Brisbane-based builder-developer <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/bpg-developments">BPG Developments</a> has secured approval for its $250 million Newstead apartment tower.

The building, at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/16-22-maud-street-newstead-qld-4006">16-22 Maud Street</a>, will have 103 apartments across the 15-level building which will be crowned with a rooftop wellness facilities.

Residents will range from expansive two-bedroom residences, through to several penthouses on level 15. There will be 1,380 sqm&nbsp;dedicated to wellness-inspired amenities including shaded outdoor dining nooks, a fire pit, barbecue area, sunset lounge, gym, yoga deck, magnesium lap pool, sun deck, a sauna, steam room, and cold plunge pool.

BPG put together the 2,430 sqm super-site combines three separate titles – a vacant warehouse, an electrical &nbsp;wholesaler and an industrial shed, which were acquired in two separate transactions over a 12 month period. &nbsp;

<img alt="BPG Developments secures development approval for $250 million Newstead project" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="d007d4fb-9c44-4e54-b79e-50b68711ebbd" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Final%2012_Podium%20Plaza%20View_r.jpg?VersionId=w6zql5hPjAp3j1..ZTCaYLzN65Ora8Z2" />

BPG was founded by industry veterans Nick Parr and Glen Williams. Parr said the project feels like a "coming home of sorts" for the pair, as they've both spent&nbsp;both spent the majority of their lives living in Brisbane's inner north. &nbsp;

“I lived just up the road in Teneriffe for most of my childhood," Parr said.

"We saw this site as an opportunity to deliver a timeless project in arguably Brisbane’s most popular suburb, where &nbsp;the standard for luxury design and amenities is incredibly high."

Parr believes Brisbane is in a bit of a "sweet spot" currently, in that&nbsp;construction prices have stabilised and demand has continued to climb which means the market is tightening up.&nbsp;

“The Brisbane market is unique in that there is no shortage of sites with existing development approvals, the issue is around the availability of builders who can deliver such projects. We are one of the few builder-developers who can build our own projects at scale &nbsp;so we are able to move quickly into delivery mode which gives confidence to our purchasers.” &nbsp;

Williams said they are proud of the project both&nbsp;in the sense of the significance of the site, but also in the quality and timelessness of the design. &nbsp;

“At BPG Projects we are conscious to prioritise quality over volume, so we tend to &nbsp;approach one project at a time," Williams said.

“For us we are motivated by creating a lasting legacy in our projects, so working with Plus &nbsp;Architecture to realise this vision has been a rewarding journey.” &nbsp;

BPG has appointed MOTIV to handle the sales and marketing of the new tower, which is expected to launch early next year. MOTIV Founder Carly Cottam said the project epitomises everything Newstead is about.

"Newstead is a huge success story in the revitalisation of Brisbane, and as a result it’s now one of the most popular inner suburbs, characterised by its exceptional urban design and wellness-driven lifestyle," Cottam said.

“We know this market values flexibility in floorplates, abundant storage and really liveable &nbsp;kitchens and interiors. That’s why designing an entire building around the owner occupier market with 100 &nbsp;percent of the floorplates representing two or three-bedroom residences mean this project is primed to appeal to the right audience.” &nbsp;

BPG completed Sable Palm Beach on the Gold Coast in 2019, and has plans for more developments in the suburb, as part of their $500 million development pipeline.

Joel Robinson

BPG Developments secures development approval for $250 million Newstead project

With three projects currently in market in Elizabeth Bay and Mosman, two of which are under construction and completing next year, apartment developer Toohey Miller is expanding its new development pipeline across Sydney.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/toohey-miller">Toohey Miller</a>, led by Nick Couloumbis, has filed plans for <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/oxford160-160-oxford-street-paddington-nsw-2021">Oxford160</a>, 44 new apartments across a nine-storey building on Oxford Street in Paddington. It will have 12 apartment designated as affordable housing as per the Housing SEPP 2021 mid-rise reforms which trigger increased height limits, and street-level retail spaces.

