Resources

If you need resources and guides tailored for sustainability and resilience in apartments, units, and townhouses, this page is your new best friend.

Start here for a sustainability overview

If you’re looking for a place to start, we recommend the Unlocking Sustainable Strata guides:

Keep scrolling or select a topic to find more resources:

If you have a resource to share, please email it to hello@highlifeexpo.au.

Understand governance and project management in Victorian OCs

Browse the Working with Apartment and Strata Communities Handbook. The Handbook was developed o help Local Governments understand and support apartment building communities but it’s a great read if you’re keen to understand how your owners corporation works or if you’re trying to complete a project with your owners corporation.

Guides & Information

Energy

Unlocking Sustainable Strata Guide to Electrification

Guidance to help transition to all-electric for both common areas and your home, be it an apartment or townhouse. Choosing the best electric products – whether it’s a new heater, cooktop, hot water system it can be confusing. This guide makes it simple by providing product recommendations. The benefits and considerations for each product have a rating of Best, Good, and OK.

Webinar: Electric-ready Apartment Buildings

The fabulous City of Sydney hosted a practical and inspiring webinar on why apartment buildings should electrify their assets and how to make it happen.

It featured Paul, the building manager at Highgate, and Anthony, a committee member at Bridgewater, on how they're preparing for full building electrification.

Guide to Solar for Apartments

Solar for apartments can be trickier to set up than a single dwelling but it’s a great way to get to know your neighbours and share the process and benefits. The key is to get other residents and your body corporate involved early so that you can gauge the appetite for solar and work together to find out the best solution for your needs.

Electrify everything: retrofitting apartments and common infrastructure

A seminar from the 2024 High Life Expo. Download the session slides. Watch the video.

Learn from pioneering apartment buildings already embracing electrification. Understand more about all-electric technology options and what you need to consider as you make the switch – induction cook tops, hot water heat pumps, heating and cooling options, electricity load considerations, and more.

NABERS for Apartment Buildings tool

NABERS ratings for apartment buildings quantify your building’s energy and water performance. We give your building a rating from one to six stars, based on the energy use of shared services such as car parks, lobbies and gyms. Your water rating can include shared water use only, or all water use, dependent on your preference and metering. Download the NABERS for Apartment Buildings fact sheet.

Climate comfort: retrofitting apartments and common areas for year-round energy efficiency

A seminar from the 2024 High Life Expo. Download the session slides.

Improving efficiency equals smaller bills, plus improved comfort and sustainability. In this session you’ll get expert advice and learn about tools to help make your common infrastructure, and your apartment more energy efficient. Plus, you’ll be inspired by a beautiful, and sustainable DIY apartment retrofit.

Energy guide for apartment buildings

Many apartment buildings can cut electricity bills by a third, with low or no-cost solutions. The environmental, financial and social benefits of using less energy aren’t only significant for your building. The more energy efficient we all are, the more resilient our communities will be. The Energy Guide was developed by City of Sydney, however the insights are relevant for apartment buildings in Victoria.

Solar solutions for your apartment community

A seminar from the 2024 High Life Expo. Download the session slides.

It’s time to explore solar for your apartment. Learn about solar sharing technology, hear from Solar Victoria about rebates, and understand opportunities to plug into renewable energy through an embedded network.

Understanding heat pumps for strata

In this webinar recording, you’ll hear from a heat pump expert (from AIRAH) and three different sized apartment blocks across Sydney who have electrified their centralised hot water and pool heating systems.

Presented by City of Sydney, Waverley Council, and North Sydney Council.

Better with less: efficiency and electrification for renters, the budget-conscious, and DIYers

A seminar from the 2024 High Life Expo. Download the session slides.

Whether you’re a renter or have budget limitations, you still deserve an efficient, comfortable home. Get expert advice about making your apartment more thermally comfortable, efficient, and electric within the bounds of your rental agreement or available budget.

Transport

Making your residential strata building Electric Vehicle (EV) ready

Guidance to help owners corporations plan for and install EV charging. While these materials have been prepared for NSW, where the strata legislation is different, the steps outlined are still relevant to Victorian buildings.

EV-ready buildings for owners corporations

The Victorian Government EV-ready buildings for owners corporations factsheet will help owners corporations through the process of installing EV chargers in multi-unit residential buildings, plus they provide a summary of definitions and considerations for EV charging.

Bicycle Parking Facilities: Guidelines for Design and Installation

Check out section 3.3.2 Multi-Dwelling Residential for guidance relevant to apartment buildings. The guide also includes photos of different bike parking solutions. You can also contact Bicycle Victoria for tailored bike parking guidance.

Charging ahead: retrofitting electric vehicle infrastructure in apartment buildings

A seminar from the 2024 High Life Expo. Download the session slides. Watch the video.

