Ash Sayers, Director at Keystone, a Melbourne strata management company, explains why residents and owners corporations often assume solar, batteries and EV chargers will be too difficult to install, or won’t be approved. This can leave potentially viable projects stuck in the too-hard basket.

If you’re OC is concerned about compliance and correct installation of EV charging the NECA (National Electrical and Communications Association) has a fact sheet on Level 1 (L1) EV charging using purpose‑built 10A/15A “Smart Plug” outlets.

Rowan was initially told he couldn’t install a hot water heat pump in his 1980s Canberra apartment.

Instead of accepting “no,” he worked with installers, engineers and his strata manager to find practical solutions that allowed him to replace gas hot water with a heat pump, improve insulation and install efficient heating and cooling.

The EV-ready guide for owners corporations provides guidance for developing an EV strategy. The guide helps OCs to develop a strategy suited to the building and its circumstances.

Learn how a Chatswood apartment building installed affordable EV charging and achieved a 5-star energy rating. A video by Willoughby City Council, NSW.

This 50 year old apartment building needed a window upgrade for all 66 apartments.

The ambitious retrofit was initiated by the owners corporation. Thanks to the window installer exceeding expectations and going above and beyond during the process the community are now enjoying increased comfort and liveability.

An owners corporation in Clifton Hill has developed a savvy funding model that unlocks the capacity of owners to install double glazing whenever time and budgets allow.

At the 2024 High Life Expo, an apartment owner at 76 Edward St, Brunswick met Trent Jones, Director of All Electric Homes. Working with the owners corporation, they delivered an impressive electrification transformation that considered the whole building as a system.

As residents and government get aboard the electrification train, there are more and more Australians who don’t live in stand-alone owner-occupier housing who are interested in finding out how they too can make the switch to all-electric living.

According to Alex Zeller, the Assistant Director, Australian Energy Regulator “Compared to free standing houses, apartments stay warmer in winter by huddling together like penguins. For a number of reasons, this huddling can risk making apartments airless and damp. Due to regulatory quirks, it also means that Australian apartments have lower thermal performance than comparable international counterparts.”

Hear from Aurecon heat pump experts, plus speakers from three different sized apartment blocks across Sydney who have electrified their centralised hot water and pool heating systems. 

In this video you’ll hear from Norman Koslowski, a principal consultant at Sky High Energy Control, an independent sustainable energy consultancy for Sydney apartments and houses. He is an expert on specifying the best mix of solar and energy saving technology to reduce the cost of strata living, plus make apartments resilient to extreme climate conditions.

Never Too Small - a media company dedicated to small footprint design and living - has made some brilliant short films about Shaun’s renovation. Shaun’s $20,000 complete renovation is inspiring and includes lots of clever tips about how you can save your hard earned cash, use more sustainable materials, and improve the thermal comfort of your apartment.

Life Between Apartments is an output from Merrick Morley’s PhD. It’s a much watch for anyone interested in community building, resilience and living well in apartment buildings.

The session aimed to provide insights and strategies to help strata schemes proactively prepare for the increasing demand for EV charging, ensuring a smoother, safer transition towards a future with more eMobility devices, including ebikes and escooters. This recording was made as part of a free online webinar by LookUp Strata (April 2025).

Looking to improve energy efficiency or electrify your apartment or townhouse, and not sure where to start? 

In this recorded webinar, you’ll hear successes, challenges and insights from local residents who improved energy efficiency, installed solar and switched to electric appliances in apartments and townhouses. 

The Handbook was developed to 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. It covers things like decision-making and the owners corporation act in plain language.

If you’re looking for a place to start, we recommend the Unlocking Sustainable Strata infographics. The infographics provide an overview of what’s possible in different types of buildings: Townhouses, Low-rise apartments, Medium-rise apartments, High-rise apartments.

Whether you’re a renter or have budget limitations, you still deserve an efficient, comfortable home.

These detailed slides share expert advice about making your apartment more thermally comfortable, efficient, and electric within the bounds of your rental agreement or available budget.

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