The vision for the project is to create a "welcoming and family-friendly place to live with a mix of quality and affordable homes to support the Paddington community at different life stages."

Designs prepared by Smart Design Studio outline a contemporary, articulated streetwall along Oxford Street, stepping back at the upper levels to mitigate bulk and improve visual integration with the local character. A new laneway will improve pedestrian connectivity to Shadforth Street, while communal open spaces are integrated at both ground and rooftop levels.

<img alt="Oxford160" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="0d6e77ed-8c25-4c52-a82d-dd076c66c777" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202025-12-01%20at%209.52.46%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=hjYcxIWIDOn7JWeom6RzIz7MWc1VG6HF" />

According to the Urban Design Supporting Letter prepared by architect and urban designer Matthew Pullinger, the new scheme “represents a contextually sensitive, responsive and high quality renewal of the site and the broader urban landscape”.

Pullinger said there are a range of benefits to the project, namely its contribution to the renewal of "this part of Oxford Street as a distinctive higher density urban high street and a defining element of greater Sydney’s urban character, thereby enhancing the vitality and liveability of this important street."

The new building will replace&nbsp;a dated 1960s-era apartment block which has 27 studio apartments.&nbsp;Design documents note that the current structure detracts from the character of Oxford Street, with the proposal seeking to restore and enhance the continuity of active shopfronts along the northern edge of the street.

The last project to launch on Oxford Street sold out immediately. It was fashion legend Robby Ingham's The Cambrian, which sold all of its 15 apartments in the first five hours of its weekend launch in 2023 through Ben Stewart.

Toohey Miller plans rare new apartment development on Oxford Street, Paddington 

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/geocon-group">Geocon</a>&nbsp;is advancing its plans for its new&nbsp;mixed-use precinct in Braddon, updated the designs for the prominent site at the intersection of Northbourne and Wakefield Avenues.

The Canberra-based developer is proposing 558 apartments and seven commercial tenancies across four buildings under a staged application first lodged in 2023. The project also includes four levels of basement parking, communal spaces, pedestrian links, and landscaping enhancements.

While the development’s scale remains consistent, the current amendment introduces extensive changes to apartment layouts, building envelopes, façade articulation, and basement design.

According to the Design Statement by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/cox-architecture">Cox Architecture</a>, these adjustments were driven by two core objectives: “enhancing apartment and common area amenity” and “ensuring acknowledgement of the housing design guidelines, entity advice, and planning expectations, while retaining the integrity of the original architectural concept”.

<img alt="Northbourne and Wakefield Avenues" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="066194ad-d73f-49b7-8e39-09e20690a7ac" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/pers%202.png?VersionId=I7eLnim8erdwd2Yu1N5sIcLSndeOK_TC" />

The revised apartment mix has been rebalanced to increase diversity and affordability, including a broader range of unit sizes and a higher proportion of three-bedroom dwellings. The updated design also removes problematic layouts, such as “snorkel” bedrooms and internalised studies, to improve liveability and natural light access.

Cox Architecture noted that “studios and smaller one-beds provide entry-level housing and broaden affordability,” while the number of family-sized three-bed apartments has been increased “in direct response to market demand and policy objectives”.

The circulation spaces within the towers have been redesigned to improve wayfinding and daylight penetration, while the ground floor layout has been reworked to create clearer and more visible entry points, particularly from Northbourne Avenue.

Refinements to the building’s massing and façades have also been introduced in response to planning feedback, with additional breaks and articulation to reduce perceived bulk. “Rooftop plant and lift overruns have been integrated and screened, resolving visibility concerns,” COX stated.

Basement levels have been consolidated and made more efficient, with improvements to bike and storage facilities.

