Just as we pull together the final strands in our revised and enhanced Q3 and Q4 events program, there’s been a stream of stories that shows how bang on target our topics are.
Carbon Triggers
First up – and soon to be revealed in detail – will be the next Big Debate. It’s called Carbon Triggers and will be hosted by Hassell at their beautiful retrofitted Sydney studios. The proposition is still being tweaked but essentially it asks if Australia needs a mandated carbon budget trigger to stop buildings being demolished, in the same way the London Plan has implemented.
Anyone who’s come to our previous debates will know they’re loads of fun and get a tad heated at times…
Hold the date 25 August, 5.30 pm till 8 pm.
Right on cue last week we got news that Dexus has managed to convert a 27 storey building at 41 George Street in Brisbane into student accomm with more than 1100 beds. Couldn’t be done so many “wise” people said. As an aside we found out later that this former government office building officially known as Mineral House was in fact known as Miserable House by its occupants. It gives you a sense of the challenges involved.
We recall too a leading architect about a year ago who dubbed a developer from Melbourne planning to demolish a Sydney CBD building as stupid.
So wrecking the joint these days is starting to look a bit like smoking in public. Neat!
The backlash is already on
But watch for the backlash. In just the last few days it’s shown its teeth.
In this instance it’s from a publication that says the London Plan’s whole life-cycle carbon assessments are nothing less than a “dogmatic obsession with retrofitting” that “risks harbouring structural defects and hidden carbon penalties, proving that complete site clearance remains vital for truly sustainable urban development”.
Wow. Didn’t expect that one.
“The narrative dominating urban planning across Britain has become dangerously blinkered,” the article continues.
“Developers are routinely told that full demolition represents an environmental failure by default, whilst retrofitting is heralded as the ultimate green cure-all.”
This “‘retrofit first’ dogma has taken a stranglehold on our industry. In this current climate, full site clearances in the nation’s capital are slowly drying up. In their place is a steep rise in complex cut-and-carve tenders; projects where contractors are forced to selectively dismantle buildings, retain unstable façades, and carve out new spaces within old, compromised skeletons. While preserving upfront embodied carbon is an admirable goal on paper, this rigid mindset completely overlooks the vital, long-term contribution of the demolition sector. A “demolition as a last resort” policy is hopelessly misplaced, routinely locking in hidden defects, structural risks, and future carbon penalties.”
And you might have guessed it; the publication is called Demolition Insider.
Get set for another rollicking night of hot debate.
Transition Risk
Next event on our calendar will be a masterclass titled Transition Risk. It’s an all day practical knowledge share event that delves into the value proposition that makes electrification and renewable energy a must have, not “nice to have” lest the tenants walk away and the investors lose interest. The money saved on energy efficiency is just part of the story if your property becomes a stranded asset.
The program for this event has been curated by the fabulous Steve Ford, ex GPT where he was pivotal to that company’s own transition. Steve will also be MC, a role that will come easily to this physicist with a background as a science communicator and loads of experience on airwaves as well.
Thanks to the City of Melbourne, NABERS and Buildings Alive for being early sponsors of the event.
The event will be in both Melbourne on 8 September and in Sydney soon after (date TBC).
We also hope to roll it out to Canberra, Brisbane and other parts of this Great Southern Land so if you’re interested to support or host us get in touch!
Check out the story this week on Mirvac’s fifth electro-retrofit program. This time for its own headquarters at 200 George Street in Sydney.
Nature and resilient cities
Bevin’s written this week too about the intense heat that’s hit the northern hemisphere with dangerous consequences. In the UK it forced the cancellation of an event … on intense heat.
People are suffering badly and authorities are concerned – we’ve all seen the news. But also of concern will be food production, jobs and water shortages.
The New York Times has called the need for a major retrofit of the planet no less. Here in Australia enjoy the coolth because a Super El Nino is on the way.
Taking in our abuse of nature that’s delivered all this and what we need by way of funding and policies to protect our cities will be Greening the Resilience. It will be held in late October.
Greening the Inside
And finally we’ll go navel gazing later in the year or at least turning inwards and looking at what we live with for most of our waking hours in the places we live, work and play.
Take a look at the story from last week where Laura Hamilton-O’Hara speaking at the Humanscale offices in Sydney reminded us of all the nasties that lurk within our inside spaces.
Keep a look out for the details to be released soon.
And get in touch to find out more: events@thefifthestate.com.au
