Broadbeach, makes it a different proposition altogether. It will certainly become a reference point on the Gold Coast skyline.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=6515 project_image_fid=68833]

Developer Bensons Property Group is behind the 52-storey tower, which has just shy of 250 apartments, along with an exhaustive list of resident amenity spread across what is the largest development site ever assembled on Chevron Island.

The tower has been the talk of the town for years, says Ray White Projects Gold Coast agent Caitlin Rosenboom, who is selling the remaining apartments.

"People have been watching Chevron One go up for years," Rosenboom says, adding that many prospective buyers have been surprised by the scale of the views once they step inside.

"It's only when they walk through a completed apartment that they truly understand the position of the building," Rosenboom says.

"The views are jaw-dropping. Whether you're looking east over the ocean, across Surfers Paradise, along the river systems or out to the hinterland, every level offers something different but equally impressive."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=6515 project_image_fid=360215]

One of Chevron One's defining advantages is its location on the eastern side of Chevron Island on Stanhill Drive, a position which protects the views forever.

"There's only one row of houses between Chevron One and the water, and the height restrictions along the river means views from Chevron One can never be built out,"&nbsp;Rosenboom says.

While new apartment developments continue to emerge across the Gold Coast, Rosenboom says opportunities to secure a completed apartment with this level of outlook are becoming increasingly rare.

"The size of the site is something that would be incredibly difficult to replicate today," she says.

"That's allowed Chevron One to deliver the sort of amenity, open space and resident facilities that very few projects can offer. There are not many completed apartment buildings on the Gold Coast right now that can compete with the combination of scale, quality and amenity."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=6515 project_image_fid=68839]

There's around 2,000 sqm of amenity solely for the use of residents of Chevron One. Club One features a uniquely shaped swimming pool that mirrors the footprint of the building itself, set within a extensively landscaped gardens. There's also an indoor pool and spa, a fully equipped gym with a Pilates room, a yoga garden, a bookable private dining area and lounge that can host up to 30 people, and a 24-hour concierge service.

As for the buyers, Rosenboom is fielding enquiry from everywhere: Sydneysiders and Melburnians looking at the new and off-the-plan market following the changes in the Federal Budget, as well as those looking to relocate, through to South East Queenslanders seeking either a permanent home or a weekender bolthole.

"The Gold Coast lifestyle continues to resonate with people relocating from the southern states, and when they see the views and the quality of what's been delivered at Chevron One, it becomes very easy for them to understand the appeal," Rosenboom says.

A diverse mix of one, two and three-bedroom apartments remain available, with each offering "something a little different", be it the orientation and views, configuration, or level, to suit a wide variety of buyers.

The remaining apartments are ready to inspect in person, by appointment.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=6515]

A decade in the making: Residents to move into Chevron One as construction wraps up

A general rule of thumb in new apartment developments is that the penthouses get the rooftop.

It's a formula that's become commonplace across Australia's apartment market. Residents might have access to a pool, gym or barbecue facilities on a dedicated lower level, but the most desirable outdoor spaces are typically reserved for the highest-priced homes at the top of the building.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/sherpa-property-group">Sherpa Property Group</a> has taken the opposite approach.

Rather than dedicating the rooftop to a handful of buyers, the Gold Coast developer has made it the centrepiece of its Flourish collection, creating expansive shared spaces from the best vantage point in the building.

The philosophy has reached its most ambitious expression at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/flourish-soleira-palm-beach-1150-1160-gold-coast-highway-palm-beach-qld-4221">Flourish Soleira</a> in Palm Beach, where two rooftop precincts connected by a skybridge will deliver one of the most extensive lifestyle offerings seen in a residential apartment project on the Gold Coast.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150017 project_image_fid=374053]

"We're seeing a clear move toward developments that offer more than just an apartment," Sherpa Group founder Christie Leet said.

"People want spaces that support how they actually live, whether that's working from home, staying active, or spending time with family and friends.

"That's where amenity becomes critical. It's not just about what's included, but how those spaces are designed to be used every day."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150017 project_image_fid=374052]

The breadth of amenity has already attracted buyers across multiple demographics. Younger first home buyers have been drawn to Soleira's one-bedroom apartments, a product rarely delivered in Palm Beach, while families have responded to practical inclusions such as the shallow children's pool adjoining the main lap pool and the extensive communal recreation areas.

Instead of a single rooftop, Soleira delivers two distinct lifestyle zones.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150017 project_image_fid=372547]

The southern rooftop has been dedicated to wellness, featuring a gym, yoga and Pilates studio, work-from-home facilities, a wellness centre, spa, and hot and cold plunge pools.

The northern rooftop focuses on recreation and entertaining, incorporating a heated resort-style pool, private dining rooms, pizza ovens, barbecues, a golf simulator, children's recreation areas, and what is expected to be the Gold Coast's first rooftop basketball court, which will also double as a squash court.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150017 project_image_fid=374054]

Beyond the rooftops, Soleira will introduce 1,500 sqm of curated retail beneath the towers, creating one of Palm Beach's first genuinely mixed-use lifestyle precincts where cafés, restaurants and convenience retail become part of residents' everyday lives.

