A lesson in the birthplace of democracy turned quickly to one about the remediation of old buildings. Specifically, old buildings without 'as built' plans. The Acropolis has always been a place of learning.
The restoration of The Parthenon is particularly painstaking. Fragments of the original temple, scattered around the citadel over the centuries are collected, cleaned, archived, and ultimately, reattached. Some pieces weigh more than 6000 kgs. It's like a giant jigsaw. It's slow and expensive work.
Repairing older strata buildings, and some newer ones, faces similar problems. Without the plans and specifications from the time of construction it's a jigsaw too. One with missing pieces.
The evacuation of Opal Towers and Mascot Towers brings the centralised preservation of as built plans and specifications of strata buildings into focus. At present, only NSW has extensive laws requiring developers to register their designs with government. Other state and territory governments are yet to realise that this information is vital to the future of sustainable housing.
Registration of construction plans and specifications is necessary, because developers often fail in their duty to pass this information on to future owners. It's like selling a car without a manual and after sales servicing.
With few exceptions, developer handover documents are scant. So are laws that require extensive information to be given to the new strata entities that are charged with compulsory maintenance and repair obligations. Developers are not required to hand over crucial documents in WA and the NT. What a missed opportunity for strata owners in these states. Owners corporations and bodies corporate in these states are being set up to fail.
It needn't be this hard. We can learn from the past, and each other.
P.S. - I will be speaking about this and other shortcomings in our national approach to maintaining strata at the Strata Impact Conference 2025, you can register here.
Michael Teys advises strata management businesses on improving profitability through professionalisation and streamlined operating systems.
He has more than 30 years’ experience as a strata lawyer and academic and has owned 11 strata management agencies throughout Australia. He has a Master of Philosophy (Built Environment) and Bachelor of Laws. He lectures and writes widely about strata management issues in Australia and internationally.
