Kyrillos Ghaly

  In a recent article by Carolyn Cummins for the Sydney Morning Herald, the spotlight is on the b ooming build-to-rent sector in Australia . Pressure is being exerted all levels of government for legislative reforms to strengthen the foundation of the build to rent market . Leading developers like Mirvac, Lendlease, Greystar, and Novus are at the forefront, capitali s ing on this sector to help alleviate the national housing shortage.   T his sector has an estimated value of $16.87 billion, despite representin g just 0.2% of the total residential housing sector, according to EY. B uild-to-rent is poised for explosive growth , with planned expansion including projects like Melbou rne’s G urrow a Place at Queen Victoria Market, which integrates build-to-rent units with commercial spaces.   Key to th e sustainability of this growth will be legislative reform. Recent draft legislation proposes a significant incentive: reducing the managed investment trust (MIT) with...

  In Australia, a prefabricated home is defined as a dwelling manufactured off-site in advance, typically in standard sections that can be easily shipped and assembled on-site. According to the Prefabrication Industry Roadmap 2023-2033 by prefabAUS , prefabrication could halve construction times and cut costs by up to 20% compared to traditional building methods. The roadmap extols several benefits of prefabricated homes including higher quality, affordability, better environmental performance, greater resilience to climate change, and lower life cycle costs.   Despite these advantages, significant concerns were raised by NSW Building Commissioner David Chandler at a recent Property Council event in Sydney. Chandler argued that prefabrication is not the immediate solution to Australia's housing challenges, citing a gap in digital maturity and innovation, especially among smaller builders and contractors who are crucial for delivering affordable, medium-density housing. Notably...

Australia's ambitious goal to construct 1.2 million homes within the next five years is currently facing significant challenges due to a severe shortage of skilled tradespeople, often referred to as 'tradies'. Industry forecasts now anticipate a shortfall of approximately 112,000 homes, with New South Wales (NSW) and South Australia predicted to experience the most significant deficits. According to recent statistics from BuildSkills Australia, the construction sector needs an additional 90,000 workers to meet these building targets. This growing shortage of tradies has become a critical issue, impacting projects across all sectors and contributing to a 12-year low in the commencement of high-density home projects. Denita Wawn, CEO of Master Builders Australia, has highlighted the urgent need for federal support to bolster our construction workforce. Similarly, the Housing Industry Association has pointed out the essential role of government incentives in encouraging trades...

In early 2023, the construction sector was again under scrutiny due to an incident at Castle Hill, where structural issues and a partial collapse in a high-rise apartment complex developed by Toplace highlighted acute concerns over construction quality and safety standards. This event not only brought to light the challenges of assuring construction quality and safety in high-rise residential buildings but also echoed problems observed in past Sydney developments like the Opal Tower and Mascot Towers, where major structural failures led to evacuations and substantial remedial work. The Toplace apartments’ case sparked an extensive debate about the oversight and regulation of the Australian construction industry. Experts, including building construction lawyers and engineers, voiced their concerns about systemic failures within the sector, attributing these incidents to compromised building standards and practices, often rushed to meet the pressing housing demands. These issues raised s...

  A recent analysis by MacroBusiness has unveiled a concerning trend in Australia’s construction industry — a new wave of defective flats. This trend, fuelled by the rapid rise in high-rise flat constructions, has led to a plethora of quality issues from cracked foundations to flammable cladding. Projects like the Castle Hill development by Toplace Group, alongside notorious cases such as Sydney’s Opal and Mascot Towers, highlight the ongoing challenges in ensuring construction quality and safety. These issues are not merely isolated incidents but reflect a systemic failure within the construction sector. Bronwyn Weir, a distinguished construction lawyer, has highlighted the risk of further declines in construction standards amidst the rush to meet housing demands. This issue transcends immediate financial costs, impacting the long-term safety and integrity of our urban landscapes. For us as building surveyors, these revelations are a call to arms. It’s imperative that we learn fro...