UNSW Sydney has established a new Housing Analytics Lab, which will bring together key players from across the housing sector to address Australia’s growing housing affordability and supply challenges.
Located at Tech Central in South Eveleigh, the Housing Analytics Lab will serve as a collaborative space for researchers, Government, industry, and not-for-profits to design solutions backed by data.
Equipped with advanced technology, including live dashboards displaying real-time planning approval data and a generative AI assistant, the lab aims to provide critical insights into the nation’s housing issues.
The initiative is supported by major partners such as Commonwealth Bank, Mirvac, Housing Australia, and the NSW Tenants’ Union, among others.
The lab’s official launch will be attended by NSW Premier Chris Minns and Housing Minister Rose Jackson, who have both highlighted the importance of collaboration in tackling the state’s housing challenges.
“This facility brings together the experts and the data, giving us key insights as we address the housing crisis. We need universities that can translate research into real-world solutions – exactly what UNSW is doing here.”
Chris Minns, NSW Premier
Funded through a $1m grant from the Office of the NSW Chief Scientist, the lab is being led by the City Futures Research Centre at UNSW Arts, Design & Architecture.
According to Project Lead Professor Chris Pettit, Director of the City Futures Research Centre, the lab’s primary goal is to centralise housing data and provide real-time evidence to guide planning and decision-making.
“We can use real-time housing datasets and the power of machine learning to explore multiple planning scenarios with live feedback. This will help provide decision-makers with the ability to assess the impacts of different policy options before implementation.
“With the nation facing significant housing challenges, it’s vital that researchers, Government, and industry work together using the most robust data and analytical tools to inform policy.
“Having the space with the capabilities of the Housing Analytics Lab at our disposal means we can all come together, and co-design much-needed solutions backed by data.”
Professor Chris Pettit, Director, City Futures Research Centre
The lab’s capacity to analyse real-time housing datasets will allow researchers to explore various planning scenarios and assess the potential impacts of different policy options.
From identifying housing capacity near train stations to analysing the demand for social housing by local government areas, the lab will address a range of critical housing issues.
Vice-Chancellor and President of UNSW Sydney Professor Attila Brungs stated that the Housing Analytics Lab demonstrates how the University’s world-leading researchers are fostering collaboration to positively impact society.
“The housing crisis is a complex policy challenge that can only be addressed through genuine collaboration across sectors.
“By bringing together the deep expertise of UNSW researchers, the decision-making ability of Government, the resources and reach of industry and the vital contributions of not-for-profits, the Housing Analytics Lab launched today will help deliver solutions that benefit all Australians.”
Professor Attila Brungs, Vice-Chancellor and President, UNSW Sydney
By leveraging its resources and partnerships, the Housing Analytics Lab is expected to play a pivotal role in addressing these challenges and delivering actionable outcomes for the housing sector.
