Mr Wally Wight
Association for the Study of Peak Oil and Gas (ASPO)
Much is said of housing affordability, sustainability and community. Our typical suburban house is 30% larger than 20 years ago, yet household size is smaller. Even first-time homeowners insist on more bedrooms than people and extensive extras. “Affordable” is relegated to far-flung fringes. This trend cannot go on forever. However, higher density is perceived as “six-pack” walk-ups or impersonal highrise. We have few models demonstrating a way forward.
We need a new paradigm. Instead of maximising floor area and features, we need more effective and amenable utilisation of the more limited floor area and features we can afford. Instead of sizing all houses for large families, we must offer genuine choice. This paper argues an alternative way forward. There is more opportunity in existing patterns of subdivision and flexibility in existing planning codes than appreciated. Existing urban fabric and character has the resilience and capacity to accommodate innovation... more
The “Biophilic City” – Can it improve economic prosperity?
Mr Darren Bilsborough
Parsons Brinckerhoff
Fittingly, 2010 is the International Year on Biodiversity and increasing biodiversity within our urban settlements is a cornerstone for the vision of a Biophilic city. The Biophilic City is a vision for a city and hence a society that lives much more in harmony with nature.
This paper will discuss the proposition that it is possible to reshape our cities in a manner which can be described as “living in harmony with nature” whilst also retaining our current politics of capitalism, consumerism and our modern notions of living standards. In fact, it will be argued that it is economically advantageous for a community to embrace the ideologies of the Biophilic City concept and that those cities which put in place the policy levers to transition their societies first, will position themselves for future economic prosperity in preference to their neighbours...more
Parsons Brinckerhoff
Fittingly, 2010 is the International Year on Biodiversity and increasing biodiversity within our urban settlements is a cornerstone for the vision of a Biophilic city. The Biophilic City is a vision for a city and hence a society that lives much more in harmony with nature.
This paper will discuss the proposition that it is possible to reshape our cities in a manner which can be described as “living in harmony with nature” whilst also retaining our current politics of capitalism, consumerism and our modern notions of living standards. In fact, it will be argued that it is economically advantageous for a community to embrace the ideologies of the Biophilic City concept and that those cities which put in place the policy levers to transition their societies first, will position themselves for future economic prosperity in preference to their neighbours...more
Enabling Sustainability in the Urban Environment
Mr Mark Urizar
Urizar and Partner Architects
There is no ‘off the shelf’ vision or definitive direction that can be used to define the most socially responsible course. It is evident that urban expansion should be halted with the existing built form consolidated, integrated and enhanced so that it can become a self reliant and synergistic whole. This becomes viable when economies of scale are created, when densities are increased; making it viable to restructure and enhance the urban form to accept higher densities and amenities with more appropriate technologies... more
Urizar and Partner Architects
There is no ‘off the shelf’ vision or definitive direction that can be used to define the most socially responsible course. It is evident that urban expansion should be halted with the existing built form consolidated, integrated and enhanced so that it can become a self reliant and synergistic whole. This becomes viable when economies of scale are created, when densities are increased; making it viable to restructure and enhance the urban form to accept higher densities and amenities with more appropriate technologies... more
Transforming Sydney - The Imperative of Transit Oriented Urban Renewal
Mr Giovanni Cirillo
NSW Government
It has been estimated that Sydney’s population will grow by 1.7 million people over the next 25 years, reaching 6 million by 2036.
In 2005, the Sydney Metropolitan Strategy established that in order to manage this population growth in the most sustainable way possible, Sydney needs to accommodate 70% of its projected growth within its existing urban areas.
This means that around 445,000 new dwellings will be necessary by 2031, or over 17,000 dwellings per year.
To deliver this critical supply of housing, a fundamental rethink of the traditional suburban expansion model is necessary. The time has come to reimagine Sydney by replanning its strategic centres and corridors... more
NSW Government
It has been estimated that Sydney’s population will grow by 1.7 million people over the next 25 years, reaching 6 million by 2036.
In 2005, the Sydney Metropolitan Strategy established that in order to manage this population growth in the most sustainable way possible, Sydney needs to accommodate 70% of its projected growth within its existing urban areas.
This means that around 445,000 new dwellings will be necessary by 2031, or over 17,000 dwellings per year.
To deliver this critical supply of housing, a fundamental rethink of the traditional suburban expansion model is necessary. The time has come to reimagine Sydney by replanning its strategic centres and corridors... more
from GREY to GREEN
Urban Landscapes/Green Infrastructure
The Australian Institute of Landscape Architects has partnered with the organisers of the 3rd International Urban Design Conference for this concurrent.
The title, Grey to Green - Urban Design/Green Infrastructure reflects the current priorities for the profession as well as align with similar policy moves overseas - such as by CABE in the UK.
This conference session is focused around issues of urban landscape, principally:
◦ how we provide for essential life-supporting landscape capacity within our existing and future built environments, in the context of local, national & global sustainable settlement imperatives.
◦ the role and performance of landscape in relation to the social, environmental and economic outcomes of urban design,
◦ the role and potential of landscape-based strategies to value-add to climate adaptation solutions, particularly in relation to broader sustainability objectives.