Sherpa has also retained management rights across the development, allowing it to oversee the long-term operation of the building through a 24-hour concierge model. The developer is also exploring additional revenue streams within the precinct aimed at helping offset ongoing body corporate costs for residents.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150017 project_image_fid=370962]

While Soleira is the largest project Sherpa has delivered, the rooftop-first philosophy has been evolving for several years.

It began with <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/amargo-6-12-sixth-avenue-palm-beach-qld-4221">Flourish Amargo</a>, the first project released under the Flourish brand. Rather than competing at the ultra-luxury end of the market with oversized half-floor and full-floor residences, Sherpa focused on creating lifestyle-driven apartments supported by resort-style shared spaces.

Amargo introduced more than 800 sqm of rooftop amenity, combining wellness facilities, heated pools, entertaining areas, cabanas, pizza ovens and private dining spaces into what was designed as an extension of residents' homes rather than a facility used only occasionally.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=146527 project_image_fid=366550]

That approach continued with Flourish Oasis, where the same amenity-led philosophy was refined into a more boutique development. Strong demand from Sherpa's growing VIP database saw much of the project sold before it reached the broader market, reinforcing buyer appetite for apartment communities centred around shared lifestyle experiences.

Flourish Amargo is slated for completion mid-way-through next year, with Oasis to be delivered by late 2027. Flourish Soleira is expected to complete in 2030.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=150017]

Sherpa takes amenity to the sky as Flourish Soleira captures booming Palm Beach demand

As apartment living continues to evolve across Sydney's growth corridors, the quality and distribution of shared spaces is increasingly shaping how residents experience home. Rather than functioning as add-ons, amenities are being embedded into the daily rhythm of a building, supporting everything from quiet retreat to social interaction, often within a single vertical community.

At <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/aeris-melrose-park-nursery-street-melrose-park-nsw-2114">Aeris</a> in Melrose Park, this approach is resolved through a layered amenity offering that unfolds from ground level through to its upper podium. Developed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/sekisui-house-australia">Sekisui House Australia</a> in partnership with Hankyu Hanshin Properties, the project introduces 468 apartments across two towers and a mid-rise building, positioned at the highest point of the broader masterplan.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=426 project_image_fid=359199]

The amenity experience begins at street level, where two courtyards sit within a landscaped setting that connects residents to the wider network of parks and green spaces. These green spaces are not isolated pockets but part of a wider pedestrian network that links Aeris to the surrounding <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/melrose-park-nsw-2114">Melrose Park</a> precinct, including Central Park, future schools, and the Town Centre opening in July 2026. The result is a transition that moves from public to private without abrupt boundaries, allowing residents to pass through shaded, tree-lined environments before reaching the building itself.

Moving upward, the focus shifts to the level five podium, where the primary communal facilities are concentrated. This space brings together a 16-metre swimming pool, outdoor seating areas, and a communal BBQ zone arranged to take advantage of elevated outlooks. Seating is positioned beneath pergolas, creating pockets of shade that extend the usability of the space throughout the day. The pool edge aligns with views toward the wider district, reinforcing the sense of elevation that defines the project’s positioning.

In the adjacent building, this is complemented by quieter, more contemplative spaces, including an outdoor cinema set within the same level. Positioned to operate primarily in the evening, it introduces a different tempo to the shared environment, shifting from daytime activity to after-hours use without requiring separate zones.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=426 project_image_fid=360299]

The podium also accommodates an intimate private resident gym. Located on the lower levels, it gives residents convenient access to fitness facilities without leaving the building.

Above, the elevated podium sky deck extends the amenity offering, providing additional open-air spaces with elevated outlooks across the surrounding landscape. While more restrained in program, this upper level reinforces the project’s vertical progression, from ground-level greenery to elevated outlook, allowing residents to move between distinct spatial conditions within a single address.

This distribution of amenities reflects a deliberate response to how residents use space across the day. Sekisui House Australia Sales and Marketing Director Peter Kalaf points to the role these shared areas play in shaping buyer demand. Aeris has been conceived as more than a collection of apartments, with the podium pool, gym and outdoor cinema forming part of a broader lifestyle offering that extends the home beyond each individual residence.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=426 project_image_fid=360300]

What distinguishes Aeris is not the inclusion of these elements individually, but how they are arranged in relation to one another. Active, social, and passive spaces are layered vertically rather than separated, allowing residents to choose between them without leaving the building or moving far from their apartment. This proximity supports both routine use, such as a morning swim or evening workout, and more occasional gatherings, whether around the BBQ area or within the cinema setting.

The amenity design also sits within a broader framework of connectivity across Melrose Park. The Melrose Park Town Centre, anchored by Coles and Dan Murphys, features a mix of retail, dining, health and lifestyle offerings, bringing everyday convenience closer to residents. By the end of the year, more than five hectares of parks and open space, equivalent to around seven football fields of green space on residents' doorstep, will further enhance the precinct, allowing the internal facilities at Aeris to operate as an extension of the wider neighbourhood rather than a substitute for it.