Selecting an optimal EV charging solution can be complex amidst the myriad of technology and suppliers. Our panel of experts will offer invaluable insights and case studies for both shared and private charging in apartment buildings.

Waste & circular economy

Waste and recycling in multi-unit developments (MUDs)

Sustainability Victoria has developed the Guide to Better Practice for Waste Management and Recycling in Multi-unit Developments to improve waste management practices and increase recycling in MUDs.

‘How to’ waste and recycling guides for multi-unit developments

Reground, with support from partner councils and Sustainability Victoria, has developed range of tailored guides:

Watch ‘Waste not: how to reduce and optimise waste management and recycling in apartment buildings’

Presentations by waste and circular economy experts Alice Callagher, Reground and Brett Capron, Returnr.

Please read the audience Q&A and supplier recommendations.

This video was produced as part of the 2024 High Life Expo.

Water & greening

Water guide for apartment buildings

This guide explains where water is used, how it is metered and paid for, and what you can do to reduce water use in your building. The Water Guide was developed by City of Sydney, however the insights are relevant for apartment buildings in Victoria.

Naturally cool: planting for cooling, beautification, and connection in apartment buildings

A seminar from the 2024 High Life Expo. Watch video and find the associated resources here.

Cooling your home in summer, beautification, social amenity for recreation and mental wellbeing, creating habitat for native animals and insects - there are so many reasons to bring nature into your apartment complex.

In this session we’ll explore greening options for spaces and budgets of all shapes and sizes. Get insights and advice from greening experts about how you or your owners corporation could cultivate and enjoy a lush, green, apartment complex.

And take a peak at the Docklands apartment building that’s been transforming spaces from gray to green.

community, communications & engagement

Meet your neighbours toolkit

A toolkit of resources for residents and building managers to support the creation of friendly and resilient apartment communities. The toolkit includes ideas, examples, and downloadable templates that can be used to help your building with your own projects, events and initiatives. Developed by Lane Cove and Willoughby councils (NSW), the ideas are still relevant to apartment communities in Victoria.

Vertical Villages Toolkit: Community, Place and Urban Density Pilot

This toolkit has been developed to assist residents, community and faith-based organisations connect and engage with neighbours who live in high-density apartment buildings, along with urban designers and developers design apartments with community in mind.

Developed by Macquarie University, Faith Housing Alliance, and Baptist Care

How to: set up a resident communication channel

Creating a communication channel can make it easier for residents to discuss and improve recycling habits, share resources and strengthen the sense of community.

This short guide created by Reground will help you consider the best ways to communicate with and connect people who live and/or own in your apartment building.

Building bonds: creating connected and resilient apartment communities

A seminar from the 2024 High Life Expo. Download the session slides.

Connected communities are better able to manage their building, and are more resilient in times of crisis. Hear examples of how vertical communities are being created, and get tools to follow in their footsteps.

Getting to yes! Navigating good decision-making in owners corporations

A seminar from the 2024 High Life Expo. Watch video and find the associated resources here.

Navigating and making good decisions with your owners corporation can be one of the biggest challenges of apartment living. So how can we do it better?

Get an overview of the legislated decision-making process, as demanded by the Victorian Owners Corporation Act. Explore what else could be done to smooth the path for a decision. What can help owners engage with the matter, understand and address different perspectives, and feel like they are moving forward together rather than breaking into factions.

Safety & Resilience

High-rise fire safety

The added dangers associated with evacuating a high-rise building mean it is critical to plan for and to know how to respond quickly and safely if there is a fire or other emergency. It is also vital to prevent a fire occurring in the first place. Fin our how you and your owners corporation can prepare on the Fire Rescue Victoria website.

Flood resilience strategies for apartment buildings

There are many practical flood resilience techniques that range in price and are suitable for most apartment building types. Following the Brisbane Floods, Brisbane Sustainability Agency has provided retrofit guidance for apartment buildings in flood prone areas. While these materials have been prepared for QLD, the advice is still relevant to buildings in Victoria.

Emergency Response Toolkits

Is your strata community prepared for a major fire or lifts failure? Do residents know how to evacuate? Do you have a register of people who need evacuation assistance?

Owners Corporation Network, with support from the City of Sydney, has developed tools and guidelines to help your Strata Committee develop an Emergency Response Plan tailored to your community.

Other

Owners Information - Strata Community Association (Vic)

SCA’s Owners Information page contains a range of resources and videos to help you understand strata and owners corporations.

Victorian Strata regulation

Consumer Affairs Victoria provides information about buying into and living in strata communities.

Victorian Owners Corporation Act 2006

This Act outlines how owners corporation systems must function in Victoria.

Residential Apartment Security Assessment for Owners Corporation Committee

This security assessment checklist from Victoria Police supports owners corporations to better control access, security and safety in apartment buildings.