sensum minds #6 - Planning & Design: Putting People and Practicality First

Sensum Minds housing Series - Part 2

As Project Managers playing our part in addressing Australia’s housing crisis, the planning and design phase is where key decisions shape the success of housing projects. Ensuring each development is functional, sustainable, and aligned with tenant needs requires a delicate balance of priorities. In Part 2 of our Housing Series, we’re exploring how we, as Project Managers, take a "people-first" mindset, while still focusing on the project objectives and delivery.

Image: Design sprints led by Sensum where we collaborated with industry and key stakeholders in the early design phases, tackling how to create liveable MMC housing that put the occupants first, but also balanced the practicalities of construction and logistics.

Every successful housing project begins with an assessment of its feasibility. Sensum understand how to assess project feasibility and work closely with our clients and stakeholders to conduct thorough appraisals, ensuring that projects are both financially and functionally viable from the outset.

We play an active role in ensuring funding options are evaluated and aligned with the project’s financial goals. By working closely with the appointed QS partners, we help assess and review funding agreements early in the process, to confirm that there is sufficient capital to support the project through all phases. This includes securing necessary approvals, managing cost contingencies, and ensuring that all financial commitments are in place to avoid delays or disruptions.

Tenant Amenity and Liveability

Once the project’s feasibility is confirmed, the focus shifts to the people who will call these homes their own. Housing must be more than just shelter—it should improve and enhance the quality of life for its residents. As Project Managers, Sensum prioritises tenant well-being in every decision, ensuring that practical needs are addressed to create not only functional homes but vibrant, liveable communities.

From there, attention turns to technical due diligence, a critical step in safeguarding the project’s success. We rigorously review every aspect—from design, materials, and construction methods to regulatory compliance— leading project teams, proactively identifying potential issues that could disrupt progress. By resolving challenges early, Sensum help prevent costly delays and facilitate a smooth path forward.

Balancing Cost and Quality

Cost has always been a key consideration when delivering projects. Now more so than ever rising construction costs make designing within a budget a significant challenge. As Project Managers, Sensum collaborate closely with design and consultant teams to strike the right balance between cost and quality, ensuring the tenant experience is never compromised.

For Community Housing Providers (CHPs), housing developments are long-term investments. This means homes must be affordable to build and efficient to maintain. We focus on durability and sustainability, making strategic decisions—such as selecting cost-effective, hard-wearing durable materials—that reduce maintenance and long-term costs while maintaining high standards of quality.

To us, designing for sustainability is not just about initial savings but ensuring long-term value and affordability for residents and housing providers alike. We work with the design team consultants to prioritise integrating sustainable materials and energy-efficient technologies, helping CHPs minimise operational costs over time while reducing environmental impact.

End to End Waste Reduction

Approximately 40% of all material waste in landfill generated in Australia is from the Construction Industry. At Sensum we care deeply for our planet and seek to be good ancestors now for future generations.

So, what can be done? There are some simple strategies through design that make a significant impact in construction and long-term maintenance. Bespoke and non-standardised approaches within projects whether in functional areas such as bathrooms or as whole floor plates generate a lot of risk, uncertainty, time and yes waste. Sensum applies a waste reduction lens to the projects we work on, both to help the environment, but to also reduce cost. Let’s not forget about Digital Waste? Digital Waste in Construction can be described as project data (designs, specifications, documents, messages etc) which is not leveraged to its fullest capacity. It is often fertilised by inefficient processes and procedures. With the cost to store data at all time lows, it is even easier to keep than to curate, archive and delete. Digital Waste can be reduced effectively and ultimately save time, cost, and enhance certainty. More on this in Part 4.

Guiding Projects Through Complex Planning Pathways

Even the most well-designed projects can experience delays if intricate planning systems aren't carefully managed. Each state and territory have its own regulations, and Sensum has experience in delivering housing projects in SA, NSW, QLD and VIC, we are skilled at guiding projects through these varying pathways. Our experience across different regulatory frameworks allows us to anticipate and overcome bottlenecks, ensuring the project progresses efficiently and is delivered on time. Through proactive collaboration, we work closely with key stakeholders and specialist planning consultants to leverage and navigate planning initiatives and pathways to keep projects moving efficiently and on schedule.

If you’re keen to know more about what we are doing in the housing or MMC space, reach out to one of our team who can take you through some case studies, or chat with you about your project.