Construction at Aeris continues to gather momentum, with ground floor slabs expected to be completed in late 2026 before the first sections of the buildings begin to rise above ground.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=426]

Elevated amenity anchors daily life at Aeris, Melrose Park

Repeat buyers are one of the strongest measures of confidence in any apartment development.

At <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/era-newcastle-west-124-126-bull-street-newcastle-west-nsw-2302">ERA</a> in Newcastle West, some purchasers are returning to <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/gwh">GWH</a> after living at the developer's One Apartments. Their decision to purchase again was driven by the quality of life they found after moving into their first GWH home.

Keith Wilton had spent years living in a house in East Maitland before deciding it was time for a change. Apartment living had always been on his radar, but he was selective about what he wanted.

<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/FH_1EzB-1vs?si=XScVlP1ERsTDJoME" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>

"I had some boxes I wanted to tick," he says.

Keith points to the open-plan design, generous outdoor areas and considered inclusions as key reasons One Apartments worked for him.

“One of those things was a nice indoor open plan area, but also I wanted a nice outdoor open area that I could entertain on in summer or Christmases or birthdays,” he says.

He also found value in the smaller details, from integrated appliances to shared resident spaces including the pool, cinema and rooftop areas.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=135096 project_image_fid=356818]

After comparing several developments, he chose One Apartments because of GWH's longstanding local reputation and his own experience working with the developer on a commercial project more than a decade earlier.

"I knew that they were local, that the quality of the build was going to be up there. I'd looked at other apartment complexes around and close by, and I just knew that here was a better decision location wise."

Today, Keith says the move has completely changed how he experiences Newcastle.

"I enjoy living in this location because it's more of a lifestyle change. That Newcastle city living where you can walk to restaurants and bars and even beaches and parks and even shopping across the road."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=135096 project_image_fid=356828]

Beyond the location, he says it's the sense of community that has surprised him most.

"Everyone loves living here because they chose to live here, but everyone looks out for each other. It's a real great community feel here."

For Aimee and Lyle Goodman, the journey started almost by chance.

<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/tsioMLcnjas?si=zq-ys3JuWpfa5hFv" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>

The couple happened to be having coffee in Newcastle when they noticed the site where One Apartments was about to begin construction.

"We were aware GWH was planning a development," Aimee says. "We made one phone call and things moved pretty quickly after that."

As busy business owners, they initially thought apartment living would simply reduce the maintenance that came with larger homes. Instead, it fundamentally changed how they spent time together.

"We actually catch up more as a family now," Aimee says.

"We've had homes with big yards and lots of space, but everyone ended up in different rooms. Here we'll have dinner together, the kids can play, and we spend far more quality time together."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=135096 project_image_fid=356829]

Lyle says their confidence came from GWH's reputation within Newcastle's building industry.

"I know people who've worked across different apartment projects, and whenever GWH came up the feedback was always the same. They're rock solid. They're quality."

That confidence only grew throughout the buying process.

"One of the things that really impressed us with GWH was the whole process, was the communication," Lyle says. "It was consistent, it was regular, there was no problem if we had some weird questions, there was no problems in getting answers."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=135096 project_image_fid=351104]

Aimee says one moment stood out.

"The project actually finished on time. We realised we needed to hurry up and sell our house because everything was happening exactly when they said it would."

The positive experience at One Apartments ultimately gave all three buyers the confidence to purchase again with GWH, this time at ERA.

Their confidence reflects what many buyers are seeking in today's apartment market. Location remains important, but so too does certainty around delivery, quality and long-term liveability.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=135096 project_image_fid=356822]

ERA builds on those foundations with 280 one, two and three-bedroom apartments across two landmark towers in <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/newcastle-west-nsw-2302">Newcastle West</a>.&nbsp;

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/fk-australia">Fender Katsalidis</a>, the project will include more than 2,000 square metres of resident amenities, including a resort-style pool, gym, sauna, private cinema and rooftop entertaining spaces overlooking the harbour and coastline.&nbsp;

The development is also within walking distance of the Newcastle Interchange, Honeysuckle, Darby Street, the harbour foreshore, restaurants, retail and the city’s beaches, continuing the walkable lifestyle that existing GWH buyers say has transformed how they live.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=135096 project_image_fid=356826]

For Keith, the appeal remains straightforward.

"You feel at home even before you've moved into your home."

For Aimee, the change is measured in time.

“I just felt like I had more time,” she says.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=135096 project_image_fid=351102]

Construction at ERA is now underway, with more than half of the residences already sold and limited two and three-bedroom apartments remaining in the East Tower release. Priced from $980,000 for two-bedroom residences and $1.46 million for three-bedroom residences, buyers can secure an apartment with a 10 per cent deposit, with premium homes offering ocean views from Level 8 and harbour views from Level 10.

