UnitBuddy journal
Sustainability & Technology guides.
Clear, useful reading for owners corporations and the people who run them.
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Sustainability & Technology
NSW Solar for Apartment Residents Grant: Up to $150,000 for Shared Rooftop Solar, Closing 4 December 2026
The NSW Government's Solar for Apartment Residents (SoAR) program pays up to half the cost of a shared rooftop solar system, capped at $150,000 per building. Applications close on 4 December 2026 and every funded system must be running by 30 April 2027. Here is who can apply, what is covered, and what an owners corporation needs to have ready.
19 October 2026 · 7 min read
Sustainability & Technology
Digital Keys, Fobs and Intercom Access: Who Controls Entry to an Apartment Building?
Access control has become a strata governance question, not a facilities one. Fobs, mobile credentials, intercom apps and audit logs decide who can enter the building, how quickly access can be removed, and what data the owners corporation is legally responsible for. This is the practical position for Australian schemes.
7 May 2026 · 13 min read
Sustainability & Technology
How to Set Up Internet for a Strata Building So the CCTV Can Be Accessed: A Deep Dive
Putting cameras up is the easy part. The hard part is everything around them: getting an internet connection that's actually owned by the owners corporation, making the footage viewable from somewhere other than the basement, doing it without exposing the building to ransomware botnets, and making sure the whole thing complies with eight different surveillance laws plus the federal Privacy Act.
4 May 2026 · 32 min read
Sustainability & Technology
FOGO and Apartment Bin Rooms: Preparing Strata Buildings for Food Waste Reform
Food organics collection is moving from council trial to ordinary building operations. Apartment committees need to think about bin rooms, contamination, smell, pests, signage and resident habits before FOGO arrives at the loading dock.
26 March 2026 · 8 min read
Sustainability & Technology
Smart Technology in Strata Buildings: What Is Worth Paying For
Smart-building upgrades only make sense when they remove a real problem: poor access control, water leaks, wasted energy, weak records or maintenance delays. The sales pitch matters less than the job the system will do.
12 February 2026 · 6 min read
Sustainability & Technology
Solar Panels on Strata Buildings: How to Get It Approved and Who Benefits
Solar energy can slash common area electricity costs and boost property values, but getting approval in a strata building involves navigating by-laws, shared benefits and installation logistics. This is how to make it happen.
11 February 2026 · 6 min read
Sustainability & Technology
Installing EV Charging in Your Apartment Building: How to Get Strata Approval
EV ownership is surging but apartment dwellers face unique challenges. From sustainability infrastructure laws to load management and government grants, this guide explains how to get EV charging approved in strata.
9 February 2026 · 6 min read