An integrated model for the assessment of urban sustainability. The redevelopment and improvement of outdated urban infrastructure and the establishment of new infrastructure to meet needs of a growing population and increased services is a challenge faced by urban planners and developers in most Australian cities. This research will develop a systems-based framework within which combinations of models and tools will be evaluated for inclusion in an integrated assessment tool. The tool will ena ....An integrated model for the assessment of urban sustainability. The redevelopment and improvement of outdated urban infrastructure and the establishment of new infrastructure to meet needs of a growing population and increased services is a challenge faced by urban planners and developers in most Australian cities. This research will develop a systems-based framework within which combinations of models and tools will be evaluated for inclusion in an integrated assessment tool. The tool will enable us to address urban growth and its inter-relationship with infrastructure systems and services, including transport, energy, water, affordable housing, education and other land-use issues in relation to a case study of urban development. Read moreRead less
Planning for Socially Sustainable Urban Renewal in Suburban Sydney. This project will address the emerging issue of socially sustainable higher density residential renewal in suburban areas of Australian cities, with a specific focus on the post-war middle and western suburbs of Sydney. Within the context of new state strategic planning proposals, the research will explore the process of urban renewal in these areas, establish their capacity to deliver higher residential densities and assess th ....Planning for Socially Sustainable Urban Renewal in Suburban Sydney. This project will address the emerging issue of socially sustainable higher density residential renewal in suburban areas of Australian cities, with a specific focus on the post-war middle and western suburbs of Sydney. Within the context of new state strategic planning proposals, the research will explore the process of urban renewal in these areas, establish their capacity to deliver higher residential densities and assess the likely social and urban design outcomes. It will then develop new urban planing policy options that are likely to optimise socially sustainable outcomes at the local scale, working closely with local Council officers and the NSW Department of Housing in a number of study areas.Read moreRead less
Implementing metropolitan planning strategies: taking into account local level housing demand. This project will make a major contribution to our knowledge of contemporary urban change and will inform wider debates on the future of Australian cities. Providing planners and community stakeholders with a better understanding of housing demand at a local level, the research will assist in the implementation of metropolitan planning strategies, offering an effective framework that can incorporate af ....Implementing metropolitan planning strategies: taking into account local level housing demand. This project will make a major contribution to our knowledge of contemporary urban change and will inform wider debates on the future of Australian cities. Providing planners and community stakeholders with a better understanding of housing demand at a local level, the research will assist in the implementation of metropolitan planning strategies, offering an effective framework that can incorporate affordability and social inclusion considerations. The research relates directly to the National Housing Supply Council's emerging agenda, which has identified the need to consider housing demand across a variety of spatial scales, and responds to the priority goal of strengthening Australia's social and economic fabric.Read moreRead less
The character of urban intensification: Protecting and Creating Place Identity in Activity Centres. This project will contribute to the improved environmental and social sustainability of Australian cities and to an enhanced sense of place and community. It will raise awareness and understanding of social factors associated with urban change and provide theoretical and practical tools to facilitate more effective policy development, urban regulation and urban design. Although based in Melbourne, ....The character of urban intensification: Protecting and Creating Place Identity in Activity Centres. This project will contribute to the improved environmental and social sustainability of Australian cities and to an enhanced sense of place and community. It will raise awareness and understanding of social factors associated with urban change and provide theoretical and practical tools to facilitate more effective policy development, urban regulation and urban design. Although based in Melbourne, the methodology and findings can be applied to other Australian cities and internationally. Read moreRead less
Re-imagining the Australian Suburb: local governance and community building. This project forms part of RMIT's interdepartmental research network titled 'ReImagining the Australian Suburb'. It aims to investigate the potential for significantly improved sustainability outcomes in greenfield development at the urban fringe through enhanced relations between governments, industry, community groups and experts. In focussing on a selection of areas where sustainability policies currently meet formid ....Re-imagining the Australian Suburb: local governance and community building. This project forms part of RMIT's interdepartmental research network titled 'ReImagining the Australian Suburb'. It aims to investigate the potential for significantly improved sustainability outcomes in greenfield development at the urban fringe through enhanced relations between governments, industry, community groups and experts. In focussing on a selection of areas where sustainability policies currently meet formidable challenges - local governance, urban design, provision of transport infrastructure and local employment generation - this project will endeavour to highlight alternatives to conventional suburban development and test their applicability in the real-life context of the City of Whittlesea in suburban Melbourne.Read moreRead less
