How can Locker Group contribute to affordable housing?

The price of living and owning property in Australia’s urban centres has become increasingly challenging for the average home buyer. As Business Insider reports, the most recent International Housing Affordability Survey rates Sydney second on its list of least-affordable cities to buy a house this year, with Melbourne coming in at number six.

Affordable housing is a complex issue with many contributing factors. But one of the industries that can have an impact on the situation is architecture. By addressing some of the challenges of housing our growing urban population at the design stage, we can make things easier and more affordable for consumers further down the line. But how can architects go about this, and what part can Locker Group play?

An opportunity for architects

National president of the Australian Institute of Architects, Ken Maher, recently spoke at Parliament House in Canberra about housing affordability. As part of his address he argued for medium-density housing, including multiresidential buildings, as a way to address the issue of housing affordability in our main centres. He believes that architects have an opportunity to help make living in Australia’s cities more affordable, as well as more environmentally friendly.

“As a key player in the development of the built environment, the architecture profession has the skills to deliver housing that addresses crucial issues, such as affordable living, sustainable design and flexible housing, providing savings in both upfront costs and the ongoing cost of occupation,” he said.

We believe that Locker Group’s architectural products can be part of this affordable, sustainable design. Our metal facade products, in particular, are ideally suited to be incorporated into buildings that are cheaper to make and cheaper to maintain, while still providing a comfortable environment for their tenants.

By reducing construction costs you can make residential apartments more affordable.

Reduced construction and maintenance costs

Designing and building with locally-sourced materials saves the costs of importing and expensive long-distance shipping. Locker Group’s extensive footprint and ability to produce on a large scale means we’re able to provide quality products for competitive prices.

Once construction is finished, there are other ways to save with Locker Group. Many of our products, particularly our perforated and expanded metal facades, can be treated as individual components – if there is a piece that needs repairing or replacing, this can be done without having to pull down the entire facade. By incorporating more of a modular attitude to design, architects reduce the ongoing maintenance costs of their buildings, which means there are fewer costs to be passed on down the line to tenants.

Incorporating sustainability into a building’s design benefits its occupants the environment.

Sustainable apartment buildings have lower running costs

Beyond the cost of buying and maintaining a home, ongoing living costs in a city are high. Making buildings that are sustainable and designed for low energy use are not only good for the environment, but they cost less to live in.

Australia’s climate poses a challenge for architects who want to make buildings that don’t rely too heavily on artificial air-conditioning. Using shading facades reduces the impact of sun and cools the interior of a building naturally, without interfering with views or airflow, meaning electricity bills come down.

The ecological benefits shouldn’t be disregarded, though, as long-term design needs to be sustainable in every sense. As Maher puts it:

“Good design can’t be seen as a luxury or an optional extra; rather, it is essential to delivering a built environment that can sustain Australia’s diverse communities into the future.”

Affordable and green urban housing comes down to consciously designed architecture. This, in part, comes down to using quality products that are made to be low-maintenance and promote sustainability. Get in touch with Locker Group today to find out how our architectural products can be used in innovative urban design.