ERA is also backed by Resilience Insurance's 10-year Latent Defects Insurance policy, providing protection against structural or waterproofing defects for 10 years after completion. The project is anticipated to be completed in early 2028.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=135096]

From ONE to ERA: Why buyers are choosing GWH again in Newcastle West

Green design

<html><body>
447 Collins Street, the commercial component of the wider Collins Arch project backed by Cbus Property and ISPT, has become the country's third development to receive a platinum level WELL Precertification.

Overseen by the International WELL Building Institute, precertification amounts to acknowledgement of design characteristics that demonstrate leadership in health and wellness. WELL Precertification is effectively a nod toward the design of commercial buildings which improve the nutrition, fitness, mood, sleep patterns and cognitive performance of its occupants.

To date the only other developments to receive an equivalent precertification rating in Australia are the nearby 477 Collins Street and Circular Quay Tower in Sydney. Further enhancing the sustainability credentials of 447 Collins Street, the development team have also put if forward for a 6-star Greenstar accreditation and 5.5 star NABERS energy rating. 

According to the International WELL Building Institute, Geelong's freshly completed 1 Malop Street office development is Victoria's sole project to date that has achieved Platinum level certification upon completion.

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public//pictures/article-images/image10a.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Latest imagery for the landmark mixed-use development. Image: Cbus Property"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="638" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files//styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image10a.jpg?itok=HXSIUJ1g" title="Latest imagery for the landmark mixed-use development. Image: Cbus Property" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Latest imagery for the landmark mixed-use development. Image: Cbus Property </figcaption></figure>Design features that aided in 447 Collins Street's WELL Precertification include indoor air quality monitoring, interiors fitness circulation, superior natural lighting and ventilation, varied amenities and services offered to those working within the building and the promotion of bicycle access and associated services.

<blockquote>
WELL is moving the focus of the building rating tool world from an environmental and building focus to a human health focus. This is really important in an age where people are spending over 90% of their time indoors.

If you are trying to attract and retain a tenant, you need to create a work place environment that is aligned to your life beyond just work. Our tenants are also vying to attract the best talent in their respective industries. Workplace wellness programs help define your employer brand and set it apart from the competition.

Showcasing an intentional culture that genuinely supports employee health and well-being is powerful — and can help to attract, secure and retain talent”.
<cite>Lorraine Moore, Cbus Property Sustainability Manager</cite>
</blockquote>

447 Collins Street's commercial component incorporates 50,000 square metres of premium grade office space, and has been popular with Melbourne's legal fraternity.

To date 80% of 447 Collins Street's available space has been accounted for, apportioned to future tenants Minter Ellison, HWL Ebsworth Lawyers, Gadens and Hong Kong-headquartered King &amp; Wood Mallesons.

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public//pictures/article-images/p8140790.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="August construction progression. Image: Redden"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="435" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files//styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/p8140790.jpg?itok=IoluZ4hh" title="August construction progression. Image: Redden" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>August construction progression. Image: Redden</figcaption></figure>Collins Arch's physical manifestation continues at pace. 

The larger footprint of <a href="/buildings/collins-arch-447-collins-street-melbourne">447 Collins Street</a> has become evident as its westerly form rises above Collins and William streets. Created by Woods Bagot &amp; SHoP Architects, Collins Arch's other tower form is rising jointly at 433 Collins Street; it will include a W Hotel-branded 5-star hotel with 294 rooms, 1,000 square metres of dedicated high end retail and 185 apartments.

2,000 square metres of public open space including a tiered amphitheatre will sit at the projects eastern doorstep, incorporating for a portion of Market Street.
</body></html>

silvermb

All good and WELL for 447 Collins Street

<html><body>
A major piece of green infrastructure is closer to reality in Sydney's inner suburbs with the draft GreenWay Master Plan now on show.

The significant step is the latest in the 15 year bid to deliver the remaining 3.2 kilometre section of GreenWay walking and cycle path through Lewisham West and Dulwich Hill that will link with existing green infrastructure at either end. Expected is a $57 million capital outlay to see the project through to fruition, with approximately half of that amount already in place.

The GreenWay Master Plan "sets out a unique, integrated, place-based approach which combines the four main functions of the GreenWay – active travel, ecology, recreation and culture – in each of the six precincts along the 5.8km corridor."

In its entirety, the green corridor spans 5.8 kilometres from Cooks River to Parramatta River's Iron Cove.

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public//pictures/article-images/image40_10.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Hawthorn Canal Precinct. Image: GreenWay Master Plan"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="364" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files//styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image40_10.jpg?itok=ATIUcKlF" title="Hawthorn Canal Precinct. Image: GreenWay Master Plan" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Hawthorn Canal Precinct. Image: GreenWay Master Plan</figcaption></figure>Backed by multi-disciplinary design studio McGregor Coxall, the GreenWay design mirrors the route of the Inner West Light Rail. The all-encompassing nature of the project sees bike paths and foreshore walks, cultural and historical sites, public art, community events, cafes, parks, playgrounds and sporting facilities included.

