Opal Tower

Sydney's Opal Tower

New research reveals it is nearly impossible for buyers to find high-quality information about the apartments they are considering purchasing, placing them at considerable risk.

apartment building in Sydney

The step-by-step guide helps strata property owners and managers with the process of identifying and rectifying defects in apartment buildings.

Opal Tower

From Opal Tower to Sculpture by the Sea, we look back on the top UNSW Built Environment stories in 2019.

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When the Opal Tower at Sydney Olympic Park started cracking, residents were fearful their home was falling down around them. Lachlan Gilbert asked the Dean of Engineering, Mark Hoffman, about his leadership of the investigation into the building’s structural integrity.

construction site apartments

Regulations that are meant to protect residents from building failures and fires have been found wanting. All governments must take responsibility for fixing the defective regime they created.

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The City Futures Research Centre’s new ARC Linkage Project will put the multi-unit housing sector under the microscope and propose specific changes to protect people buying units.

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While Opal Tower residents are more badly affected than most, up to 80% of multi-unit buildings have serious defects. Here's what government can do right now to fix the industry.

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Building defects in apartment blocks are far from unusual. We need to identify the systemic flaws contributing to them.

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It's tempting to blame building certifiers and the fact they are privately employed. But the cracks in the quality of our apartment buildings go deeper and can be fixed.