Urbis and NBN Co have today published the Accelerating Smarter Development report, a clear and concise blueprint on how Australia can reap the full benefits of smart development, advocating for decisive strategic, regulatory, and operational change across the industry.
The engagement confirmed widespread interest in smarter development, but lingering uncertainty amongst developers on where to start and how best to proceed.
Download the Accelerating Smarter Development report here.
Accelerating Smarter Development reveals the findings from extensive national consultation, which included surveys and focus groups, with almost 200 professionals from private developers, technology providers, the public sector, and industry bodies.
Led by Urbis and nbn, project participants included Delos Delta, Professor Christopher Pettit from UNSW’s City Futures Research Centre, the Australian Smart Communities Association (ASCA), the Planning Institute of Australia, the Urban Development Institute of Australia (UDIA), and the Property Council of Australia (PCA).
Smart development refers to digital technology, such as Internet of Things (IoT), artificial intelligence, advanced data and analytics in community and city planning, design and development. The Accelerating Smarter Development report covers a broad spectrum of applications ranging from safety, transport, irrigation, lighting, signage, water meters and energy grids, to emergency management.
Almost half (45 per cent) of respondents said integrating smart technology into development projects at scale is rare, and that there’s opportunity for more effective collaboration between the private sector, government and other stakeholders.
Clare Brown, Partner at Urbis, said: “There really is a critical need to be looking at these opportunities proactively. Technology and digital transformation are impacting everything. Would we expect cities and the built environment to be unaffected? The alternative is a passive approach that sees change forced upon us in the form of expensive retrofits, places that feel dated before their time, and missed opportunities to improve both the efficiency of operations, and the convenience and the quality of amenity.
“Stakeholders told us that unclear return on investment, perceived high upfront costs, a lack of collaboration, and resistance to change are the critical bottlenecks stalling smarter developments in Australia.
“But we know it produces cost-effective, efficient place outcomes. Data improves the management of systems and places. Smarter development is transforming the planning and development process just as much as placemaking – AI, for example, is assisting with expediting approvals by automatic assessment of planning applications. The opportunities are immense.”
Ms Brown said a central theme of the report is the need for a dedicated ‘orchestrator’ to unify stakeholders and drive sustainable engagement.
Kamie Ang, General Manager Partnerships, New Developments at NBN Co, said: “While developers have the clear appetite for smart tech opportunities to help give their new construction an edge, often they don’t know where to start, what the return on their investment will look like or how to navigate the numerous stakeholder groups involved.
“That’s why nbn and Urbis developed Accelerating Smarter Development, to present at a glance, the key touchpoints a developer should consider before taking the leap to make their new development smart. The report clearly shows that strategic planning, stakeholder alignment, and early engagement are key to unlocking value.”
The report outlines recommendations for government stakeholders, industry bodies, technology providers, and private developers and features almost 20 examples of smart development case studies.
With Accelerating Smarter Development, nbn and Urbis seek to encourage industry-wide collaboration and a continued dialogue that will accelerate smarter development in more communities across Australia.
