The Australian Sustainable Built Environment Council (ASBEC) has released a new policy platform to address Australia’s housing crisis. Improved Housing Outcomes – for affordable, sustainable housing.

“We know Australia is in the grip of a housing crisis.  A growing population and skyrocketing house prices mean living affordability and housing security is being stretched to the limit.” said Rebecca Douthwaite, Chair of ASBEC’s Housing Policy Working Group and Policy Manager – Housing & Planning, Property Council of Australia.

“But there’s no one single solution to housing affordability.”

ASBEC’s members from across the built environment have nominated a package of policy fixes needed to resolve housing affordability issues and deliver high quality, well designed homes to meet Australia’s diverse needs.

“First, we need to work to a plan. Future infrastructure needs to be scoped and delivered in the right places. Diverse medium and high density urban housing should be built along transport corridors and near amenities. Incentives to build the right type of homes are needed, while planning assessment for higher density developments must also be simplified.” said Rebecca.

While the sticker price of homes is important, the costs of heating, cooling and lighting our houses are also crucial, along with the costs of travel to work and services.

“The key to cheaper running costs is improved energy efficiency,” said ASBEC’s Executive Director, Suzanne Toumbourou. “Not only are more energy efficient buildings more comfortable and healthy, but they have the added bonus of being a fast and cost effective way to reduce emissions as well!”

“Public understanding of the benefits of energy efficient housing is limited, so education is required. Governments also need act to improve conformance and compliance with the energy performance standards for buildings in the National Construction Code.  If not, people won’t get the homes they’re paying for.” said Suzanne.

Facilitating density is also vital, so that people can be connected to employment and amenity, whilst accommodating growing populations. However, introducing high density housing to existing communities is a fraught process. It is critical to engage local from the start.

“We can fix the critical issues relating to living affordability, and deliver a diverse range of well designed, well located, affordable, sustainable housing for all the Australians who need it. said Rebecca Douthwaite. “But we’ll need to act on the priorities identified by the building sector in ASBEC’s Improved Housing Outcomes platform.”

Read Improved Housing Outcomes – for more affordable, sustainable housing

Download the full media release here.