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.
Bicycle Parking Facilities: Guidelines
Section 3.3.2 Multi-Dwelling Residential of the Bicycle Parking Facilities: Guidelines for Design and Installation (2016) provides guidance relevant to apartment buildings.
Waste & recycling in Apartment communities: Guides & resources
Find the Sustainability Victoria Guide to Better Practice for Waste Management and Recycling in Multi-unit Developments, a range of ‘How to’ guides, instructional posters for your waste rooms, case studies and research reports.
Watch: Waste not
Waste and recycling in apartment buildings can be a point of challenge or even tension. Differing expectations, spacial issues, and cost implications all come into play. But there are solutions.
Discover how Reground has assisted owners corporations across greater Melbourne to reimagine their waste spaces and enhance amenity.
Meet your neighbours toolkit
A toolkit of resources for residents and building managers to support the creation of friendly and resilient apartment communities.
Developed by the wonderful folks at Lane Cove and Willoughby councils (NSW), the ideas are still relevant to apartment communities in Victoria.
Building bonds: creating connected and resilient apartment communities
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.
SCA committee training and resources
SCA (Vic) is the member-based association for the Victorian Owners Corporation industry. It provides resources for both members and non-members.
They have a range of free resources for owner and owners corporations.
Apartment security
Apartment buildings often have many different people entering and leaving throughout the day. Victoria Police recommend taking steps to ensure that you keep yourself and your apartment secure.
Here’s their advice for apartment security, it includes tips for owners’ corporations.
The Victorian OC Act & Consumer Affairs Victoria
The Victorian Owners Corporation Act 2006 sets the legal framework for managing common property, maintaining buildings, resolving disputes, and outlining the rights of lot owners.
Consumer Affairs Victoria (CAV) are Victoria's consumer regulator. Part of CAV’s role is providing guidance to residents and managers, and facilitating dispute resolution to ensure the proper management of shared properties.
Flood resilience strategies for apartment buildings
Following the 2022 Floods, Brisbane Sustainability Agency has developed comprehensive retrofit guidance for apartment buildings in flood prone areas.
There are practical flood resilience techniques that range in price and are suitable for most apartment building types.
Emergency Response Toolkits
Is your strata community prepared for a fire, lift failure or other disaster?
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.
How to set up a resident communication channel
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.
Vertical Villages Toolkit
Community, Place and Urban Density Pilot.
This toolkit was 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.
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. It is also vital to prevent a fire occurring in the first place.
Find out how you and your owners corporation can prepare on the Fire Rescue Victoria website.
Watch: Naturally cool Seminar
Planting for cooling, beautification, and connection in apartment buildings.
This webinar explores 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.
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.