Lynne Armitage

Green offices in Australia: a user perception survey

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to deepen understanding of what is working and what is not working within green workplace environments. The paper examines management and employee perceptions of their experiences of working in green workplace environments and assesses the effectiveness of such places.Design/methodology/approach – Being the second stage of a longitudinal study, this paper relies on a data set derived from its survey of 31 management and 351 employee respondents occupying Green Building Council Australia Green Star‐rated offices for more than 12 months.Findings – The green workplace is a great place to be, at least most of the time, but there is a discrepancy between the views of management who see greater benefits of the green workplace than their employees.Research limitations/implications – By focussing on green buildings, there is no control to establish a benchmark. Hence, the next stage of the research is a comparable study of a non‐green data sample. Also to be tested is – whil...

The values of built heritage

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to consider some of the approaches which have been developed to bring forward awareness of the role of heritage and its significance in reducing the use of carbon incurred by the creation of new structures.Design/methodology/approach – The approach adopted is to look at the emergence and dissemination of these issues through published literature including professional standards and guidelines for the management and valuation of historic property and also to consider the practice of heritage management and assessment in Western Australia.Findings – The paper finds that Australia has a well‐developed system of heritage management but has been slow to adapt to its responsibilities under international treaties in the area of sustainable practices in the property field but that there is evidence of progress to improve the situation. Whilst the overall picture of the impact of heritage listing on property value remains clouded, and arguments for both positive and negative ...

Property market analysis in the valuation process: A survey of Australian practice

Abstract The nature of property valuation/analysis is examined in respect of the property market and, in particular, the extent of property market analysis undertaken by practitioners when carrying out property valuations. An empirical survey is described of a sample of 240 valuers throughout Australia and their practices in valuing investment grade property. It is shown that, although the valuers are fully aware of the need for property market analysis, and collect appropriate data to do the analysis, the analysis itself is seldom conducted in other than a cursory manner.

Student preferences for career mentoring in property and construction

Abstract Although career mentoring is well established across many professional areas, its application in the field of property and construction is at an emergent stage. As part of ongoing quality review aimed at enhancing student engagement with their educational program, a survey was undertaken among first and second year students enrolled in the Faculty of Architecture, Building and Planning’s Bachelor of Planning and Design (Property and Construction). The study investigated student preferences regarding involvement in a career mentoring program including mentoring program options and mentoring style preferences. Several differences emerged between property and construction student cohorts and in particular between male and female students. The findings demonstrate the importance of examining mentoring preferences from the perspective of the mentee.

The Value of Built Heritage: Community, Economy and Environment

Abstract Heritage protection in Australia was initiated by community groups such as the National Trust before the legislatures at each tier of government established the statutory controls now evident. Professional bodies in the built environment arena have also generated international guidelines in recent times with the adoption of standardised approaches to valuation and management practices for heritage property attesting to the acknowledgement of their special value and the recognition of characteristics common to diverse cultures. The objective of this paper is to review elements of our perceptions of heritage reflecting value which incorporate yet transcend the merely economic. It identifies the framework of heritage management in Australia and considers the many meanings of the relevant terminology. The traditional view is then extended to consider the potential environmental benefits of heritage conservation, contributing a contemporary commentary to some economic, social and professional concerns and reflects upon the challenges of the journey yet to come.

Affordable housing solutions : affordable housing providers’ perspective

Abstract Accessibility to housing for low to moderate income groups in Australia has experienced a severe decline since 2002. On the supply side, the public sector has been reducing its commitment to the direct provision of public housing. Despite strong demand for affordable housing, limited supply has been generated by nongovernment housing providers. This paper identifies and discusses some current affordable housing solutions which have been developed by non-government housing providers to ameliorate the problem. This study utilises case studies generated from nineteen housing providers during in-depth interviews in South East Queensland in 2007–2008. The case studies are classified into four categories which relate to the nature of their product: affordable rental housing, mixed housing, affordable housing for people with special needs and low cost home ownership. Each category is discussed on the basis of the characteristics typical of that organisation of housing provider, their partnership arrangements and main target market. In addition, the special design and facilities required for people with special needs which include high care accommodation and aged care are highlighted. Finally, this study recommends offering a continuum of solutions to affordable housing for low income people by means of a rent-to-buy scheme.

Barriers to building partnerships between major stakeholders in affordable housing investment in Queensland

Abstract The recent housing boom experienced across Australian metropolitan markets has attracted many new investors and resulted in increasing prices across the full range of residential sub-markets for both owner-occupation and investment categories. Of particular concern from a social perspective is the consequential pressure generated in the affordable housing rental market. This paper reports the results of a survey of affordable housing providers drawn from a range of backgrounds. Using in-depth interviews, it compares the opinions of these supply side groups regarding their experiences of the barriers to entry to affordable housing partnerships. The findings show agreement across the sector that partnerships have failed to produce better outcomes than would have been expected without the partnership.

Australian cultural built heritage: Stakeholders' perceived conservation barriers and motivations

Abstract Stakeholders are recognised as drivers of effective conservation of cultural built heritage. Yet, as stakeholders have eclectic views in terms of their interest in, knowledge of and perceptions about the management of historic fabric, their practices are often diverse. The objective of this paper is to gain an understanding of the stakeholders’ views drawn from relevant professional field on the issues that act as barriers to conservation and identify the factors that motivate built heritage management in Australia. Using a qualitative research design, two focus groups were conducted in Queensland and New South Wales with purposely selected key informants (N = 14) working in the Australian heritage sector. The study presents stakeholders’ interest in managing built heritage and the perceptions concerning the application of conservation policy and practices in the Australian built heritage sector, as influenced by the interdisciplinary backgrounds of participants. The paper contributes to an in-depth understanding of the conservation barriers and motivators and their implications for policy and practices in the management of Australian built heritage. The study is based on the perceptions of key informants with diverse interests and knowledge about the conservation of cultural built heritage; this makes the research analysis and implications inclusive and influential from both theoretical and practical points of view.