Regional Housing Limited (RHL) has been honoured with the 2017 AHI Award for Leading Housing Development Project in Queensland at the Australasian Housing Institute (AHI) Professional Excellence in Housing Awards in Brisbane on May 2nd.
Up against strong competition from around the state, RHL won the award for its recently completed specialist disability accommodation in Bundaberg.
AHI’s Leading Housing Development Project Award recognises housing professionals who are judged to have made a significant and lasting difference to residences or service users, to their community, and to their profession.
RHL’s disability housing projects demonstrated an innovative approach to residential development that offers an important new model for the housing sector; exceptional quality in architectural design with the introduction of novel and significant design features; and efficient, cost-effective construction.
This accommodation delivers outstanding safety and security aspects, adaptable, accessible and energy efficient building design, customisable home automation features and an integrated technology infrastructure which accommodates the installation of individualised assistive technologies.
“Winning this award is a significant achievement for our organisation and we are so pleased that our developments have given individuals living with disability greater freedom and more control over their day to day lives” explains CEO Brett Hanna.
Having completed construction of eight (8) units across four (4) sites in Bundaberg between May 2016 and January 2017, RHL now provides homes and a higher quality of life for 12 individuals living with disability.
Practical design features such as accessible, adjustable kitchens, raised power points, LED lighting, accessible bathrooms, wider hallways, and step free path of entry combine with technology features like movement activated lighting, smart webcam doorbells with lock releases, and iPad control of integrated functions to provide a truly unique and empowering living experience.
Leanne Juillerat’s daughter is residing in the award winning accommodation and said her daughter Kate loves her unit as the open plan design makes it very manageable. “The electronic system enables Kate to feel safe and offers us as parent’s, peace of mind knowing Kate feels safe and happy in her own home” said Leanne.
RHL’s technology infrastructure can be programmed to meet individual preferences and allows residents to add assistive technologies specifically suited to their needs.
While RHL partially funded the construction of the units, we would like to acknowledge the financial contribution of the Queensland State Government’s Department of Communities, Child Safety and Disability Services towards these projects.
Having taken out the QLD state award RHL will now go to the National AHI Awards to be held in Sydney in November where these developments will take on the best community and social housing developments from around the country.
If you’d like to know more about this innovative housing or take a virtual tour of our award winning units visit our Specialist Disability Housing page.
RHL’s Disability Housing in the News
RHL wins Australasian award for housing development – Media Release (4th December 2017)
Clever housing for people with disabilities tops Queensland – News Mail (6th May 2017)
New disability housing is really switched on – News Mail (15th July 2016)
$1.4m allocated for disability housing – News Mail (20th March 2015)