<img alt="Northbourne and Wakefield Avenues" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="a1ab9357-707d-46fd-95d7-d6e09c70f20b" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/pers%203.png?VersionId=crDXvrmDsGqFGcb_p6NSUlsr0vYsRacq" />

The precinct’s pedestrian connections have been clarified, and the public realm has been restructured to improve permeability and align with the broader Northbourne corridor urban design framework. Landscaping updates include increased deep soil zones and rooftop communal areas, with tree management to be addressed separately.

Geocon acquired the 10,633 sqm site earlier in 2023 following approval of a prior build-to-rent scheme by Evri Group. The existing nine-storey commercial building was demolished in 2022.

The current proposal, designed by Cox Architecture, is positioned as a key contributor to the ACT Government’s urban renewal vision for Northbourne Avenue, an established transport and development spine served by light rail and major arterial roads.

First look: Geocon refines plans for four-tower precinct on Braddon's Northbourne Avenue

The booming Bilinga beachfront is set for another luxury apartment development, with plans filed for KYRR, an 11-level block on the dress circle Pacific Parade.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/kyrr-70-pacific-parade-bilinga-qld-4225">KYRR</a>, on the corner of Pacific Parade and Archer Street, will comprise 24 apartment on its prime 1,009 sqm site. There had previously been plans for a much more boutique seven-storey, five-unit scheme.

Plans have been pitched by CHM Living, an entity associated with James Quinert, the founder of Norwood Constructions which is based in Melbourne.

<img alt="70 Pacific Parade and 1 Archer Street" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="2f6159ee-3511-4b16-b9fa-ae8c008b8faf" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/site_5.png?VersionId=4n2YaBQdjXcshUAkxX8ei9X5N0v2AWqB" />

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/byculprit">ByCulprit Architects</a>, the project includes a sculptural façade with soft curves and natural finishes, inspired by the rhythm and calm of the nearby Pacific Ocean.

According to the Town Planning Report by Town Planning Alliance, the project aspires to reflect the intent of the Medium Density Residential zone, aiming to "contribute to the city’s iconic skyline along the coastal spine" with a high degree of architectural modulation and landscaping that softens the built form.

There will be 22 large-scale three-bedroom apartments and two five-bedroom penthouses. The wellness amenities, including a gym, steam room, sauna, pool, golf simulator, and cold plunge, will sit on level one.

Kyrr will follow in the footsteps of <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/buildings/pipis-bilinga-303-golden-four-drive-bilinga-qld-4225">PIPIS</a> in Bilinga by SIERA, which is all but sold out with just one of its luxury 19 apartments left to sell. The building set suburb records, with the penthouses both selling for over $8 million. Down the road is Bilinga House, which has a wider mix of configurations and price points starting from just over $1.2 million.

First look: Bilinga beachfront set for new luxury apartment development, KYRR

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/coronation-property">Coronation Property</a> has received development approval for Archer &amp; Albert, a 32-storey, mixed-use residential development in the heart of Chatswood.

Located at 57–61 Archer Street and 34 Albert Avenue, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/archer-albert-chatswood-57-61-archer-street-chatswood-nsw-2067">Archer &amp; Albert</a> will deliver 150 new homes, including affordable housing, alongside ground-floor and podium retail, commercial space, a heritage house activated as a café, additional ground-level activation, and a landscaped publicly accessible park designed for community use.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/archer-albert-chatswood-57-61-archer-street-chatswood-nsw-2067">Archer &amp; Albert</a> is one of the few large-scale residential developments in the heart of Chatswood City to progress through a council-led architectural design competition and secure development approval, positioning it at the forefront of design led housing.&nbsp;

<img alt="Archer" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="33cb754a-1493-4203-bd16-096d320597f6" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/A%2BA_C03_EXT_StreetScape_ID1.jpg?VersionId=oLUPFVAMxuRUTH1Bwki16R48cEo.vLeB" />

Designed by global architecture practice <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/woods-bagot">Woods Bagot</a>, long-term collaborators of the Coronation team, the project draws inspiration from the Sydney Blue Gum High Forest and the leafy character of the South Chatswood Heritage Conservation Area. The design integrates a restored heritage-listed home and establishes a landscaped connection between Chatswood’s urban centre and its surrounding residential neighbourhoods.&nbsp;

