Housing Idea

If we are to address the housing crisis and at the same time save the environment, then we need to address the urban sprawl.

Everyone owning a 1/4 acre block is not the answer; we will never be able to run efficient public transport systems to houses. The material you need to run the utilities, power, water, gas and sewage are also too expensive.

The "home" is too important to be left to market forces, which would end up putting families into matchbox size unites and homes, a good example in Sydney is in Redfern: the block.

 

We need to lead the market, to make liveable efficient high-rise housing. I'm talking about 30, 40 or 50 storey buildings, built with environmental concrete like E-Crete, designed to be more than a five star energy rating. Buildings that returns energy back to the grid, uses no or little water and is positioned near or over public transport, along railway lines, has six tennis/netball/soccer/hockey courts or fields and a full size Olympic pool and heated indoor training pool, surrounded with parks and gardens growing fruit, vegetables and flowers. It would have five to eight units on every floor, each two or more bedrooms with large lounge rooms, sound pollution controlled with innovated products like QuietWave. Liveable places that make it more inviting than a house in the suburbs, with a running cost so low that would convince people to live there. Recycling would run straight from the kitchen into a chute down to the storage floor to be compacted and ready for sale as the market price demanded,  paying its profit back to the owners. So what about the supply of incoming good? Could some of them go up the pipe? Your day starts after a good workout in the gymnasium down on the third floor, then you check your email at home on the gigabyte or even terabyte internet connection. After a live video chat with your colleague you decide to head out and see the clients, kissing the wife and kids as you set off. The foyer area just outside your door is fitted with communal furniture, a barbecue and some tables and chairs, and yes, the couch, where your neighbour Peter sits his reading newspaper. You say good morning and step into the lift, swipe your pass card so you can move between floors; you see out over the gardens and recognise some residents in the garden and in seconds you are stepping out on to the train platform and you’re on your way.

 

Now if the government started building units what would the private industry do? They would have to follow or be left behind.
Would the Government's nation-building investment funds be just the thing for them to invest in!

If they privately back the right designers, architects, builders and manufacturers, and build every government building and government housing like this, would the private sector follow? Why would I or you live in a great big house, that cost much, much more and without half the facilities, and was located so inconveniently?