6 ways new communities are putting sustainable living first

As temperatures rise and the climate changes, Australians are more conscious than ever of the effect their choices have on the environment.According to 2025 research from climate consultancy firm South Pole, 76% of Australians factor sustainability into their shopping decisions.When it comes to housing, buyers are even more focused on the impact their homes have.Realestate.com.au’s New Homes Research 2026 found that 81% of house-and-land buyers surveyed were interested in homes with more sustainable technology like solar panels and real-time energy monitoring.New communities are therefore conscious of building sustainability into their masterplan, so they meet the rising expectations of prospective buyers.“We embed sustainability into how we design, develop and manage our developments. In our communities, we focus on the areas where we can have meaningful impact, like decarbonisation, circularity, social impact and resilience,” says Clive Alcock, Stockland’s National Urban Design Manager.“Not only is this better for the environment, but there are also customer benefits. It means residents can have access to more comfortable and cost-effective ways of living.”Across the country, Sto...