Principle 10: Create and add value

Good design on the Sunshine Coast goes above and beyond minimum requirements.

Principle 10: Create and add value

The community places high importance on the liveability of the Sunshine Coast. The quality of buildings, streets and spaces is one of the factors influencing liveability. Investment in good design enhances liveability, delivering economic, social and environmental benefits to investors and the community.

Economically, for developers and investors, there is potential for higher land values, sale values and rental returns, increased asset value (on which to borrow), improved clarity within the decision process and faster property sales. Good design can help build a good business reputation and a competitive edge.

For owners and tenants, there is potential for reduced running costs (energy usage), maintenance costs and better re-sale value and for attracting higher quality longer-term tenants. For local business, shops and facilities, there is potential to increase marketing potential and productivity through employee satisfaction and to strengthen business viability.

The possible social benefits of good design are better security and less crime, less pollution and better health, greater accessibility, more inclusive public spaces and greater civic pride and sense of community. Our environment can potentially benefit from good design through reduced energy consumption, resource and land consumption and less environmental damage.

Good design on the Sunshine Coast goes above and beyond minimum requirements. It can create an economic advantage, added value by increasing the liveability and therefore the economic viability of development, and delivering economic advantage to the community. Good design adds value for everybody.

Why this is important

Design that does not create or add value to a building or place can diminish the liveability of the Sunshine Coast. Opportunities to grow return on financial investment could be missed. Cost cutting during the design and delivery process could result in expensive retrofitting and detract from the longer-term value of the investment. Buildings that are cheap to build and buy could be costly to maintain and run. Buildings and places that are poorly designed can be less enjoyable to live in and do not contribute to a better quality of life.

Ideas for working with this principle

Whatever scale you're working at–city, neighbourhood, street, park or building, here are some ideas for working with this principle.

1. Create value by 'designing in' new opportunities for buildings, streets and spaces for increased social, economic and environmental benefits to the community

2. Invest in good design and high quality construction to deliver more user-friendly, high-performance and lower-maintenance buildings, streets and spaces

3. Reduce the impacts of time, use and climate on buildings, streets and spaces through good design, material selection and construction

4. Consider whole-of-life costs, including ongoing maintenance and operational costs, so that those who own or occupy now and in the future can benefit.