The Fifth Estate

Industry observers say the expanded Commercial Building Disclosure (CBD) program to include office tenancies and large hotels will kick off good another bout of energy efficiency gains for the built environment. But they’re keen to see a start date. thefifthestate.com.au/innova…

LETTER TO THE EDITOR: We write in response to a published article in The Fifth Estate regarding the proposal to install home fire sprinklers in residential accommodation for people living with a disability. thefifthestate.com.au/arts-a…

Moving local contributions from construction certificate to occupation certificate sounds like a timing tweak. Made permanent, it leaves NSW councils about $850 million short, and that gap never closes. thefifthestate.com.au/column…

You need to hear what these people will say about resilience - a seriously important event you should not miss... thefifthestate.com.au/events… via @FifthEstateAU

Organised opposition to renewable energy in the regions where projects are being built is well known. The reasons for opposition vary from legitimate concerns around biodiversity, through to confected claims about “wind turbine syndrome”. thefifthestate.com.au/360inf…

Australia’s need for data centres is largely a settled question. Cloud services and AI run on them, and there is no shortage of investment or political will behind them. Where they go and on what terms is far less settled. thefifthestate.com.au/column…

As Alex Wendler came on board as CEO of Landcom four and a half years ago, it was a time of change. The New South Wales government owned land agency was evolving from a “traditional land developer” into an “integrated land and property developer”. thefifthestate.com.au/videos…

Opposition to renewable energy infrastructure has become an increasingly visible force in Australia's energy debate. thefifthestate.com.au/360inf…

NATURE FIRST & RESILIENT CITIES: Amanda Sturgeon has been busy since she joined the Biomimicry Institute three years ago as chief executive. thefifthestate.com.au/enviro…

A lot of family trauma is about something lost, an inheritance or a place, says Philip Bull in this final of the Trauma Town series. To work through those myths, some of us need to reclaim space in a literal sense. thefifthestate.com.au/innova…

There were great celebrations at the opening of Sydney’s new airport; now it’s time to deliver on its promises for jobs, transport, and environmental protection. thefifthestate.com.au/column…

Corporate lobbying, political donations and manufactured public support are helping fossil fuel corporations obstruct climate action in Australia. The key to overcoming the influence of polluters lies in understanding who shapes climate policy, and how. thefifthestate.com.au/busine…

NATURE FIRST & RESILIENT CITIES: Professor Sebastian Pfautsch has built a formidable reputation as the nation’s foremost expert on urban cooling, specialising in Sydney’s west, where the temperatures are more extreme... thefifthestate.com.au/tfe-ev…

TRAUMA TOWN PART 10: Councils and corruption- it rhymes if you say it quickly 3 times. Well, it doesn’t, but the point is, if you make something complex, you can see what you want in it. thefifthestate.com.au/innova…

It feels like the right time to spare a thought for our politicians. We’re particularly focused on local government at the moment. They’re often front and centre of dealing with the most immediate impact of climate change disasters... thefifthestate.com.au/column…

A joint venture between Hamton and superannuation fund Hostplus has been appointed by Development Victoria to take on the urban renewal mixed use precinct slated for Arden Central, in North Melbourne, slated to include a living lab. thefifthestate.com.au/innova…

By framing coal and gas as essential to jobs, prosperity and national identity, the industry continues to resist the transition to renewable energy. thefifthestate.com.au/360inf…

The building sector continue to correlate the issue of labour shortages with housing supply and affordability. This is not a false equivalence, however, the availability of a massive labour force that is still largely sidelined – women. thefifthestate.com.au/sponso…

If infrastructure is critical to humanity living on this planet, local governments everywhere are on the front line of protecting it and making sure it’s resilient to climate impacts. Costs can be huge. thefifthestate.com.au/enviro…

It was clear that among the competitors for Bentley Systems’ Year in Infrastructure conference and awards in Singapore early this month, integration of AI had landed and taken root. thefifthestate.com.au/innova…