“This is an important project for us and our first entry into the North Shore,” said Joe Nahas, Managing Director of &nbsp;Coronation Property.&nbsp;

“We are deliberate about where we invest and build, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/chatswood-nsw-2067">Chatswood</a> stands out because the fundamentals are already strong. Transport, employment, education, retail and health are all in place. Archer &amp; Albert is about adding new housing into a centre that already works and building on what exists.”&nbsp;

<img alt="Chatswood" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="620fcd78-00be-489b-823a-ca353387b91b" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/A%2BA_C04_EXT_PARK_HA_ID2.jpg?VersionId=NxSl04Zl1rzt94xlXNA6CNzSR9XMyLgP" />

Aras Labutis, Head of Urban Transformation at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/coronation-property">Coronation Property</a>, said the project reflects a disciplined, collaborative approach to city shaping.&nbsp;

“Chatswood sits at an important junction between high-density commercial activity and established residential &nbsp;neighbourhoods," Labutis said.

"Our focus for Archer &amp; Albert was to manage that transition carefully, respecting what’s already there &nbsp;while contributing something new that feels deliberate and enduring."

The approved scheme delivers:&nbsp;

<ul>
	<li>A 32-storey mixed-use tower comprising 150 homes, including 41 affordable housing dwellings • 530sqm of ground-floor retail, dining and commercial offerings&nbsp;</li>
	<li>A 760sqm wellness tenancy integrated within the podium&nbsp;</li>
	<li>A restored heritage building, thoughtfully reimagined as a café overlooking the park&nbsp;</li>
	<li>A landscaped public park, designed as a calm green retreat in the heart of Chatswood&nbsp;</li>
	<li>Resident amenities include a premium gym, golf simulator, mahjong room, dedicated wellness areas, private &nbsp;dining facilities and a curated wine room&nbsp;</li>
	<li>Deep private balconies designed to capture outlooks and northern light&nbsp;</li>
	<li>A refined material palette of natural stone, timber and terracotta&nbsp;</li>
</ul>

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=29796]

Coronation receives green light for Archer & Albert apartments in Chatswood

wellness

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The future of our homes continues to evolve as innovations in smart and green technologies shape the way our living environments are designed. International wellness intelligence company Delos identified a gap in the market to create a product which complimented smart and green systems but primarily focused on a health and wellness product. After launching their new cutting-edge technology system 'DARWIN', the product gained global success and has now reached the Australian market – commencing installation in new builds in both Sydney and Melbourne. We had a chat to Delos Australia's Managing Director, Anthony Scarff about how DARWIN works, and what the benefits are for consumers.

<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/jt1_8238-copy.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="L to R: Anthony Scarff (Delos Managing Director), Shaynna Blaze (Brand ambassador) and Paul Scialla (Founder)"><img alt="L to R: Anthony Scarff (Delos Managing Director), Shaynna Blaze (Brand ambassador) and Paul Scialla (Founder)" class="image-article-full-width-580px" src="https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/jt1_8238-copy.jpg?itok=lrqFBBM_" style="width: 580px; height: 386px;" title="L to R: Anthony Scarff (Delos Managing Director), Shaynna Blaze (Brand ambassador) and Paul Scialla (Founder)"></a>

<figcaption>L to R: Anthony Scarff (Delos Managing Director), Shaynna Blaze (Brand ambassador) and Paul Scialla (Founder)</figcaption></figure>Urban.com.au: Firstly, what sets DARWIN apart from any other wellness technology company on the market currently?

Anthony Scarff: DARWIN is the world’s first wellness intelligence network designed to mitigate environmental concerns across the home, as a holistic ecosystem it is the only one of its kind in the market which looks after the entire home. DARWIN is designed to monitor, calibrate, and respond to changing environmental conditions within across the home to help regulate energy levels, and sleep quality, and enhance overall health and well-being of its occupants.

