DM WEEKLY ROUNDUP ISSUE 10

The Weekly Roundup

ISSUE #10

DESIGN MATTERS NATIONAL 11 April 2025

Welcome to your weekly industry news roundup. Our analysis focuses on developments curated from various publications, impacting building design practices, with actionable insights for your professional work.

ESSENTIAL UPDATES This week's industry news is dominated by significant developments in the National Construction Code, as the ABCB announces a quick-fire amendment to NCC 2022 to be adopted on 1 May 2025. Building quality and defects continue to be a pressing issue across multiple states, with NSW facing costs of $700 million annually from defective buildings. The federal election campaign is highlighting housing policies, with Labor announcing a $2.3 billion pledge to subsidise home batteries. Meanwhile, the construction industry shows tentative signs of recovery despite ongoing challenges, and innovative approaches such as Japan's 3D-printed train station built in just six hours demonstrate the potential of emerging construction technologies.

In this newsletter you can expect:

NCC 2022 Amendment 1 announcement Building quality and defects crisis Housing supply and affordability challenges Federal election housing policies Residential development initiatives across states Construction industry recovery indicators Innovative building technologies and approaches Upcoming professional development opportunities

UPDATED PRACTICE NOTES NOW AVAILABLE Design Matters National has recently updated our practice notes. This collation of materials for members gathers all the webinars and support resources to help members become familiar and proficient when it comes to compliance with the new Energy Efficiency Standards and associated building design principles. The resource will be updated as more materials become available. Members can access the complete collection through the Members Resource Portal. We encourage you to review these updated materials to support your professional practice.

FEATURE: NCC 2022 AMENDMENT 1 ANNOUNCED The ABCB has published an amendment for the 2022 edition of the NCC. The amendment, to be known as NCC 2022 Amendment 1, will be adopted on 1 May 2025. This follows our previous reporting on the delay of NCC 2025 publication, as conf irmed in Issue #9.

NCC 2022 Amendment 1 is now available on the ABCB website and contains variations and additions for Western Australia (WA), a variation for Tasmania regarding Volume Two Part H8, and a few minor corrections. The impact on HVAC&R appears to be minimal, according to HVAC&R News.

This amendment comes during a period of uncertainty regarding building code updates, as we reported last week.

The ABCB had previously conf irmed that the 2025 edition of the NCC will not be published according to its traditional May timeline. This quick-f ire amendment to the 2022 code represents a targeted approach to address specif ic jurisdictional requirements while broader updates remain pending.

There are ongoing concerns about the regular maintenance of building codes. As highlighted in our previous issue, Neil Savery, Managing Director for ICC Oceania, has made the case for why building codes need regular updates. He noted in a Sourceable article that while buildings can technically be constructed without codes and standards, there are signif icant public safety and quality assurance reasons not to take this approach.

Industry Connection: Our Building Practitioner Pre-Registration Course for VBA on 30 April addresses current regulatory requirements while helping practitioners prepare for these changes. This course is particularly valuable for those seeking to navigate the evolving regulatory landscape.

BUILDING QUALITY AND DEFECTS CRISIS Building defects are costing Sydney home owners and taxpayers $700 million a year, according to The Sydney Morning Herald. The newspaper reports on the case of a resident who initially dismissed a wet patch in his lounge room, only to later come home to a flooded flat, highlighting the personal impact of defective construction.

The issue extends beyond individual cases to reflect systemic problems. The same publication reports that building sites in NSW are being staffed by tradesmen with forged qualifications, with approximately 750 tradies who purchased fake qualifications from criminals. This reveals a concerning gap in workforce quality assurance as the industry faces pressure to deliver more housing.

In an editorial, The Sydney Morning Herald argues that restoring faith in the building industry is vital for a growing city. Meanwhile, the publication has created a searchable database of buildings with defect notices across Sydney, allowing residents to identify properties with known issues and understand the nature of the defects.

The Strata Community Association (SCA) has intensified calls for federal intervention as widespread building defects plague strata communities across Australia. As Build Australia reports, owners are grappling with soaring repair costs and legal battles due to issues ranging from water ingress and structural failures to flammable cladding.

In a related development, The Urban Developer reports that developers and builders have been ruled responsible for defect liability in a recent legal decision, establishing important precedent for accountability in construction quality.

Despite these concerns, NSW Building Commissioner David Chandler has suggested Sydney does not have a defects crisis, a view that has been strongly contested. The Sydney Morning Herald presents a seven-step plan to address the defects issue, starting with acknowledgment of the problem.

Industry Connection: Our Contract Administration Workshop on 28 June provides essential skills for managing building contracts and quality assurance processes, helping practitioners contribute to improved building outcomes and better manage risk.

HOUSING SUPPLY AND AFFORDABILITY CHALLENGES Housing approval processes continue to face challenges across Australia, with The Sydney Morning Herald reporting that fewer than one in four Sydney councils are meeting the state government's average target time for approving higher-density residential housing. Half of all applications for medium-density housing, residential flat-top housing and developments above shops were approved within the target of 115 days in the nine months to March 2025, according to analysis by the Property Council of Australia.

