UNSW secures funding to establish an AI-powered data analytics lab to drive future housing policy decisions
A $1 million grant has been awarded to UNSW Sydney to establish the Housing Analytics Lab (HAL), a hybrid data facility poised to revolutionize housing policy.
Bringing together industry, academic, government, and non-profit stakeholders, the lab will be situated in South Eveleigh, facilitating collaborative efforts to address Australia’s housing affordability and supply challenges.
“Access to comprehensive analytics and insights is crucial for informed decision-making amidst Australia’s housing landscape.”
Professor Chris Pettit, Director of the City Futures Research Centre at UNSW
HAL will feature cutting-edge digital tools, including a database equipped with a map dashboard showcasing past and ongoing planning approvals nationwide. Powered by artificial intelligence (AI), the lab will deploy classifiers to identify spatial clusters of development activity and a virtual housing assistant trained to address overarching questions concerning urban planning and affordable housing delivery.
Moreover, AI algorithms will analyze housing supply and demand potentials across Local Government Areas (LGAs), leveraging government data sharing agreements to provide insights into various aspects of the housing pipeline, from zoned land for future housing to multi-unit apartment deliveries and the prevalence of vacant properties.
The lab’s two-year funding, provided by the office of the NSW Chief Scientist under the National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy (NCRIS) support program, underscores its pivotal role in driving innovation and research commercialization within NSW.
According to NSW Chief Scientist and Engineer, Hugh Durrant-Whyte, these facilities are instrumental in fostering advanced research and catalyzing commercialization opportunities within the state, thereby serving as a key driver for economic innovation.
Professor Claire Annesley, Dean of Arts, Design, and Architecture at UNSW, expressed enthusiasm for the lab’s potential to provide cutting-edge solutions to urban planning challenges. She emphasized its role in empowering decision-makers with advanced analytical tools, highlighting its alignment with UNSW’s mission of driving societal progress through impactful research and technology.