Through years of rigorous laboratory research and collaborations with leading architects, engineers, scientists and health professionals, Delos presents evidence-based solutions designed to enhance health, performance, and well-being in the residential environment.

Working with Mayo Clinic, Harvard Sleep School, Cleveland Clinic and more recently Monash University ensure our DARWIN solution directly addresses the very real health concerns inside the home.

U: What are some of the key health issues which our homes face (including new apartments) that people should be aware of?

AS: Extensive research told us that the home environment can have a profound impact–either negative or positive–on wellness. That prompted our founders to ask: what if there was a scientifically-supported way to improve the health and well-being of our homes?

On average, we spend about 90% of our lives indoors. The Centres for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that genetics account for as little as 10-15 per cent of overall health outcomes, while 70 per cent of our health is determined by our physical and social environments. So, if we are spending over 90% of our lives indoors, we understand that the quality of our indoor air, water and light can undermine even our best efforts to maintain a healthier lifestyle. Indoor environments can influence almost every aspect of our lives, from our energy levels and sleep quality to our moods and how productive we are throughout the day.

From an AIR perspective

Indoor air quality can be up to five times worse than outdoors. Pollens and other allergens infiltrate the home environment, as do toxins and pathogens, which are emitted from material and furnishings. Even seemingly innocuous elements like odours can affect human emotions and sleep quality.

From a WATER perspective

Microscopic contaminants (like lead and chlorine) and additives can be present in our tap water, affecting the taste, odour and ‘hardness’ of our water. When ingested, contaminated water can affect many body systems, including digestive, cardiovascular, respiratory, nervous, urinary, and integumentary systems.

From a LIGHT perspective

We evolved with the natural lighting rhythms of the sun. These regular cycles of light and dark are critical to our health and well-being. Unfortunately, modern living often disrupts our natural circadian rhythm (a 24-hour biological process that dictates our sleep-wake cycle) and in turn, can have a negative effect on our comfort, mood and alertness. Since we spend approximately around one- -third of our lives sleeping, quality sleep is a key determinant of our well-being.

<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/delos0138_2.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="The Darwin interface in-situ"><img alt="The Darwin interface in-situ" class="image-article-full-width-580px" src="/s3/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/delos0138_2.jpg?itok=2xsd89f7" style="width: 580px; height: 387px;" title="The Darwin interface in-situ"></a>

<figcaption>The Darwin interface in-situ</figcaption></figure>U: What methods does the system use to purify the air?

AS: Indoor air pollution is considered one of the greatest concerns of our generation. Unlike a dirty glass of water or spoiled food, polluted air often goes unnoticed, but it can negatively affect our health and well-being in both the short and long term. With microscopic particulate matter and allergens infiltrating our homes, and toxins and pathogens habitually emitted from household material and furnishings, indoor air pollution is considered a top five environmental health risk across the globe.

DARWIN Responsive Air Purification transforms your home into a healthier ecosystem by targeting contaminants, toxins, pathogens and offensive odours, as well as pollen and other triggers for asthma and allergies. Our high- efficiency air purification system functions independently from existing mechanical systems to effectively reduce air pollutants such as particulate matter and volatile organic compounds. The user-friendly interface is designed to monitor and track air quality both inside and outside the home.

DARWIN Responsive Air Purification intelligently and efficiently target particulate matter, volatile organic compounds, allergens, pathogens, and other air pollutants. The process is made up of the following innovations:

Air Purification: DARWIN employs a three-stage filtration process including a pre-filter, HEPA/MERV 13 filter, and a high capacity activated carbon filter.

Air Quality Sensor: Discreet sensors continually monitor and measure concentrations of five critical air pollutants in order to empower users with status updates on the conditions in their home.

Outdoor Air Quality Data: External sensors provide an index on outdoor air pollutants, along with 12-hour forecasts and heat maps of local air quality.