Delays are being compounded by administrative issues, with The Urban Developer reporting that typos and minor errors are delaying nearly 1,000 NSW assessments. Just under a fifth of applications in the past 12 months were delayed due to inconsistencies, despite government initiatives to expedite assessment timeframes.

Meanwhile, housing supply is facing varied challenges across different markets. The Age reports that thousands of new Melbourne apartments are sitting unsold, creating a backlog of lower-priced units acting as a major handbrake on the supply of new housing in areas earmarked for major development. In contrast, Adelaide Now reports that while more desperate South Australians join the housing waitlist, hundreds of liveable public homes sit empty and ready to be used.

Housing affordability continues to worsen, with The Sydney Morning Herald reporting that housing prices have soared faster than household incomes over the past two decades. Figures from CoreLogic and ANU's Centre for Social Policy Research show national median dwelling prices have risen from about four times median household incomes in 2001, to more than eight times in 2024, despite more women joining the workforce and bolstering families' capacity to pay.

Innovative approaches to housing supply are emerging, with ABC News reporting that Year 9 and 10 students from Lismore High School spent nine months building a tiny home that was sold at auction for $65,000, with proceeds funding the program's future. Meanwhile, Sourceable discusses strategies to maximise the potential of Australia's timber industry to help address national housing shortages.

Industry Connection: Our Ask a Planner: Navigating the new townhouse and low-rise code Part 2 webinar on 28 May provides essential knowledge for designers working on medium-density projects that aim to increase housing supply while navigating complex planning requirements.

FEDERAL ELECTION HOUSING POLICIES With the federal election approaching, major parties are unveiling policies targeting housing and construction. ABC News reports that Labor has pledged $2.3 billion to subsidise home batteries, one of the largest commitments of its campaign. The scheme would provide a 30 per cent discount on the cost of a new household battery. In a follow-up report, ABC News explains how this program could work for households, noting that Australia is already leading the world on the uptake of rooftop solar.

The Victorian government has announced similar energy efficiency initiatives, with ABC News reporting plans to subsidise the installation of ceiling insulation in Victorian homes. The government claims the scheme will save some eligible households about $400 a year in energy bills and has dismissed comparisons with the federal government's troubled 2009 "pink batts" scheme, insisting a strong regulatory framework will be put in place.

On the skills front, The Daily Telegraph reports that the Coalition has announced a plan to reverse the rapid decline of apprentices and trainees, with analysis showing there are 90,000 fewer positions now compared to three years ago.

Build Australia reports that the Australian government has unveiled a $54 million investment in prefabricated and modular housing alongside an $800 million expansion of the Help to Buy shared equity scheme, aiming to tackle the nation's housing crisis through innovation and affordability measures. The funding package includes $49.3 million to support state and territory initiatives for offsite construction and $4.7 million for a voluntary national certification process to streamline approvals.

Meanwhile, the Australian Institute of Architects is advocating for stronger national leadership to ensure Australia's built environment is sustainable, resilient, and well-designed, according to Build Australia. Jane Cassidy, National President of the Australian Institute of Architects, has stressed the importance of government policies that prioritise high-quality, sustainable design.

Industry Connection: Our Performance Solutions: Livable Housing Design Requirements, Condensation Management, Drainage, and Roof Design webinar on 22 May addresses key building performance areas that align with government policy objectives for sustainable, accessible, and durable housing.

CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY RECOVERY SIGNS IDespite ongoing challenges, the construction sector is showing signs of recovery in certain segments. Build Australia reports on new analysis from Equifax revealing tentative improvements, even as insolvencies remain elevated and smaller operators face acute financial pressures. While construction business failures are still tracking 30 per cent higher year-on-year, the rate of increase has slowed in recent months, with mid-to-large firms demonstrating greater resilience.

Larger businesses — particularly those generating over $10 million in revenue — have seen credit quality stabilise or improve in FY2024.

However, significant challenges remain. The Urban Developer reports on Australia's construction productivity crisis, noting that standardisation and systematic oversight could slash construction times by 80 per cent and cut costs by 30 per cent amid falling output.

The construction industry also faces labour relations changes, with The Australian Financial Review reporting that employers could be on the hook for millions of dollars in long service leave payments following landmark court rulings that have expanded portable entitlements in Victoria beyond the building industry. The Victorian Supreme Court has ruled employers must pay portable long service leave to any worker who does "construction activity" — broadly defined, from checking smoke alarms to maintaining a power station — regardless of whether the business is ordinarily described as part of the industry.

IndustryConnection: Our Building a Successful Career: Winning Work & Keeping Clients webinar on 26 May provides essential strategies for navigating the challenging business environment of the construction industry, helping designers develop the skills to maintain viable practices despite industry pressures.

