Mid this year will be 20 years since I started working in local, Sydney, high density residential industry. At the time, not many Australians were living in apartments. Therefore, not many apartments were being built, and those that were, were designed and built for investment market - aimed at providing just enough for residents and maximizing return for investor owners. Largest developer on the market was Meriton. It had internal team of planners, architects, engineers, project managers, construction managers, builders and sales and marketing team ... integrated project team. And high level of quality control - Harry Triguboff. Quality, at the time, was considered building something to last, not only to look shiny. And it took place at all levels - from planning, design to execution on site.

Other developers of high density residential projects like Mirvac, Walker, Australand, LandLease ... also had their own design and project management teams as well as construction arms. Developments were done in close collaboration of designers and builders.

Fast forward ten years, apartments have become more and more residence of choice for many, not only renters but owners are well - in line with the rest of the world. At the same time, Australian cities, and Sydney in particular, have developed shortage of accommodation for its growing population. Whole industry was building 10-15000 dwellings when over 30000 was needed. Supply side is identified as the solution for "affordability crisis".

I've got scared.

Knowing the industry from inside, its capacity in all aspects - planning, design. management, construction, certification ... but also education, contracting relationships, financing, insurances, quality control ... I didn't see that it can deliver required quantities (and densities) in such short period of time. Not without quality suffering.

There is simply not enough experienced, planners, designers, engineers, contractors, sub-contractors, suppliers, managers ... to deliver quality product. Add to that outdated/inadequate regulations, standards, education system for professionals and legal/contracting and management framework, combined with greed of new-baked "developers" (get a quick buck and disappear) and we are where we are - having to deal with Opal Towers.

Project Team Integration led by experienced professionals in the field (residential towers are immensely more complex than office towers) is needed. Legal/contractual framework has to be modified to enable it. And education of professionals has to be changed - directing them towards actual end product - physical building rather than electronic generated visual effects. Professionals need to be equipped to take responsibility but also protected from frivolities of legal system.