Stupid headline aside

Dr Sebastian Pfautsch, an expert in urban planning and management at Western Sydney University, said the image of Mickleham left him feeling “angry and hopeless”.

“Angry because of the continued ignorance of builders and those that approve the new settlements. Hopeless because it is obvious that homeowners don’t care either,” he told news.com.au.

Professor Pfautsch said he was stunned builders were “making the same (design) mistakes” that had been repeated for decades in Australia.

“Badly insulated, single-glazed, black roofed, entirely unshaded homes will rely entirely on airconditioning at any outdoor temperature above 28 to 30C,” he said.

“They become very expensive to operate in summer. In the cost-of-living crisis today, people already make decisions between food on the table or running the airconditioning.

“Imagine what these families will endure in 20 to 30 years.”

Topping the “absurdity”, he said, was that many of the homes likely featured front and back yards made from plastic