Major components of the draft GreenWay Master Plan include:

<ul>
<li>4 ha of revegetation and bank naturalisation</li>
	<li>Improvements to existing and newly accessible public open space</li>
	<li>Public art installations along the length of the corridor</li>
	<li>Completion of the remaining 3.2 km of GreenWay walking and cycle path</li>
</ul>
Construction of the already funded stages is expected to commence in 2019, with latter stages slated for a 2020 start. All works as outlined within the draft GreenWay Master Plan will be rolled out over the next 10 to 15 years.

"In line with the Government Architect office NSW vision for a Green Grid network throughout the Sydney Metropolitan area, the Greater Sydney Commission has identified the GreenWay as the number one priority Green Grid project in the Eastern City District Plan". 

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public//pictures/article-images/image41_8.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Dulwich Grove precinct. Image: GreenWay Master Plan - Visualisation of the "><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="382" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files//styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image41_8.jpg?itok=bEwZeAm1" title="Dulwich Grove precinct. Image: GreenWay Master Plan - Visualisation of the " width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Dulwich Grove precinct. Image: GreenWay Master Plan - Visualisation of the</figcaption></figure><h2>What they say</h2>

<blockquote>
The GreenWay was first envisaged twenty years ago, and the current Master Plan follows two decades of hard work to keep the idea alive and bring it to this point, much of it by volunteers. It's an honour to play a role at this important time in the life of the GreenWay.

In 2018, the project resonates in a city where residents are demanding better quality open space and natural areas, active transport links, and places where local arts and cultural programs can flourish.
<cite>Quotes Project Director, Alexa McAuley</cite>
</blockquote>

<blockquote>
The Inner West GreenWay has got every single thing you want to have as part of the Green Grid. Green space is a key hallmark of liveability. We propose a network of high-quality green space that connects town centres, public transport hubs and major residential areas. Known as the Sydney Green Grid, it is an integral part of the Greater Sydney Region and District Plans.

The Green Grid promotes sustainable development while maximising quality of life and wellbeing.
<cite>Environment Commissioner Rod Simpson</cite>
</blockquote>

It's expected that the finalised 2018 GreenWay Master Plan will be adopted by Inner West Council in August. Public comments are invited regarding the draft Plan which is on public exhibition until 24th June. The draft plan is available at <a href="http://yoursayinnerwest.com.au/greenway">yoursayinnerwest.com.au/greenway</a>
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Sydney's GreenWay Draft Master Plan open for public comment

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The Emporium Hotel Southpoint project, sister to Emporium Hotel in Brisbane’s Fortitude Valley, has received EarthCheck Design Certification, the first in the country to achieve such status.
EarthCheck is a leading scientific benchmarking, certification and advisory group for travel and tourism.
Achieving EarthCheck Design Certification places the new hotel in a unique worldwide group of sustainable buildings that are certified to the internationally recognised EarthCheck Building Planning and Design Standard, with the exclusive EarthCheckTM science inside, according to a media release. 
Emporium Hotel Southpoint will open in mid 2018, and feature 143 suites, a patisserie, restaurant and Sky Bar. It will have views to Brisbane’s CBD and beyond.  
Located in the same tower as the hotel are 217 luxury apartments, with owners having access to Emporium’s services. 
On the EarthCheck Design Certification, Anthony John Group managing director Tony John said it was a proud achievement.
“We created this building from the ground-up with a vision to deliver a hotel and precinct unlike any other in Brisbane, and achieving this design certificate brings with it  global recognition, credibility, best practice performance markers, cost reductions and clever building benefits,” he said.
The hotel is being built by Hutchinson Builders. 
“Like its sister at Fortitude Valley, we expect Emporium Hotel Southpoint to create new pathways for tourism and service when we open next year,” added John.  
Stewart Moore, CEO and founder of EarthCheck, said its standards are based on Agenda 21 principles and are structured to help tourism projects become not only great places to visit and work in but also improve the quality of life of local communities, - which is exactly what the project has delivered for the South Bank Precinct. 
 EarthCheck’s certification is awarded to projects that demonstrate that match or exceed current industry best practice performance levels. 
A limited number of Emporium Residences remain available for sale from $1,950,000, with owner’s enjoying access to the services of Emporium Hotel Southpoint.
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Emporium Hotel Southpoint in Brisbane gets sustainability tag from EarthCheck

