Housing affordability and accessibility: Tackling a perennial problem

It’s time to understand the implications of targeted attacks against critical utilities and infrastructure and take action. Boards and senior leaders are responsible for protecting New Zealand communities and must act intentionally to safeguard our places, spaces and people. For leaders unsure of their cyber risks and vulnerabilities, now is the time to ask questions.

The next five years will see New Zealand’s water industry fundamentally change in the way it operates. The growing regulatory focus on large infrastructure is set to drive the next wave of cybersecurity changes. With Australia leading the way in operation technology cybersecurity, strengthened guidelines or legislation updates are likely on New Zealand’s periphery.

If we consider the Australian journey as an example, the four-year gap between the Security of Critical Infrastructure Act 2018 and the Security Legislation Amendment (Critical Infrastructure Protection) Act 2022 gave Australian organisations time to step-up. And today, the risk management practices of critical infrastructure providers in Australia have never been stricter. The time is now for New Zealand to prepare for the equivalent and review risks before it becomes a mandated requirement.

While this white paper takes a global lens, it remains relevant to New Zealand’s evolving cyber landscape. We anticipate radical shifts, including regulations and heightened public scrutiny, which demands new approaches and solutions. Among the myriad of risks is the shift of SCADA (supervisory control and data acquisition) systems to virtualised web-based platforms, introducing the inherent risk of technology change.

Although New Zealand has made progress in its cyber maturity, work remains and must happen soon. Leaders must put the risks and vulnerabilities under a microscope and cybersecurity must be holistically integrated into operation strategy and company ethos.

Non-traditional entrants to the housing market such as transport providers, educational institutions and superannuation funds are having a greater influence in creating connected and inspired communities.

These new, unconventional investors, landholders and housing providers are adding diversity, while also appealing to and bringing together different demographics. The colocation of different typologies and mix of housing products to respond to diverse needs and expectations will be a critical lever to underpin thriving communities that support social cohesion and equity in the future.

To make housing truly accessible – and affordable – cost savings must be embedded across the full lifecycle of a home. While materials play a large part in the base cost of a house, energy and water efficiency must also be built into homes to reduce the operational costs to residents. This particularly applies in the social and affordable housing space, where rising energy bills can mean the difference between choosing to heat or cool a home, or not.

New models and materials are also emerging to help tackle housing accessibility and affordability head-on. Modular solutions, for example, lend themselves to repetition, making them a quick-to-assemble and low-cost option for hotels, schools and retirement living. Build-to-rent is a mechanism that is still emerging in Australia and the United Kingdom but has been used successfully in the United States for decades, offering tenants the flexibility of renting with the security of long-term tenure.