The Challenge returns for its third round with a live webinar on 13 November 2025, hosted by the Australian Institute of Architects. This flagship initiative is now available Australia-wide and empowers architects to design low to net zero carbon homes, using whole-of-life cycle carbon analysis with the RapidLCA app, to deliver measurable climate outcomes.
Guest speakers include the institute’s national president, Adam Haddow, in conversation with architects Sarah Lebner, Patrick Kelly and Jane Cassidy. Together, they explore designing for reduced carbon and discuss how architects can enter this challenge round.
With 2.7 million new homes projected by 2050, residential buildings remain one of Australia’s most carbon intensive sectors. The challenge focuses on low to medium density housing up to three storeys and supports architects to model and reduce carbon across diverse housing types—from new builds to alts+adds and multi-family dwellings and many more!
Past entries have achieved average savings of 450 tonnes CO2e per residence—equivalent to planting 2700 trees or removing 100 cars from the road. Led by the Canberra Challenge team, in partnership with Cerclos, this non-profit initiative is a key deliverable of the Institute’s Decarbonisation Plan 2025–2050.
Register for the launch now for your chance to enter the challenge.