Re-imagining the Australian suburb - Ecological Sustainability and Urban Development. The purpose of this research project is to examine the contribution that Aurora, a new master- planned community in Melbourne, can make to the ecological sustainability of housing developments on the urban fringe. VicUrban, the Victorian Government land development agency responsible for the Aurora project, initiated the study to facilitate a process of evaluation, reflection and continuous improvement in the ....Re-imagining the Australian suburb - Ecological Sustainability and Urban Development. The purpose of this research project is to examine the contribution that Aurora, a new master- planned community in Melbourne, can make to the ecological sustainability of housing developments on the urban fringe. VicUrban, the Victorian Government land development agency responsible for the Aurora project, initiated the study to facilitate a process of evaluation, reflection and continuous improvement in the way that it implements sustainability in its strategic planning and everyday operations. The expected outcome is a framework for planning and implementing ecological sustainability in urban development, including organizational processes and sustainability indicators.Read moreRead less
Assessing the Effectiveness of Public Housing Estate Regeneration in NSW. This project will assist in strengthening the social and economic fabric of disadvantaged public housing estates by developing an innovative framework for monitoring and evaluating the impacts of estate renewal programs in NSW. The framework will be capable of evaluating change not only in the estates themselves, but also in surrounding neighbourhoods. Special attention will be focused on issues of community wellbeing an ....Assessing the Effectiveness of Public Housing Estate Regeneration in NSW. This project will assist in strengthening the social and economic fabric of disadvantaged public housing estates by developing an innovative framework for monitoring and evaluating the impacts of estate renewal programs in NSW. The framework will be capable of evaluating change not only in the estates themselves, but also in surrounding neighbourhoods. Special attention will be focused on issues of community wellbeing and safety. The development of more advanced techniques to assess the financial and non-financial benefits of renewal activity will make a significant contribution to the national body of knowledge about these complex and important renewal programs and their impacts in local communities.Read moreRead less
Transnational and temporary: place-making, students and community in central Melbourne. Fostering a community in a place is place-making. When many residents are temporary and new arrivals, like tertiary students in central Melbourne, place-making acknowledging current and past residents is complex. This project will develop an innovative place-making strategy in central Melbourne, centred on enhancing the public-private interactions residents have in built spaces and social relations. For tempo ....Transnational and temporary: place-making, students and community in central Melbourne. Fostering a community in a place is place-making. When many residents are temporary and new arrivals, like tertiary students in central Melbourne, place-making acknowledging current and past residents is complex. This project will develop an innovative place-making strategy in central Melbourne, centred on enhancing the public-private interactions residents have in built spaces and social relations. For temporary residents, public-private interactions have greater significance than for long-term residents more settled in their networks of belonging. Outcomes will be: new policy frameworks of institutional partnerships, building morphology and public space design; workshops with stakeholders; and articles in scholarly journals.Read moreRead less
Decarbonising Cities and Regions. The Federal Government's Greenhouse Friendly Initiative certifies carbon neutral products as one way of achieving innovation and decarbonising cities and regions as climate change emerges as the major area of global concern and competition. This project is the first to conceptualise the certification of carbon neutral and carbon free land development. It brings together an innovative team from academia, industry and government to provide options for reducing ene ....Decarbonising Cities and Regions. The Federal Government's Greenhouse Friendly Initiative certifies carbon neutral products as one way of achieving innovation and decarbonising cities and regions as climate change emerges as the major area of global concern and competition. This project is the first to conceptualise the certification of carbon neutral and carbon free land development. It brings together an innovative team from academia, industry and government to provide options for reducing energy in all aspects of urban and remote land development, including renewable energy in buildings, transport and infrastructure. Industry and community interest in the outcomes will be high and certifiers in government will be provided with an important new model and tool.Read moreRead less
Planning and Building Healthy Communities: A multidisciplinary longitudinal study of the relationship between the built environment and human health. This project examines how urban environments support health. Tracking residents’ behaviours over a long time, the study fills a gap in current knowledge about how urban environments manage and promote good health (a national research priority area). It will identify the design features, social interventions and locational qualities in selected sit ....Planning and Building Healthy Communities: A multidisciplinary longitudinal study of the relationship between the built environment and human health. This project examines how urban environments support health. Tracking residents’ behaviours over a long time, the study fills a gap in current knowledge about how urban environments manage and promote good health (a national research priority area). It will identify the design features, social interventions and locational qualities in selected sites which positively benefit human health. The research will describe the likely health outcomes for future Australians living in areas with similar characteristics. It will also strengthen multidisciplinary approaches and policy development in this area by bringing together a team from urban planning, development and health.Read moreRead less