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Building Futures

Building Futures is a free Council program aiming to help selected larger strata buildings (40+ units) save money on their energy and water bills and to improve environmental performance.

We work hand-in-hand with participating buildings to easily identify and implement cost-effective solutions to:

• Reduce operating costs
• Reduce common area energy use
• Cut greenhouse gas emissions
• Reduce water use
• Improve waste management

Participating buildings receive for FREE:

• Expert energy assessments of common areas
• Costed upgrade recommendations
• Solar power screening to identify buildings with good potential for rooftop solar power
• Project management and implementation support
• Access to Sydney Water’s WaterFIX program for high-water users
• Access to Waverley Council’s Apartment Recycling Improvement Program
• Recognition and promotion of participation in the program
• Learning & knowledge-sharing opportunities

All participating buildings will work towards a shared energy goal: reduce common property energy by 20%.

Building Futures Round 3

Council is currently working with 11 buildings in Round 3 of the Building Futures program, including:

• Berkley Court, Beach Road, Bondi Beach
• 136 Curlewis Street, Bondi Beach
• Trenton, Penkivil Street, Bondi
• Princess Gardens, Princess Street, Rose Bay
• Bondi Beach Astra Retirement Village, Bondi Beach
• Bohome, Hall Street, Bondi Beach
• Park Place, Waverley Street, Bondi Junction
• Encore, Oxford Street, Bondi Junction
• The Waverley, Oxford Street, Bondi Junction
• The Beach House, Campbell Parade, Bondi Beach
• 17-23 Victoria Street, Queens Park

Applications to join Building Futures Round 3 are now closed for the 2020/21 financial year.

Further resources

A total of 20 apartment buildings have already participated in previous rounds of Building Futures. Collectively, these buildings have achieved an average saving of 23% in addition to saving thousands of dollars per year on energy bills whilst also reducing their climate impact.

Check out these case studies from successful buildings who participated previously in the program:

• Hollywood Avenue, Bondi Junction
• Oxford Street, Bondi Junction
• Penkivil Gardens, Bondi goes solar

Water savings in apartment buildings:

• Register for a free water efficiency assessment and access services to make water and financial savings in your apartment building, via a collaboration between Sydney Water, Waverley, Woollahra and Randwick Councils.
• Watch the October 2020 webinar: Water Saving in Apartments - Presented by Sydney Water & Green Strata

For more information on strata living visit:

• City Futures (UNSW) - How to implement sustainable retrofits in your strata scheme
• Strata living Guide (NSW Office of Fair Trading)
• Who’s Responsible Guide (Strata Community Australia NSW)
• Living in a Community Scheme (NSW Office of Fair Trading)
• Webinar about electric vehicle charging in apartments

On Solar Power for Apartment Buildings (June 2020 webinar) visit:

• Overview of opportunities, barriers and models for different buildings - Mike Roberts (UNSW)
• What you need to consider - Gareth Huxham (Energy Smart Strata)
• Getting approvals from OC - Green Strata
• The Allume SolShare Technology - Alex Marks (Allume)