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
Configuring low carbon cities: an exploration of the role of spatial parameters in monocentric and polycentric examples in China. This project will firstly strengthen Australia's position in Greenhouse Gas (GHG) reduction practices and research. Secondly, the project will provide timely information relevant to debates about GHG emission control with an economy that grows fast and has the potential to emit a volume equivalent to the global total. Thirdly, the collaborative nature of the effort (l ....Configuring low carbon cities: an exploration of the role of spatial parameters in monocentric and polycentric examples in China. This project will firstly strengthen Australia's position in Greenhouse Gas (GHG) reduction practices and research. Secondly, the project will provide timely information relevant to debates about GHG emission control with an economy that grows fast and has the potential to emit a volume equivalent to the global total. Thirdly, the collaborative nature of the effort (linking up with scholars in China) will not only strengthen relations between the two countries but also contribute to the internationalisation program of Australian universities. Fourthly, the project will also assist to train future generations of China-literate Australian scholars.Read moreRead less
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
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
Building communities: managing public assets to provide social value. Local government facilities have a social value for the community beyond the immediate provision of service or amenity. However, this aspect is not generally considered in the formal planning and management of public facilities, which concentrate on economic considerations and community service needs. This project explores the links between public assets, their social value and community well-being. The research will provide a ....Building communities: managing public assets to provide social value. Local government facilities have a social value for the community beyond the immediate provision of service or amenity. However, this aspect is not generally considered in the formal planning and management of public facilities, which concentrate on economic considerations and community service needs. This project explores the links between public assets, their social value and community well-being. The research will provide a rationale, model, and set of indicators to assess social value for facilities, assisting local government decision-making, including regional and rural communities, and contribute to the development of meaningful long-term infrastructure and community plans.Read moreRead less
Discursive and Institutional Barriers to Urban Environmental Sustainability: A Comparative Study of Infrastructure Policy in Sydney, Melbourne and Perth. This research project will discover what stands in the way of adoption of a new policy paradigm: ?environmental sustainability?. Through our case studies in transport policy we will be able to explain how structures of reasoning, together with institutions and discursive networks, persistently influence decision makers, creating barriers to par ....Discursive and Institutional Barriers to Urban Environmental Sustainability: A Comparative Study of Infrastructure Policy in Sydney, Melbourne and Perth. This research project will discover what stands in the way of adoption of a new policy paradigm: ?environmental sustainability?. Through our case studies in transport policy we will be able to explain how structures of reasoning, together with institutions and discursive networks, persistently influence decision makers, creating barriers to paradigmatic change. Our work will make an internationally important theoretical contribution to the field of public policy, urban environmental politics and the theory of ecological modernisation. On a practical level the work will provide new analytical tools and concepts for urban planning, enabling improvement to policy making and implementation.Read moreRead less
Strengthening Australia's suburbs: advancing urban planning knowledge to limit oil vulnerability and build household resilience. The vulnerability and resilience of Australian suburbs to declining petroleum security and climate change is a national issue because half of Australia's population lives in suburbs. This project will advance national knowledge of the challenges facing Australian suburbs. This includes supporting National Research Priority 4: Protecting Australia's Infrastructure by ad ....Strengthening Australia's suburbs: advancing urban planning knowledge to limit oil vulnerability and build household resilience. The vulnerability and resilience of Australian suburbs to declining petroleum security and climate change is a national issue because half of Australia's population lives in suburbs. This project will advance national knowledge of the challenges facing Australian suburbs. This includes supporting National Research Priority 4: Protecting Australia's Infrastructure by addressing the vulnerability of suburban transport systems and infrastructure to declining global petroleum security. The project will strengthen community capacity to cope with these challenges through improved planning understanding that can support new measures to overcome oil vulnerability and build suburban resilience.Read moreRead less
The Demand for Higher Density Housing in Sydney and Melbourne. The research will support the development of more socially sustainable approaches to the planning of higher density housing in Australian cities. The project will improve our understanding of the processes driving higher density urban change (and therefore the risks of such development), inform better land use outcomes, assist in reducing potential community conflict over development proposals, and enhance wider social sustainabilit ....The Demand for Higher Density Housing in Sydney and Melbourne. The research will support the development of more socially sustainable approaches to the planning of higher density housing in Australian cities. The project will improve our understanding of the processes driving higher density urban change (and therefore the risks of such development), inform better land use outcomes, assist in reducing potential community conflict over development proposals, and enhance wider social sustainability of urban areas, thereby strengthening the social fabric of Australian cities. The research will also add to academic debates surrounding the benefits (or non-benefits) of building higher density cities and on the structure of spatially segmented urban housing markets. 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 Drivers and Outcomes of Re-investment in Low Density Suburban Housing Markets. This project will make a major contribution to our knowledge of contemporary Australian urban change and will inform wider debates on the future of Australian cities. The project will explore the social and economic processed leading to reinvestment and renewal of older low density suburban housing and will offer insights into community-level attitudes to housing built to higher environmental standards. This proj ....The Drivers and Outcomes of Re-investment in Low Density Suburban Housing Markets. This project will make a major contribution to our knowledge of contemporary Australian urban change and will inform wider debates on the future of Australian cities. The project will explore the social and economic processed leading to reinvestment and renewal of older low density suburban housing and will offer insights into community-level attitudes to housing built to higher environmental standards. This project will inform local and metropolitan planning processes related to sustainable suburban renewal and support policies that reduce community concerns and uncertainty over change, thereby contributing to the strengthening of the social fabric of our cities.Read moreRead less