ABSTRACT
Designing and constructing housing according to ‘sustainability’ principles has
potential to provide a higher quality of life at a lower cost to both environment
and householder. However, recent studies show that compliance with minimum
environmental performance standards for new housing in Australia increases initial
design and building costs. The argument of financial benefits from lower running
costs persists due to lack of post-occupancy performance data while studies indicate
life-cost benefits accrue mainly to second and third homeowners. Therefore, will
sustainable housing be a luxury good? Can we afford not to ensure that all housing
is ‘sustainable’? This chapter argues that the provision of sustainable housing is a
social equity issue and that current sustainable housing policy initiatives need to be
reconsidered from this perspective.