The term ‘green infrastructure’ describes the network of natural landscape assets which underpin the economic, socio-cultural and environmental functionality of our cities and towns – i.e. the green spaces and water systems which intersperse, connect and provide vital life support for humans and other species within our urban environments.
Paul Costigan
Executive Director
Australian Institute of Landscape Architects
The Australian Institute of Landscape Architects has partnered with the organisers of the 3rd International Urban Design Conference for this concurrent.
The title, Grey to Green - Urban Design/Green Infrastructure reflects the current priorities for the profession as well as align with similar policy moves overseas - such as by CABE in the UK.
This conference session is focused around issues of urban landscape, principally:
◦ how we provide for essential life-supporting landscape capacity within our existing and future built environments, in the context of local, national & global sustainable settlement imperatives.
◦ the role and performance of landscape in relation to the social, environmental and economic outcomes of urban design,
◦ the role and potential of landscape-based strategies to value-add to climate adaptation solutions, particularly in relation to broader sustainability objectives.
The term ‘green infrastructure’ describes the network of natural landscape assets which underpin the economic, socio-cultural and environmental functionality of our cities and towns – i.e. the green spaces and water systems which intersperse, connect and provide vital life support for humans and other species within our urban environments.
Paul Costigan
Executive Director
Australian Institute of Landscape Architects
Policy, Urban Form, and Tools for Measuring and Managing Greenhouse Gas Emissions: The North American Problem.
The community of nations is now agreed that climate change is real, and must be controlled. To avoid the most horrific outcomes, greenhouse gas emissions from developed countries must be reduced at least 80% below 1990 levels by the year 2050. Because buildings and transportation account for most emissions, and more than half of the world’s population now lives in cities, it follows that changes in the way we plan and build our cities will play an important role in achieving these reductions... read more here
Prof Patrick Condon, University of British Columbia, Vancouver BC
Prof Patrick Condon, University of British Columbia, Vancouver BC
Building energy efficiency disclosure a step in the right direction
The nation's leading green building group supports the introduction of the Building Energy Efficiency Disclosure Bill, which is currently being debated in federal Parliament.
Chief Executive Romilly Madew said the Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA) welcomes the introduction of the Bill, as "mandatory disclosure is one important element in Australia's response to climate change.
"As Minister Combet said recently, mandatory disclosure is a 'step in the right direction' - but there is more work that both government and industry can do to unlock the abatement potential of commercial buildings," Ms Madew said.
Research by the Australian Sustainable Built Environment Council (ASBEC) and the Centre for International Economics has found that the building sector is responsible for 23 per cent of Australia's greenhouse gas emissions.
At the same time, electricity use in residential and commercial buildings can be halved by 2030 through energy efficiency measures alone. The United Nations Environment Programme has stated that 'no other sector has such a high potential for drastic emission reductions'. see the full release
Chief Executive Romilly Madew said the Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA) welcomes the introduction of the Bill, as "mandatory disclosure is one important element in Australia's response to climate change.
"As Minister Combet said recently, mandatory disclosure is a 'step in the right direction' - but there is more work that both government and industry can do to unlock the abatement potential of commercial buildings," Ms Madew said.
Research by the Australian Sustainable Built Environment Council (ASBEC) and the Centre for International Economics has found that the building sector is responsible for 23 per cent of Australia's greenhouse gas emissions.
At the same time, electricity use in residential and commercial buildings can be halved by 2030 through energy efficiency measures alone. The United Nations Environment Programme has stated that 'no other sector has such a high potential for drastic emission reductions'. see the full release
Australia can deal with far more people, as long as we get the infrastructure right
Don't panic but plan for population
Mike Steketee
From: The Australian April 17, 2010 12:00AM
Australia can deal with far more people, as long as we get the infrastructure right
AUSTRALIA is the 18th most urbanised of the world's 204 countries, according to UN statistics. Those ahead of us in this league table are mainly city-states such as Singapore and Monaco, or small countries such as Belgium, Bahrain and Luxembourg.
The Australian Bureau of Statistics says that 69 per cent of our population live in big cities. Nearly all of them are in the capitals, which grew at a rate of 2.3 per cent in 2008-09, compared with 1.9 per cent for the rest of Australia. In other words, we're becoming still more urbanised.
On the basis of federal Treasury projections of an Australian population of 36 million by 2050, the department's head Ken Henry said last year that reasonable assumptions would see Sydney and Melbourne growing from 4.5 million and four million respectively to seven million each, with Brisbane more than doubling to four million... read full article here
Mike Steketee
From: The Australian April 17, 2010 12:00AM
Australia can deal with far more people, as long as we get the infrastructure right
AUSTRALIA is the 18th most urbanised of the world's 204 countries, according to UN statistics. Those ahead of us in this league table are mainly city-states such as Singapore and Monaco, or small countries such as Belgium, Bahrain and Luxembourg.
The Australian Bureau of Statistics says that 69 per cent of our population live in big cities. Nearly all of them are in the capitals, which grew at a rate of 2.3 per cent in 2008-09, compared with 1.9 per cent for the rest of Australia. In other words, we're becoming still more urbanised.
On the basis of federal Treasury projections of an Australian population of 36 million by 2050, the department's head Ken Henry said last year that reasonable assumptions would see Sydney and Melbourne growing from 4.5 million and four million respectively to seven million each, with Brisbane more than doubling to four million... read full article here
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