Australian city planning: thermal design of buildings

preface Early European design influenced the use of shading and ventilation strategies. The wraparound balconies and typical queenslanders are examples of responses to the harsh Australian summer. This design response is often matched by children playing under a lawn sprinkler or sleeping on a balcony to catch the night wind. The rise of air conditioning…

Labour is back in line with the league in the polls

According to the latest polls, both parties are now tied at 50 percent. Labor’s fortunes have changed as prime minister Morrison has mishandled his handling of drought and the recession. The government’s multi-billion dollar drought relief package failed to impress voters, according to Australian reports. Labour, for its part, last week released a report into…

China-australia meeting ‘honest’ and ‘candid’

Prime minister Morrison called his meeting with Chinese premier li keqiang “honest” and “candid,” but was not satisfied with the “grim” nature of the talks. The premier met li keqiang on the sidelines of the southeast Asia summit in Thailand. “There is a frank recognition that we are quite different countries.” Morrison told reporters in…

The real estate industry is making a commitment to net zero emissions

Australian companies are taking action against climate change. Last week, at the United Nations climate summit, Atlassian co-founder Michael cannon-brookes announced the a $26 billion Australian software company’s commitment to zero emissions by 2050. Such “net zero” commitments are becoming more common, but there is no way to really achieve this momentum in different parts…