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SPONSORED POST
For some time now, Australia has featured at the forefront in the growth of green buildings, a trend which has been reinforced with the recent Global Real Estate Sustainability Benchmark results.
However, while Australia’s premium office market moves toward the next building evolution in optimising human health and wellness, the mid-tier office market is yet to see any notable shifts in energy and emissions reduction.
Mid-tier office challenges and opportunities
The breadth and size of this market is compelling. The Australian Sustainable Built Environment Council’s recent Low Carbon High Performance report cites mid-tier offices are estimated to make up 52 million square meters of the 64 million square meters of office space nationally.
Policy makers have taken this into account and have started to focus more heavily on investigating the associated challenges and opportunities facing this sector. One of the resulting reports has been the 2015 Mid-tier Commercial Office Buildings in Australia (‘Pathway’) report produced by Green Building Council of Australia, following extensive collaboration between government and industry stakeholders.
This report shone a light on the complex barriers affecting change - notably the lack of knowledge, capital, resources and time faced by building owners / managers with respect to the adoption of energy efficiency measures. 
<img src="/images/2016/09/21/700_light.jpg" alt="">
Carrot and stick approaches
Drawing on some of the recommendations contained within the Pathway report, there have been a number of recent policy and program developments. A planned reduction in the threshold for the Commercial Building Disclosure program in mid-2017 is expected to see a good deal more small building owners being legally required to measure and disclose the energy efficiency of their assets. While there is potential for this scheme to work, it will be heavily influenced by tenant demand for green office space at this end of the market.
At the other end of the carrot and stick approach lies the need for targeted financial incentives:   
<ul>
<li>Sustainability Victoria’s Energy Efficient Office Buildings Program was aimed at mid-tier office buildings through matched funding grants of up to $150K.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>NSW’s Office of Environment and Heritage has recently initiated the ‘No More Average Buildings’ program, which provides financial assistance for energy efficiency improvements in buildings with low NABERS Energy ratings. </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>At a national level, there are calls to consider measures such as ‘green depreciation’ in which tax breaks could help drive greater investment in energy efficiency measures when building refurbishment works are carried out.  </li>
</ul>
Efficiency in a global context
Looking around the world, locations such as the United States, European Union and Japan are aiming to achieve net zero energy performance for their respective commercial buildings in the next few decades.
In the United Kingdom, by mid-2018, it will be unlawful for commercial building owners to lease poorly performing buildings, which at current estimates represent close to 20 percent of the national market.
The penalties for non-compliance with the legislation are expected to be considerable, but balanced against this is the provision of grants and subsidies to assist building owners. With talk of the energy-efficiency bar being raised in subsequent years, this new approach in the UK is sure to provide an interesting litmus test for other jurisdictions around the world, including Australia, to consider.
This article was written by Dale O’Toole, Savills Manager of National Sustainability. Savills is a leading global real estate service provider offering the full spectrum of services from strategic advice to managing assets and projects and transacting deals. To learn more about Savills sustainability services, visit <a href="https://www.savills.com.au/services-and-sectors/savills-earth.aspx" target="_blank">savills.com.au/earth</a>.
 
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jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

Energy efficiency in the mid-tier market: should we be dangling the carrot or brandishing the stick?

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Cbus property and Charter Hall's building in Melbourne has become Victoria's first 6 Star NABERS Energy rating.
The internationally lauded building at 171 Collins Street is one of just two commercial office buildings across the country to reach the rating milestone.
Designed by award-winning architects Bates Smart, the building was engineered by Umow Lai and managed by Knight Frank.
A building accredited with 6 Star NABERS Energy rating emits 50 percent less greenhouse gases than a building with a 5 Star rating.
The Collins Street building saves more than 1.3 million kilograms of carbon dioxide each year, equal to 568,000 litres of petrol, or 139 homes' energy use for one year when compared to a building with a 5 Star Nabers Energy Rating.
Home to BHP Billiton, Cbus Property CEO Adrian Pozzo said 171 Collins Street had set a benchmark in sustainability and was a shining example of the drive to create highly sustainable workplaces for the future.
“171 Collins Street is a lighthouse example of how premium grade buildings can deliver architectural beauty, world leading sustainability and exceptional occupant amenities without compromise,” he said.
“It is a true 21st century workplace and embodies all that we strive to achieve at Cbus Property in delivering projects that are of international architectural value and achieve exceptional environmental outcomes.
‘This milestone caps off several years of dedication by the entire project team as well as 171 Collins Street’s tenants in delivering and maintaining a truly green and sustainable building.”
The 171 Collins Street building also became the first premium building in 6 Star Green Star as Built Office V2 rating by the Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA)
It achieved a record 83 points.
In addition it has been recognised at the International Property Awards Asia Pacific, United Nations Association of Australia World Environment Awards and Urban Taskforce Development Excellence Awards.
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j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

