Resources
If you need resources and guides tailored for sustainability, resilience in apartments, units, and townhouses, this page is your new best friend.
These resources have been collected with Victorian audiences in mind but they are collected from across Australia. Despite the different owners corporation legislation in each state and territory, there’s lots we can learn from each other.
Watch: Understanding heat pumps for Apartment buildings
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.
Unlocking Sustainable Strata: Typology infographics
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.
efficiency & electrification: renters, budget-conscious, & DIYers
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.
NABERS for Apartment Buildings tool
NABERS ratings for apartment buildings quantify your building’s energy and water performance.
NABERS gives your building a rating from one to six stars, based on the energy use of shared services such as car parks, lobbies and gyms.
Haines St Greening & Electrification
The dedicated owners corporation committee in this apartment complex do more than just maintain their building, they actively enhance it and connect their community. After a hugely successful landscaping project, they started investigating opportunities to electrify, but ran into a series of major barriers.
Shaun’s DIY apartment reno
When Shaun bought the top floor apartment of a 1980s low-rise block in 2022, it was dated, and unbearably hot on summer days. Shaun put his DIY skills and sustainability expertise to work renovating and retrofitting what is now a beautiful, comfortable, and sustainable home.
All-electric apartment retrofit
Located in the former Red Tulip building, this one-bedroom apartment was thoughtfully renovated to become an all-electric, small footprint, adaptable, and much-loved home to Natalie, Tim and their adorable dog, Bella.
solar in a Southeast Melbourne Apartment
This contemporary 12-unit apartment building in Melbourne’s southeast, has a single owner who installed a SolShare solar system. Now every tenant has access to on-site renewable energy. It’s a renters dream!
The power to electrify a Stonnington Apartment
When sisters Emma and Victoria invested in a South Yarra apartment building, the opportunities for improvement were obvious. When they discovered the switch to all modern, all-electric appliances wasn’t easily available to them, they found other ways to improve their home.
Tip Top apartments get future ready
This mid rise apartment building in Brunswick East was able to get in tip top shape to be future ready.
Adding to existing sustainability measures, including rainwater tanks, solar hot water, solar power, a grey water pump, and double glazing, the Owners Corporation undertook further measures to ensure The Tip Top building was comfortable, cost effective and resilient.
All-electric Park St. Apartment building upgrade
Once a 1970s motel, Park Street is now 17 apartments being leased in Brunswick. While this complex is owned by a single entity, not an owners corporation, there’s a lot to be learned from their approach.
shading to cool Erko apartments
Residents of Erko apartments were experiencing fierce heat intruding into their homes. Those with west facing balconies were particularly exposed to hot afternoon sun, and were left sweltering.
Well designed, high tech awnings have brought relief from the heat.
Life in Christie Walk, Adelaide
Christie Walk, located in the south of Adelaide’s CBD is an eco-community of 27 households, catering for up to 45 people on 2000sq metres around 30% of which is green space. Homes are a combination of apartments and townhouses.
Longterm resident of Christie Walk, Sue Gilbey, shares her inspiring story.
Antias Building solar, lighting & EV upgrades
The Antias building, with 43 apartments and part of the Jackson’s Landing precinct in Pyrmont, has undertaken significant efforts to enhance its environmental sustainability since its completion in June 2012.
Unlocking Sustainable Strata Guide to Electrification
Developed in 2022, this Guide aimed to kick-start the conversation about about electrification in apartment buildings. It provides high-level guidance to help transition to all-electric for both common areas and your home, be it an apartment or townhouse.
Watch: 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.
Guide to Solar for Apartments
Whether you’re an owner-occupier or a tenant, if you live in an apartment or multi-unit complex in Victoria and you’re interested in installing solar, this Guide is for you.
Watch: Electrify everything
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. NABERS gives your building a rating from one to six stars, based on the energy use of shared services such as car parks, lobbies and gyms.
Climate comfort
Retrofitting apartments and common areas for year-round energy efficiency.
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.