Articles & Podcasts
- Precisely Property Podcast
- 01/10/2025
EP30: Sustainable Build to Rent and the Future of Living in Australia
Charter Keck Kramer's Richard Temlett sits down with MODEL CEO Rory Hunter to discuss sustainability, design and the future of rental housing. Tune in to hear Rory’s bold vision for how the industry can evolve, and why it matters now more than ever.
Listen- Wood in Architecture
- 16/10/2025
Mass timber and Passivhaus: Reimaging Australian Homes
Rory Hunter, founder and CEO of MODEL, shares about the company's vision to create better homes and reshape the future of the built environment.
Read Article- Wood Central
- 14/10/2025
Aussie Developer targets Sydney, Brisbane as MODEL goes National
Rory Hunter, the keynote speaker at Timber Construct 2025, outlines his $600m plan to roll out cross-laminated build‑to‑rent towers across Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane.
Read Article- Wood Central
Aussie Developer eyes $600M Fund to take Build to Rent Model National
Buoyed by a potential $930b market size, MODEL is now looking for development opportunities across the Eastern Seaboard.Australia’s most ambitious build-to-rent developer, MODEL, wants to raise $600m in its Regenerative Decarbonisation Fund – up from its previous goal of $250m.
Read Article- BTR News
- 25/07/2025
MODEL appoints CFO and Advisory Board roles
MODEL appoints CFO and Advisory Board roles as it enters the structured phase of fund raising for its $600m Regenerative Decarbonisation Fund.
Read article- Wood Central
- 25/07/2025
Aussie Developer’s Timber Model Wins Support from Heavyweights
Australia’s newest and most ambitious build-to-rent developer – MODEL – has snapped up former Cbus CFO Ashley Reed, in a shake-up that will also see Jennifer Horrigan, chair of Dexus Asset Management and Yarra Capital Management, Phil Andrew – director of Generate Property Group and Sangeeta Venjatesan – chair of Airwallex Australia and RSL Lifecare join an advisory committee set up to oversee the new projects.
Read article- The Fifth Estate
- 24/07/2025
Ashley Reed and MODEL board, Clean Energy Council, US Energy Star, Texas Floods
Ashley Reed has been snapped up by Rory Hunter’s MODEL, which promises a strong sustainability build-to-rent development rollout. Also joining Reed at the company are new advisory board members Jennifer Horrigan, Phill Andrew and Sangeeta Venkatesan, with all having a financial investment in the company.
Read article- ASEAN Developer
- 23/07/2025
‘Leaders of Industry’ appointed into CFO and Advisory Board roles - MODEL
MODEL continues to bolster its leadership team with significant appointments, Ashley Reed joins as Chief Financial Officer (CFO), alongside the formation of a specialist Advisory Board featuring expert industry leaders Jennifer Horrigan, Phill Andrew, and Sangeeta Venkatesan.
Read article- Green Street News
- 11/06/2025
Sustainable BTR developer to raise $1.5bn for Melbourne, Sydney projects
New build-to-rent entrant MODEL, founded by hospitality entrepreneur Rory Hunter, is looking to raise up to $1.5bn to develop a portfolio of sustainable buildings in Melbourne and Sydney. Hunter says highly sustainable buildings outperform on a returns basis.
Read article- BTR News
- 05/06/2025
Sustainable BTR schemes outperform the competition
The ‘MODEL: The Business Case for Sustainable Build to Rent’ report from property consultancy JLL, commissioned by sustainable real estate pioneer MODEL, demonstrates Build to Rent developments with leading sustainability credentials not only outperform their peers, but can also redefine the financial narrative.
Read Article- The Urban Developer
- 03/06/2025
Paywall
‘It’s Massive’: On Mission to Prove BtR Green Equals Gold
Property developer MODEL has launched a $250m Regenerative Decarbonisation Fund to support its first two build-to-rent projects in Melbourne, and it is lining up more sites.
Read article- The Australian
- 31/10/2024
Paywall
'Pivotal moment' for sustainable housing at scale
Property developer MODEL has launched a $250m Regenerative Decarbonisation Fund to support its first two build-to-rent projects in Melbourne, and it is lining up more sites.
Read Article- BTR News Australia
- 06/11/2024
MODEL to develop sustainable Lithgow Street BTR
MODEL is transforming the former Schweppes Factory in Abbotsford into 180 apartments and launched its $250M Regenerative Decarbonisation Fund. Architects Warren and Mahoney, Arup, TTW, Urbis, Neuron and Slattery will ensure that it achieves MODEL's sustainability targets.
Read article- Woodcentral
- 06/11/2024
The Second Coming: New Timber Model to Fix Melbourne's Squeeze
Australia's most ambitious build-to-rent developer has established a $250m fund as it pushes ahead with its pledge to build more than 5,000 units out of mass timber over the next five years.
Read article- Architecture & Design
- 05/11/2024
MODEL turns Schweppes factory into sustainable living hub and launches $250m fund
Build-to-rent (BTR) innovator MODEL has announced its second project in Abbotsford as it continues to lead the charge in Melbourne’s residential sustainability evolution. It's also launching its $250m Regenerative Decarbonisation Fund (RDF).