<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/screen_shot_2019-06-06_at_10.09.03_am.png" rel="gallery-all" title="Stage 3 water filter"><img alt="Stage 3 water filter" class="image-article-full-width-580px" src="/s3/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/screen_shot_2019-06-06_at_10.09.03_am.png?itok=kh4TXd0w" style="width: 580px; height: 877px;" title="Stage 3 water filter"></a>

<figcaption>Stage 3 water filter</figcaption></figure>U: How does each facet of the DARWIN system work and how can it be used most effectively?

AS: DARWIN Responsive Air Purification intelligently and efficiently target particulate matter, volatile organic compounds, allergens, pathogens, and other air pollutants.

<ol>
<li>Reduces Pollen &amp; Allergens: targeting particulate matter that enters the home from outside air delivers fresher and cleaner air throughout your home.</li>
	<li>Targets Toxins &amp; Pathogens: volatile organic compounds from household materials and furnishings can have both short and long-term health impacts.</li>
	<li>Expels Odours: offensive odours can affect your emotions and sleep. Eliminating them can improve your mood, reduce stress and enhance overall well-being.</li>
	<li>Responsive Purification: continuous air quality monitoring technology enables the DARWIN network to adjust to fluctuating conditions across the home.</li>
</ol>
DARWIN Restorative Lighting mirrors natural sunlight patterns to promote your circadian rhythm, which helps regulate your energy levels, hormonal balance, appetite, productivity, and sleep quality.

<ol>
<li>Wake Naturally: Dawn Simulation, our uniquely calibrated lighting sequence that mirrors the rising sun, will wake you gently from a deep night’s sleep.</li>
	<li>Jump Start Your Day: Say goodbye to groggy mornings with our capacitive touch Energising Mirror. A bright light has a powerful effect on your body’s circadian rhythm. An energising light in your bathroom mirror emits a bright, white light that helps energise you for the day ahead and provides warm light in the evening to help you wind down.</li>
	<li>Energise Your Day: Our bright daytime lighting is designed to help stimulate your mind and energised, and to enhance focus and productivity during the day.</li>
	<li>Relax &amp; Unwind: Our evening lighting creates a warm, welcoming environment to help prepare your mind and body for restfulness and relaxation.</li>
	<li>Sleep Deeply: Subtle night lighting and minimised sleep disturbance help promote a supportive sleep environment for deep, uninterrupted rest.</li>
</ol>
DARWIN Water Filtration uses best-in-class filtration technologies that are customised through on-site water testing, third-party laboratory analysis, and historical regional data.

<ol>
<li>Cleaner Water: Filtration helps reduce iron rust, particles, heavy metals, chlorine taste and odour, for fresher and cleaner water at select taps or across your home.</li>
	<li>Savings for You &amp; the Planet: Filtered water is more cost effective than bottled water and reduces the environmental impact on our landfills.</li>
	<li>Great Tasting Water: Carbon filtration helps reduce chlorine taste and odour, providing fresher, cleaner and better-tasting water.</li>
</ol>
The network can be used most effectively when it is passively integrated with The wellness brain to communicate with DARWIN elements, from purified air to natural light patterns, to help optimise your home as a wellness ecosystem.

U: How can circadian lighting solutions mitigate a lack of productivity?

AS: Light has a powerful effect on our bodies and moods, including energy levels, cognitive function and alertness, and the sleep-wake cycle. Light regulates our circadian rhythm, which synchronizes many aspects of our physiology, metabolism and behaviour, including our appetite, sleep, energy and productivity. Today, we spend most of our time indoors with insufficient lighting or prolonged exposure to artificial light. After generations of evolution, our body clocks still rely on the natural rhythm of sunlight to regulate our sleep cycle.

DARWIN Restorative Lighting mirrors natural sunlight patterns to promote your circadian rhythm, which helps regulate your energy levels, hormonal balance, appetite, productivity, and sleep quality.

U: Can my home be retrospectively fit with DARWIN technology if it hasn’t already been installed during construction?