Victoria's first 6 Star NABERS Energy rated building

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<img src="https://counter.theconversation.edu.au/content/62621/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1">
GUEST OBSERVER
The transition to a clean energy future is upon us, as shown by the huge uptake of solar panels and by the Turnbull government’s decision to set up a A$1 billion Clean Energy Innovation Fund. But what about those people who are at risk of being left behind?
Our survey of lower-income households shows that information about low-carbon living is often difficult to access, and that assistance is sometimes misdirected.
As a result, transitioning to low-carbon living is much harder for these households than it should be.
<h2>Listening to the people</h2>
Between December 2015 and June 2016, we held 23 focus group discussions with 164 lower-income households across eight metropolitan and regional centres in New South Wales, South Australia, Tasmania and the Northern Territory. Our aim was to try to understand the challenges these households face in transitioning to low-carbon living. This was part of a wider study, funded by the Cooperative Research Centre for Low Carbon Living, on finding ways to help poorer households reduce their carbon impact.
Almost everyone we spoke with supported the idea of low-carbon living. However, the ability to afford whiz-bang green technology – from expensive solar panels and battery systems right down to LED lightbulbs – is a big issue for these households.
Significant increases in energy costs since the late 2000s have added to this problem. In some states, bills have more than doubled in just the past six years.
While money is a key problem, it’s not the whole story, and there are ways to help. We have found a range of factors, besides affordability, that limit lower-income households’ ability to transition to low-carbon living.
<h2>Finding reliable information</h2>
Not everyone is looking for a hand-out; many just want to know how they can help themselves become more energy-efficient.
A major barrier that cropped up time and again in our survey is accessing the “right” information. Many people get good tips about assistance programs through friends and family, or via charities like the Salvation Army (one of our in-kind project partners).
But outside these avenues, information is often only available online, and many of our participants said that they either can’t afford internet access at home or, more importantly, don’t know what to search for.
What little information trickles through is often hard to understand. The Tasmanian government, for instance, offers a range of concessions on power and heating bills for older people or those who need to run medical equipment at home. But the benefits are expressed in cents per day (the current electricity concession, for instance, is 132.557¢ per day), which can make them unnecessarily hard for customers to calculate. Eligibility criteria are also often complicated.
With access to government services increasingly being moved online, the process can become a confusing rigmarole for many people, while others may miss out entirely.
<h2>Misdirected assistance</h2>
Most of the assistance programs available to lower-income households, such as Centrelink Utilities Allowances, are aimed squarely at providing financial relief.
States and territories also have their own rebate schemes to offer relief from rising energy costs. In NSW, for example, EAPA vouchers are designed to provide emergency and crisis relief.
But with lower-income households less likely to own their homes, they are often precluded from accessing programs to encourage green energy, such as solar panel rebates. This is a classic split incentive – the owner buys the panels (and gets the rebate) but the tenant gets the benefit (lower bills), making the owner less likely to invest.
This leads to the question of why rebates are not offered for using green energy, as well as for installing it.
“Green” criteria already exist in some other assistance programs. For example, the No Interest Loan Scheme, which helps lower-income households buy products such as whitegoods, now requires appliances to meet certain energy-efficiency standards.
The same principle could easily be used to help lower-income renters access electricity from cleaner energy sources.
Giving poorer households free home energy assessments is a good start, but they are focused purely on cutting energy consumption.
<h2>Removing hurdles</h2>
The compounding impacts of energy bill increases mean that many lower-income households are doing it pretty tough. Forgoing comfort in not turning on the heater or air-conditioner is one thing, but skipping meals or medication (as many of our survey respondents do) can have significant impacts on health and well-being.
Unfortunately, lower-income households have been going without life’s essentials for far too long. Setting up assistance programs is a good start, but we need to make sure that those who need help are getting it.
Here are our five suggestions for making it happen:
<ol>
<li>
Get the info out there. It’s important that people get the right information when they need it. Putting information online is great but it cannot be the only way – consideration must be given to those without internet access or who are less computer-literate.</li>
<li>
Keep it simple. Information needs to be straightforward and clear. If it’s stuffed with jargon and confusing numbers, it can become self-defeating.</li>
<li>
Support the support organisations. Charities like the Salvation Armyand the St Vincent de Paul Society serve important roles within our community, but they too need our continued help, especially when funding is not keeping up with needs.</li>
<li>
Get value for the public’s money. A billion-dollar public fund may sound like a big deal, but this is small fry compared to Australia’s A$878 billion annual domestic consumption expenditure. Nonetheless, it is a good start in heading towards the right direction. We just need to make sure it helps those who need it most.</li>
<li>
Overcome personal pride. Asking for help is never easy, and that’s why so many lower-income families go without. Making sure that incentive programs reach the right people, in the right way, can dramatically improve their willingness to use them. Hopefully, in the long run, fewer families will need to go without.</li>
</ol>
Edgar Liu is research fellow at City Futures Research Centre, UNSW Australia and author for The Conversation. He can be contacted <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/edgar-liu-32200" target="_blank">here</a>.
Bruce Judd is professor, UNSW Australia, and author for The Conversation. He can be contacted <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/bruce-judd-137243" target="_blank">here</a>.
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It’s not easy being green, especially when affordable help is so hard to find