Read article- Australian Property Journal
- 05/11/2024
Paywall
MODEL’s struts down Abbotsford with build-to-rent development
MODEL has unveiled its plans for a second build-to-rent project in Abbotsford with the adaptive transformation of the former Schweppes Cordial Factory
Read article- The ASEAN Developer
- 01/11/2024
MODEL Transforms former Schweppes Cordial Factory into sustainable living hub
BTR innovator MODEL has announced its second project in Abbotsford, brokered by JLL as it continues to lead the charge in Melbourne’s residential sustainability evolution – also launching its $250m Regenerative Decarbonisation Fund (RDF).
Read article- The Urban Developer
- 31/10/2024
Paywall
MODEL Lifts Covers on Second Melbourne BtR
BTR developer MODEL has revealed a second project in Melbourne’s Abbotsford that will incorporate passivhaus principles as it unveils a new $250-million Regenerative Decarbonisation Fund to allows developers to invest sustainably.
Read article- ArchitectureAU
- 01/10/2024
Proposed tower aims to become Melbourne’s tallest residential mass timber building
According to MODEL, the design approach was driven by “decarbonisation at scale,” with the project aiming to achieve a 50 percent reduction in embodied carbon compared to standard developments of a similar scale.
Read article- Architecture & Design
- 30/09/2024
MODEL’s first project to be Melbourne’s tallest mass timber and Passive House certified apartment complex
BTR innovator MODEL shares its first project – a 13,000 sqm (GFA) structure in Abbotsford – which will not only be the tallest mass timber residential building in Melbourne, but the first large scale apartment complex in Australia to achieve Passive House certification.
Read article- The Age
- 27/09/2024
Paywall
MODEL goes direct to minister
In line with Victoria's urgent need for housing solutions MODEL is utilising the state government’s Development Facilitation Pathway, which takes planning considerations straight to Planning Minister.
Read article- Australian Property Journal
- 26/09/2024
Paywall
MODEL takes sustainable architecture to new heights
Melbourne's tallest mass timber residential building is set to be a 200-apartment, 17-storey build-to-rent project delivered in the inner suburb of Abbotsford.
Read article- BtR News Australia
- 26/09/2024
MODEL launches MODEL on Johnston BTR
BTR group MODEL has launched its first development in Abbotsford, Melbourne, following six months of planning and feasibility testing. Located adjacent to the Victoria Park train station at 276 Johnston Street, the 13,000 sqm (GFA) building will include 200 apartments across 17 storeys.
Read article- Woodcentral
- 24/09/2024
Aussie Developer’s New Timber Model to Solve Build-to-Rent Crisis
Australia has emerged as a highly lucrative market for timber-based BTR mid and high-rise projects, with MODEL becoming the newest and most ambitious developer to propose a 17-storey, 200-apartment tower in Abbotsford, inner-city Melbourne.
Read article- The Urban Developer
- 23/09/2024
Paywall
Record-Breaking Timber BtR Tower Flagged for Melbourne
MODEL’s first BTR initiative is a 200 apartment complex in Abbotsford. The proposed project will be Melbourne’s tallest mass-timber residential building and the first large-scale apartment building to be Passive House certified in Australia.
Read article- Architecture & Design
- 06/08/2024
Episode 216: Rory Hunter on the Who, What, Why, When and Where of the MODEL BTR concept
Rory Hunter speaks with Branko Miletic on how MODEL delivers thoughtfully designed, secure, connected, carbon neutral homes where health and wellbeing are at the core of the everyday experience.
Read Article- The Fifth Estate | The Green List
- 01/08/2024
Rory Hunter's MODEL is a build-to-rent development group that aims to revolutionise the ...
MODEL's BTR projects will start with adaptive reuse or mass timber construction and be Passive House certified – reducing embodied carbon by a minimum of 50 per cent and operational carbon by 75 per cent.
Read Article- The Inner Chief
- 19/01/2024
#313 Spearheading the build-to-rent industry into a sustainable future, with Rory Hunter, Founder & CEO of MODEL (and how he bought an island in his twenties - really!)
MODEL Founder and CEO Rory tells Greg Layton how he has harnessed the entrepreneurial spirit he has possessed from a young age to create a build-to-rent initiative that considers the planet, the local community and delivers long-term value to investors.
Podcast Listen- IndesignLIVE
- 23/12/2023
Rory Hunter: One man’s MODEL for build-to-rent
MODEL’s CEO Rory Hunter speaks with Jan Henderson on how his BTR ideas centre around better lives for renters where they become a part of the community, enjoy an increased sense of security live in warm homes designed for the future.
Read Article- Architecture & Design
- 18/10/2023
Build-to-rent projects based on decarbonisation can deliver climate and ROI goals
Are sustainable buildings too costly to develop? MODEL founder and CEO Rory Hunter presents a compelling counter-narrative to the prevailing thinking by arguing that the real cost lies in “not” adopting sustainable practices.
Read Article- BTR News Australia
- 12/10/2023
MODEL announces launch with ESG committed strategy
With a key focus on developing sustainable, decarbonised residential schemes, new Build to Rent development group MODEL launches with a strong net zero strategy.
Read Article- Financial Review
- 10/10/2023
Paywall
How developers can make BTR properties hold their value
MODEL CEO Rory Hunter tells the AFR smart investors will back BTR projects with strong sustainability models in order to future-proof the value of their assets as environmental legislation continues to evolve.
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