Making better decisions about built assets: learning by doing. This research will assist the built environment professions and their clients to make better decisions about new developments through a novel 'learning by doing' approach. Used successfully in other fields such as natural resource management, this idea will capitalise on the large number of asset investments undertaken to benchmark original stakeholder intentions and aspirations against the reality of current performance. Decisions w ....Making better decisions about built assets: learning by doing. This research will assist the built environment professions and their clients to make better decisions about new developments through a novel 'learning by doing' approach. Used successfully in other fields such as natural resource management, this idea will capitalise on the large number of asset investments undertaken to benchmark original stakeholder intentions and aspirations against the reality of current performance. Decisions will be re-evaluated in the context of contemporary economic, social and environmental criteria to enable existing multi-criteria models to deliver more sustainable outcomes that are also feasible and in the national interest, and consequently minimise the industry's current exposure to future climate change.Read moreRead less
Lifetime Affordable Housing in Australia: Integrating environmental performance and affordability. Existing dwellings and the locations of suburban housing with respect to employment centres result in significant greenhouse gas emissions. Water and other environmental issues are also important in housing performance, and there is currently a perceived trade-off between these factors and the affordability of housing. For the first time in Australia, this study will focus on overcoming this appare ....Lifetime Affordable Housing in Australia: Integrating environmental performance and affordability. Existing dwellings and the locations of suburban housing with respect to employment centres result in significant greenhouse gas emissions. Water and other environmental issues are also important in housing performance, and there is currently a perceived trade-off between these factors and the affordability of housing. For the first time in Australia, this study will focus on overcoming this apparent policy dilemma. The research will inform future housing policy in strengthening Australia's economic and social fabric, while contributing towards Australia's National Research Priority 1 'Environmentally Sustainable Australia'. Outcomes will provide significant national economic, social, water use and greenhouse gas benefits for Australia.Read moreRead less
Reforming the procurement of construction and financing of Australian infrastructure: Advancing capacity, competition and investment. The project will significantly assist Federal and State governments in delivering value for money in the provision of a substantial infrastructure pipeline. The project will promote the transformation of the domestic construction industry in Australia, in terms of saving unnecessary transaction costs, promoting productivity, advancing training and accessing the wo ....Reforming the procurement of construction and financing of Australian infrastructure: Advancing capacity, competition and investment. The project will significantly assist Federal and State governments in delivering value for money in the provision of a substantial infrastructure pipeline. The project will promote the transformation of the domestic construction industry in Australia, in terms of saving unnecessary transaction costs, promoting productivity, advancing training and accessing the world's best knowledge and skills. In total, the project will help ensure that new infrastructure contributes to Australia's economic growth and counters inflationary pressures. Finally, the transferable knowledge outcomes of this project have potential to capture global attention and promote Australia as a leading nation in the provision of infrastructure.Read moreRead less
Wave Climate in the Southern Great Barrier Reef. Sea surface roughness has a major influence on global climate modelling. This project will provide a better understanding of the variability of sea waves in coastal waters. New technology of HF ocean radar can map wave fields over coastal waters and thus fill a gap between the open ocean satellite measurements and the point measurements from wave buoys. In this project we will improve the analysis of the radar echoes to produce sea wave spectra, a ....Wave Climate in the Southern Great Barrier Reef. Sea surface roughness has a major influence on global climate modelling. This project will provide a better understanding of the variability of sea waves in coastal waters. New technology of HF ocean radar can map wave fields over coastal waters and thus fill a gap between the open ocean satellite measurements and the point measurements from wave buoys. In this project we will improve the analysis of the radar echoes to produce sea wave spectra, and evaluate focussing of waves by complex currents on the continental shelf to help improve wave forecasting in coastal waters. The HF radar will be used to experimentally test current theories of wind wave spreading.Read moreRead less
Australia's Nuclear Choices. Australia's nuclear choices will be made in the context of a challenging and fluid international strategic environment characterised in Australia's immediate region by heightened global concerns regarding such transnational dilemmas as terrorism, energy security and nuclear proliferation. This project, through exploring the nature, evolution and consequences of contemporary strategic, military and civil nuclear developments impacting on the international non-prolifer ....Australia's Nuclear Choices. Australia's nuclear choices will be made in the context of a challenging and fluid international strategic environment characterised in Australia's immediate region by heightened global concerns regarding such transnational dilemmas as terrorism, energy security and nuclear proliferation. This project, through exploring the nature, evolution and consequences of contemporary strategic, military and civil nuclear developments impacting on the international non-proliferation regime will enable Australian policy-makers to better calibrate the costs and benefits of potential policy changes across these strategic, regime and market realms of Australia's nuclear interests.Read moreRead less
