“The most noticeable shift for me has been around measuring and collecting building performance data,” he says. “That’s probably been the thing that’s changed the conversation the most. It’s given us a much clearer way to validate what works, and it’s helped shape policy, construction standards, and even what the market expects from buildings.”
The effect has been a gradual normalisation. Sustainability, once occupying its own lane in the design conversation, has become embedded in the process itself. “It’s not really a separate conversation anymore,” Johnson notes.
From ideology to integration
That integration hasn’t always been obvious. Johnson recalls an unspoken divide that characterised the industry a decade and a half ago — a split between those committed to passive design principles and those embracing engineered solutions.
“It felt like two different ways of approaching the same problem,” he says. Over time, that tension dissolved. Today, architects and designers draw on engineered building technologies not as a fallback when passive design falls short, but as tools that make good design better — and as sustainable as possible.
The Commons as a turning point
Asked for a single project that marked a shift in thinking, Johnson doesn’t hesitate: Breathe Architecture’s The Commons.
“It’s hard to go past The Commons — not just because it is an incredible building that pioneered a whole new perspective on sustainable multi-residential development, but because it made us, as the awards presenters, reconsider what ‘sustainable building’ actually meant.”
Before The Commons, sustainable design tended to sit apart from other performance metrics in awards programs. The project changed that, demonstrating an integrated approach that placed environmental outcomes on equal footing with design quality and financial viability.
“At the time, this felt possible because the architects led the development themselves,” Johnson reflects. “But on reflection, I do believe it demonstrated to other developers that design-led development could still provide profitable outcomes alongside all the other environmental, cultural and community benefits.”
What comes next
Looking ahead, Johnson sees the building envelope as the defining frontier.
As energy costs rise and mechanical systems continue to dominate energy use, the performance of a building’s facade is becoming increasingly critical. The industry is already moving away from leaky facades and low-performing glazing — a shift Johnson expects to accelerate.
“High-performing envelopes will just become standard practice,” he says. “It won’t really be optional anymore.”
About the Sustainability Awards
Celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2026, the Sustainability Awards is Australia’s longest running and most prestigious program recognising excellence in sustainable design and architecture. Entries are evaluated by an expert judging panel, with winners across multiple categories announced at the annual Sustainability Awards Gala on 12 November 2026 in Sydney. For updates on entry openings or to enquire about remaining sponsorship opportunities, please click here.
