Access to safe and comfortable housing is a fundamental human right. However, a new report has revealed that many Australian homes simply aren’t up to standard. The Australian Urban Housing Institute estimates that up to 70 percent of Australian homes have building quality problems. So, if you have experienced building quality problems with your home, you certainly aren’t alone.

The issue of building standards is becoming increasingly prevalent as the Federal government ambitiously attempts to build 1.2 million new homes over the next five years.

Evidence suggests that building homes in a rush increases the chances of building issues.

Some homes are almost not up to standard almost immediately after being built.

In addition, two-thirds of homes have an energy efficiency rating of three stars or lower.

Experts say these issues have arisen because Australia doesn’t have appropriate policies for building performance and housing quality and condition.

So, what effect do poor quality homes have, and what can be done to address this issue?

What are the effects?

Low energy ratings not only inflate heating and cooling costs for homeowners but also pose a significant threat to our nation’s efforts to combat climate change. Energy-inefficient homes contribute more greenhouse gas emissions, exacerbating the environmental crisis. Poorer quality homes are also less likely to be resilient to changes in climate.

For homeowners, the consequences of poorly built homes are dire. From negative health impacts to increased maintenance costs, the toll is significant.

What are the solutions?

It’s clear that Australia urgently needs a national strategy to improve the country’s existing housing stock.
Currently, housing standards policy in Australia is fragmented across Federal, State and Territory governments.

Currently, features of a home that function are considered compliant if they function, regardless of whether they were constructed according to the design and expectations of the owner. In addition, cracks of less than one millimetre in the walls of a home are considered normal.

Experts say a mandatory disclosure of the performance of residential buildings would also help improve building standards

In the UK and European Union it has been mandatory for all new homes to have an energy performance certificate since 2008.

In Australia, most homes are designed to meet, rather than exceed, energy efficiency standards and these standards are low by international standards.

There should also be an increased focus on the use of design and construction knowledge. According to the Victorian Building Authority, architects and engineers are not required to be onsite. This leads to situations where tradespeople alter complex design plans. This can lead to things like leaks, as well as undesirable and quality-compromising outcomes.

Strategies to boost Australia’s construction workforce also need to be considered. For example, the construction industry should look at ways to encourage more school leavers and women to enter the industry. This would help alleviate skills shortages and mean that more new homes could be built without rushing or compromising quality.

All Australians deserve to live in a home that is built to the highest standard. We should not let our desire to build new homes quickly come at the expense of quality.

Construction Resumes can help you achieve your career goals in the construction industry. We are pleased to offer various services including our Selection Criteria and LinkedIn profile writing service.

References

1. AHURI (September 2024) A national roadmap for improving the building quality of Australian housing stock AHURI, 18 September 2024.

2. University Of Melbourne (27 September 2023) To build more homes we need confidence in building quality, University Of Melbourne, 18 September 2024.

3. Yussuf, A (10 September 2024) ‘More than two-thirds of Australian homes have building issues, new report says’, ABC News, accessed 18 September 2024.