Improving zoo/aquarium conservation learning outcomes: a values approach. This project aims to improve the educational value of zoos and aquariums in teaching and engaging the public about conservation issues. Although zoos and aquariums claim their current education programs are effective in reaching and educating the public on conservation issues, research shows their influence on visitors’ environmental behaviour is limited. The project intends to investigate the influence of zoo and aquarium ....Improving zoo/aquarium conservation learning outcomes: a values approach. This project aims to improve the educational value of zoos and aquariums in teaching and engaging the public about conservation issues. Although zoos and aquariums claim their current education programs are effective in reaching and educating the public on conservation issues, research shows their influence on visitors’ environmental behaviour is limited. The project intends to investigate the influence of zoo and aquarium visitors’ values or broad life goals on their environmental learning outcomes; develop values-based conservation education strategies; and measure the impact of these on visitors’ adoption of conservation actions. The intended outcomes are guidelines that will replace the current ‘one size fits all’ conservation messages with tailored experiences that attract, engage and influence those for whom environmental care and protection are not necessarily of central concern.Read moreRead less
Innovations in Clinical Education for Physiotherapy Students. Australia has workforce shortages and an ageing population. Physiotherapists are key players in promoting and maintaining good health through their leadership in physical activity and rehabilitation to retain Australians in the workforce and to ensure quality of life for our ageing population. There is a national shortage of physiotherapists. Increasing numbers of physiotherapists are being trained, requiring new models of clinical tr ....Innovations in Clinical Education for Physiotherapy Students. Australia has workforce shortages and an ageing population. Physiotherapists are key players in promoting and maintaining good health through their leadership in physical activity and rehabilitation to retain Australians in the workforce and to ensure quality of life for our ageing population. There is a national shortage of physiotherapists. Increasing numbers of physiotherapists are being trained, requiring new models of clinical training as there is no capacity in conventional training to cope with student numbers. This research will develop and evaluate new models of training incorporating standardised patients (actors) and simulators (mannequins) which increase education capacity. Models are transferable to other health professions.Read moreRead less
Carbon neutral communities: making the transition. This project has well defined National benefits, both economic and social, for the collaborative partners, the business community, policy makers, community groups and the broader Australian community. It contributes toward NRP 1, through developing practical measures for reducing GHG emissions in Australian urban areas, and strategies for overcoming barriers to greater uptake of energy efficiency and alternative technologies; and helping Austra ....Carbon neutral communities: making the transition. This project has well defined National benefits, both economic and social, for the collaborative partners, the business community, policy makers, community groups and the broader Australian community. It contributes toward NRP 1, through developing practical measures for reducing GHG emissions in Australian urban areas, and strategies for overcoming barriers to greater uptake of energy efficiency and alternative technologies; and helping Australia to meet its greenhouse reduction targets. The project economic benefits to through energy savings; stimulating innovation in urban design, building design and transport use; promoting new business opportunities; and encouraging more sustainable lifestyle decisions. Read moreRead less
Application of Water Based Fractionation in the Assessment of Metallurgical Coal. The metallurgical coal market (13% of coal market) is highly specialized, and competitive. The coal, which is utilized as a reducing agent in iron making, represents more than 52% of Australian coal exports. This study addresses growing evidence that organic liquids used to fractionate and in turn assess metallurgical coals lead to negative assessments, hence loss of markets, and lost opportunities. A new water bas ....Application of Water Based Fractionation in the Assessment of Metallurgical Coal. The metallurgical coal market (13% of coal market) is highly specialized, and competitive. The coal, which is utilized as a reducing agent in iron making, represents more than 52% of Australian coal exports. This study addresses growing evidence that organic liquids used to fractionate and in turn assess metallurgical coals lead to negative assessments, hence loss of markets, and lost opportunities. A new water based fractionation method will be established, and a systematic investigation into the effects of the organic liquids will be undertaken. These results will be used to build a case for replacing the organic liquids used in the industry, which are known to have negative health and environmental impacts. Read moreRead less
Role of Reactive Particles in Explosive Emulsions. Concentrated water-in oil explosive emulsions are widely used in the minerals industry because they are cheap, easily detonated and relatively safe to handle. Their explosive energy can be significantly increased when reactive particles are introduced into the emulsion matrix. To do this, the interaction between the solid, oil, and water phases needs to be optimised. This investigation will increase our basic understanding of the physical and ch ....Role of Reactive Particles in Explosive Emulsions. Concentrated water-in oil explosive emulsions are widely used in the minerals industry because they are cheap, easily detonated and relatively safe to handle. Their explosive energy can be significantly increased when reactive particles are introduced into the emulsion matrix. To do this, the interaction between the solid, oil, and water phases needs to be optimised. This investigation will increase our basic understanding of the physical and chemical interactions that occur between the particle and the oil-water interface, and develop a more efficient explosive that can be produced continuously on a commercial scale.Read moreRead less