As Australia works to accelerate housing delivery, the Australian Institute of Architects (AIA) this week urged governments to ensure new homes are not just faster to build, but better to live in. A cheap house doesn’t mean an affordable life, the AIA says.
With the National Construction Code 2025 now available for adoption by jurisdictions from 1 May, National President Adam Haddow FRAIA thinks this is a critical opportunity to lift the quality, performance and long-term affordability of Australian housing.
“Australia is rightly focused on increasing housing supply, but supply alone is not enough”, Haddow said.
“The homes we build today will shape affordability, health and resilience for decades.
“Poorly performing homes are expensive homes. They cost more to heat and cool, are harder to adapt over time, and are less resilient in a changing climate.”
NCC 2025 includes important changes affecting areas such as waterproofing, condensation management and energy performance, helping support more durable, efficient and climate-responsive homes. Australians should be able to expect these standards in new housing.
“The NCC sets the minimum standard for the homes Australians rely on every day”, Haddow said.
“Getting those minimums right is essential if we want homes that are safe, comfortable and affordable to live in over time.”
The Institute also raised concern that inconsistent adoption of NCC 2025 across states and territories will undermine Australians confidence in housing. Jurisdictions are already taking different approaches, with NSW and Queensland delaying commencement to 1 May 2027.
“A fragmented approach risks creating confusion, increasing costs and slowing delivery – at exactly the time we need to be building more homes, and building them well”, Haddow said. “This is a time for us to move forward collectively, to use our national scale to make a difference to housing supply.
“We can build more homes, and we can build them better. This is a moment to ensure Australia’s housing response delivers long-term value, not short-term fixes”, Haddow concluded.