AS: Although this is not our current focus, all DARWIN products and technology has been developed for simple integration at any stage of the building process. Our current focus is working with developers and homebuilders - with plans to move into the retrofit market later in the year.

U: What does the future of DARWIN technology look like? Are there any other features which are likely to be implemented?

AS: We are constantly working toward making DARWIN customer focused, looking to integrate with other companies to make the customer experience as easy as possible - for example working with Google Home to allow consumers with home automation to integrate with DARWIN is a constant focus. Why build homes just so they’re good for the environment? Why not build them so they’re good for people, too? It’s all about preventive intentions, and it could be a game-changer. A smart home isn’t smart if it isn’t healthy - and this where DARWIN can make a real difference in the market
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Olivia Round

How healthy is your home? Delos Australia’s Anthony Scarff discusses the launch of exciting new technology in Australia

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SPONSORED POST
Savills has recently unveiled the findings of its 2017 Tech Cities research programme, which aims to understand the diverse factors that make places good locations for the tech sector. 
The Tech Cities programme currently measures 22 global centres against more than 100 individual metrics, but for the first time in 2017 Tech Cities has also considered how each city performs on buzz and wellness.
Cities attract young tech talent who increasingly want to live in dynamic, healthy neighbourhoods within walking or cycling distance of the office. The Tech Cities ‘buzz and wellness index’ specifically looks to capture these qualities and identify the liveable cities that deliver what this demographic desires by measuring ‘buzz’ (i.e. nightlife, entertainment and cultural offer), ‘wellness’ (i.e. pollution levels, quality of parks, healthcare, commuting times) and the cost of living (excluding property costs) in each location. 
These new metrics have seen some changes to the cities included in the programme, with Melbourne appearing for the first time as the top tech city in Australia. When looking specifically at buzz and wellness, Melbourne ranks 16th on city buzz, 13th on cost of living and 3rd for wellness.
The trade-off between buzz and wellness
Cities with high buzz scores tend to have great bars, clubs, restaurants, shops, music venues and museums, and radiate excitement and creativity. 
But buzzy cities can have downsides: being popular on a world stage tends to lead to high property and living costs, and can lead to overcrowding and congestion. This could lead to younger generations of talent increasingly looking for something different as more young workers aim to strike a better balance between living in fun, energetic cities and maintaining their physical and mental health. Buzz alone may not be enough to attract these potential workers to a city, many of whom are either already employed or are looking to start careers in tech and its related industries.
That’s why it’s also important to look at wellness in a city - low crime and pollution rates, quality parks and public spaces, and low congestion. Copenhagen, Stockholm and Melbourne are at the top of this list.
While there’s often a trade-off between ‘buzz’ and ‘wellness’, Amsterdam and Toronto balance the two. Occupiers looking to attract the new generation of talent therefore need to pay close attention to such factors when looking for new locations
Looking at the future, we suspect it is these cities which can balance both factors (representing shorter commutes, easier access to amenities and a better work/life balance), that will move up the rankings in future iterations of Tech Cities.
City Buzz and Wellness index
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/05/08/Buzz-and-wellness-Index-2017.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/2017/05/08/Buzz-and-wellness-Index-2017.jpg" alt=""> 
City Buzz + Wellness + Cost of Living index*
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/05/08/City-buzz-wellness-index-separate-2017.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/2017/05/08/City-buzz-wellness-index-separate-2017.jpg" alt="">
*Each of the three components is weighted then averaged together to get the final index score.
Source: Savills World Research, Tech Cities 2017. 
More Information
<a href="https://www.savills.co.uk/tech-cities" target="_blank">Savills Tech Cities</a> 2017 programme aims to understand the diverse factors that make places a good location choice for the tech sector; examining 22 global centres which have thriving and growing tech industries, home grown start-ups and incubators, and are at the top of global shopping lists for tech companies looking for space in which to locate. 
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, visit <a href="https://www.savills.com.au" target="_blank">savills.com.au</a>.
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