INNOVATIVE BUILDING TECHNOLOGIES Innovative construction methods are demonstrating potential efficiencies in building delivery. The Australian Financial Review reports that in Japan, workers built an entirely new train station in just six hours — the time between the departure of the night's last train and the arrival of the morning's first one. The station's components were 3D-printed elsewhere and assembled on site, in what the railway's operators say is a world first. Building the station the traditional way would have taken more than two months and cost twice as much, according to the West Japan Railway Co. In Australia, circular economy approaches are gaining traction. The Fifth Estate reports on the launch of 'Don't Waste Buildings' in Australia, an international movement that promotes adaptive reuse of existing buildings as a core strategy for developing new spaces.

Health innovations are also emerging in the construction industry, with Architecture and Design reporting on an AI-powered breath test that can detect silicosis in minutes. Silicosis is an incurable but entirely preventable lung disease caused by breathing in silica dust, a risk in several industries including tunnelling, stone masonry and construction.

Industry Connection: Our Swinburne University of Technology Tour: 3D Printing and Emerging Construction Technologies on 15 April provides an opportunity to explore cutting-edge construction methods that could help address housing density and affordability concerns through more efficient building techniques.

UPCOMING EVENTS April Swinburne University of Technology Tour: 3D Printing and Emerging Construction Technologies Date: Apr 15 Time: 9:00 AM Location: Swinburne University of Technology, 427-451 Burwood Road, Hawthorn VIC Status: Register Now

Building Practitioner PreRegistration Course for VBA Date: Apr 30 Time: 6:00 PM (AEST) Location: Online Presenter: Geoff Hoare

MAY May 2025

MDMN + AWS Regional Roadshow Geelong Date: May 1 Time: 8:00 AM Location: Eureka Hotel - Garden Room 98 Little Malop St, Geelong

Ask an Assessor: Windows and Glazing in an Energy Assessment Date: May 20 Time: 2:00PM Location: Online (AEST) Presenters: Matthew Graham and Russell Harris

DMN + AWS Regional Roadshow Bendigo Date: May 1 Time: 4:30PM Location: ACME1 209 Woodward Road, Golden Square

Performance Solutions: Livable Housing Design Requirements, Condensation Management, Drainage, and Roof Design Date: May 22 Time: 2:00-3:00PM Location: Online (AEST) Presenter: Paul Mulholland

Member Breakfast and Tour of 555 Collins Date: May 6 Time: 8:00 AM Location: Online (AEDT) Presenter: Britta Siggelkow

Building a Successful Career: Winning Work & Keeping Clients Date: May 26 Time: 6:00 PM Location: Online (AEDT) Presenter: Britta Siggelkow

DMN + AWS Regional Roadshow Traralgon Date: May 9 Time: 9:30AM Location: Century Inn Traralgon

Ask an Surveyor: What constitutes a cadastral survey?

Date: May 15 Time: 2:00-3:00 PM Location: Online (AEST) Presenters: Brodie Richards and Craig Sandy

Ask a Planner: Navigating the new townhouse and low-rise code Part 2Date: May 28 Time: 10:00-11:30AM AEST Location: Online Presenter: Ashley Thompson and Mel Ryan Home Tour: 2024 BDA Winner ‘Scotchman’s View’ Date: May 29 Time: 10:30AM AEST Location: Drysdale, VIC

MAY June2025

Women of DMN Catch Up at NEXT DOOR 2 Date: Jun 6 Time: 12:30 PM Location: Next Door At Omar & the Marvellous Coffee Bird, Melbourne VIC 3185

Upskill Now Masterclass (THERMAL) Date: Jun 19 Time: 04:00PM AEST Location: Online Presenter: Matthew Graham

Upskill for Whole of Home Masterclass Date: Jun 10 Time: 04:00PM AEST Location: Online Presenter: Matthew Graham

FirstRate5 LIVE: Model Class 2 Multi-Dwellings (v3.2) Date: Jun 20 Time: 12:00 PM Location: Online (AEST)

DMN + AWS Regional Roadshow Ballarat Date: Jun 17 Time: 11:30 AM Location: AWS Showroom Ballarat

Contract Administration Workshop Date: Jun 28 Time: 8:30 AM Location: Online (AEST) Presenter: Geoff Hoare

July Hempcrete: Major inroads in the Australian hemp construction industry Date: Jul 02 Time: 12:00PM AEST Location: Online Presenter: Klara Marosszeky

MAY 2025 September

Building Practitioner PreRegistration Course for VBA Date: Sep 17 Time: 6:00 PM Location: Online (AEST) Presenter: Geoff Hoare

Contract Administration Workshop Date: Sep 27 Time: 8:30 AM Location: Online (AEST) Presenter: Geoff Hoare

SOURCES IN THIS ISSUE The Age, Herald Sun, Sourceable, The Sydney Morning Herald, ABC News, Build Australia, The Fifth Estate, Architecture and Design, HVAC&R News, The Urban Developer, The Australian Financial Review, Adelaide Now, The Daily Telegraph, Federal Government Media Release, ABCB Statement

View all upcoming CPD opportunities Access our online learning resources

Thank you for reading!