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A shopping centre of the future design has won the Brickworks Living Building Challenge by using a 'screwed not glued' approach than enables it to be rebuilt elsewhere in the future.
The Brickworks Living Building Challenge design competition, run by the Living Future Institute of Australia with principal partner Frasers Property Australia, aims to explore the boundaries of sustainable design within the retail environment and redefine ‘best practice’ for the sector.
The shopping centre project, titled 'The Difference is Living', is the result of a collaboration between DWP Suters, Aurecon, CJ Arms, Reedbed Technology, Eco Harvest, Biomimicry Australia, Future Food and Watpac, featured a vision for the shopping centre of the future by comprehensively and creatively addressing key design principles, said Living Future Institute of Australia (LFIA) Vice- Chair Stephen Choi.
He said the way the modular design came together in a functional, well-conceived way, to potentially be re- purposed elsewhere at the end of the centre’s life cycle, significantly reduces construction waste compared to a standard retail centre, and is not an approach normally considered to this extent.
“Additionally, the winning design recognises and celebrates the innate connection between human beings and the natural elements that surround us, through its 'Bush Tucker' interpretive green walls and approximately 3900sqm of billabong plantings, including over 2000sqm of vine growing structures along site boundaries," he said.
“The billabong idea is very strong. Billabongs are usually formed when the path of a creek or river changes, leaving the former branch with a dead end. Billabongs, reflecting the arid Australian climate in which these "dead rivers" are found, fill with water seasonally and are dry for a greater part of the year. 
“We were inundated with thought-provoking, progressive submissions that highlight the breadth of sustainability expertise that the competition tapped into, resulting in a diverse range of thinking underscored by a shared passion to re-imagine the retail sector."
<img src="/images/2016/06/17/Screen%20Shot%202016-06-17%20at%2011.31.17%20AM.png" alt="">
Peri Macdonald, general manager of retail, Frasers Property Australia, said the design competition was an important initiative to progress the sustainable possibilities for retail not only in Australia, but internationally. 
“This competition opens the industry’s eyes to new possibilities when it comes to the design, creation and operation of shopping centres. It provides us all with food for thought when we begin to conceptualise a new retail centre for any given site,” he said.
The official awards ceremony for the Brickworks Living Building Challenge design competition was held at the Melbourne School of Design. The competition was coordinated by the LFIA, the local arm of the International Living Future Institute. Frasers Property Australia was the Principal Partner and the company’s Brickworks shopping centre site in Melbourne was the subject of the competition.
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A full list of winners and commendations is included below.
Professional winner: The Red Williams Award
The Brickworks - The Difference is Living 
DWP Suters, Aurecon, CJ Arms, Reedbed Technology, Eco Harvest, Biomimicry Australia, Future Food, Watpac 
The winning design comprehensively and creatively addresses the principles of the Living Building Challenge, with its modular construction a great initiative in a well thought out and functional design. The design’s market roof concept was interesting, with links to heritage, a striking roof structure and beautiful finishes. 
Professional runner-up: The Power for Life Award 
For the Common Good - A Restart to Retailing 
Buchan Group, Grün Consulting, Inhabit, Rushwright Associates 
A beautiful design and functional retail space, with an interesting digital communication and education concept, where the centre becomes a community gathering space instead of just a shopping centre. This design challenges traditional thinking and approaches by starting with sustainability and working backwards to make retail fit. 
Professional commendation: The Manna Gum Award 
The Gathering 
KPA Architects, Link Engineering Consultants, Ionic Design Australia, REALMstudios, Sustainability House 
The visually striking design comprises an interesting basement garden and grand entrance, with good construction methodology detail. A central garden connects two levels of a building that behaves like a flower, with inwardly embracing elements that stretch outwards. 
People’s Choice Award 
For the Common Good - A Restart to Retailing 
Buchan Group, Grün Consulting, Inhabit, Rushwright Associates
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Special commendation 
Living Retail 
NH Architecture, Ark Resources, ASPECT Studios, E2Designlab, CERES, Mott MacDonald 
A visually impressive 'long life loose fit' design which utilises natural ventilation and the venturi effect, and includes high density residential. Interesting features include a mobile batching plant on site for construction waste, and a user (tenant) pays for power system to incentivise battery storage. 
Volunteering champion: The Shiny Wallaby Award for Volunteering 
The BioVale 
DesignInc Melbourne, WSP|Parsons Brinckerhoff, Outlines Landscape Architecture, Mend 
The team behind this design has contributed in a volunteer and pro bono capacity to a number of not-for-profit community and environmental groups over the duration of the design competition. 
The Primary School Challenge Award 
Sustainability for the Future! 
Olivia Murley, Antonio Park Primary School 
Olivia’s drawing clearly represents some key ideas of what is relevant for sustainability in shopping centres. The design has a human scale, with a focus on pedestrians and cyclists. It’s a community space with lots of plants, public seating and a community garden. Practical ways to reduce energy include solar panels, natural light and external shading devices for the windows. Water is captured with cleverly placed funnels to filter down through the vertical gardens. 
Olivia wins a solar panel system for her school to be supplied and installed by competition sponsor Solgen Energy Group. 
Student winner: The Candlebark Award
Burwood Life Centre 
Team 42: Bhargav Sridhar, Monica Sutisna 
A plan with clever aspects like power generation and the inclusion of bees for pollination and regeneration. The incorporation of the Brickworks history and heritage connection is powerful, and a point of difference is the commercial catchment. An amazing rammed earth visual feature uses excavated materials on site. The design also included a research lab and library. 
Student commendations: The Red Box Award 
Brickworks Green by CE Arch (Elise Fancourt, Claire Murray) Farmulous: Urban Agriculture Education Centre by Dan Parker and Hui Li Yeoh 
For more information, <a href="http://propertyobserver.com.au/forward-planning/tools/ebooks-and-webinars/52152-australia-aspires-to-global-green-leadership-the-living-building-challenge" target="_blank">click here</a>.
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