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
WHAT IS URBAN CHARACTER? Defining, Constructing and Regulating Urban Place Identity. Urban character has become a key concept in the discourse and practice of urban development, used to defend valued places against what is seen as inappropriate development. This project will study the 3-way relations between design practice, urban regulation and urban character outcomes. How is urban character experienced in everyday life? How is it defined and constructed in public discourse? How is it created ....WHAT IS URBAN CHARACTER? Defining, Constructing and Regulating Urban Place Identity. Urban character has become a key concept in the discourse and practice of urban development, used to defend valued places against what is seen as inappropriate development. This project will study the 3-way relations between design practice, urban regulation and urban character outcomes. How is urban character experienced in everyday life? How is it defined and constructed in public discourse? How is it created through design innovation and protected through planning regulation? The project will produce a critical re-thinking of the complex issues framing the urban character debate and contribute to the development of sustainable, equitable and innovative urban futures.Read moreRead less
Community vulnerability and extreme events: Developing a typology of coastal settlement vulnerability to aid adaptation strategies. Despite uncertainty regarding the manifestations of climate change there is widespread agreement that any impacts will be unevenly shared. The costs to individuals and communities of these uneven outcomes are significant. Crucially, adaptation policy must understand the multi-dimensional nature of these uneven outcomes so as to ameliorate negative costs. In its inte ....Community vulnerability and extreme events: Developing a typology of coastal settlement vulnerability to aid adaptation strategies. Despite uncertainty regarding the manifestations of climate change there is widespread agreement that any impacts will be unevenly shared. The costs to individuals and communities of these uneven outcomes are significant. Crucially, adaptation policy must understand the multi-dimensional nature of these uneven outcomes so as to ameliorate negative costs. In its integration of a multi-method approach to understanding adaptation to extreme weather events in coastal settlements, this project aims to advance understanding of well targeted and effective interventions. It combines the skills and knowledge of researchers trained across a range of disciplines to address these important real world issues.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
Dynamic vulnerability of urban road networks. Road transport networks are vital to the economic and social health of our society. Poorly performing networks lead to significant costs and adverse environmental and health impacts. This project will develop methods and tools to predict the effects of network failure through incident-related congestion at bottlenecks (e.g. congestion from accidents, vehicle breakdowns, road works, lane blockages and road closures) and to suggest remedial action plan ....Dynamic vulnerability of urban road networks. Road transport networks are vital to the economic and social health of our society. Poorly performing networks lead to significant costs and adverse environmental and health impacts. This project will develop methods and tools to predict the effects of network failure through incident-related congestion at bottlenecks (e.g. congestion from accidents, vehicle breakdowns, road works, lane blockages and road closures) and to suggest remedial action plans in the case of bottleneck formation. Incident related congestion is responsible for more than 50% of the ($9.4B p.a.) cost of congestion in Australia's major cities.Read moreRead less
Strengthening urban slum upgrading and urban governance in cities in Southeast Asia. 1. Improve the approach to evaluating the impact of slum upgrading in building institutional capacity, and thereby, on the longer-term continuity of poverty reduction for poor communities. These lessons can be applied in impoverished settlements in developed and developing countries;
2. Enhance best practice in planning upgrading projects and design of governance frameworks. These lessons can be applied throu ....Strengthening urban slum upgrading and urban governance in cities in Southeast Asia. 1. Improve the approach to evaluating the impact of slum upgrading in building institutional capacity, and thereby, on the longer-term continuity of poverty reduction for poor communities. These lessons can be applied in impoverished settlements in developed and developing countries;
2. Enhance best practice in planning upgrading projects and design of governance frameworks. These lessons can be applied throughout Asia - a region to which Australia is closely linked;
3. Make a substantial contribution to scholarly literature on urban upgrading and governance;
4. Strengthen international linkages between Australian researchers and key scholars in the USA, Canada, Philippines, Vietnam and Indonesia.
Read moreRead less
Rediscovering historical contributions in environmental planning: Australia's Town Planning Associations. This study will provide an alternative history of Australian urban planning that will document at a national level how non-government organisations contributed positively and creatively to the evolution of modern environmental planning from the 20th century. It will support the strengthening of Australia's social and economic fabric by discovering through original historical research how pre ....Rediscovering historical contributions in environmental planning: Australia's Town Planning Associations. This study will provide an alternative history of Australian urban planning that will document at a national level how non-government organisations contributed positively and creatively to the evolution of modern environmental planning from the 20th century. It will support the strengthening of Australia's social and economic fabric by discovering through original historical research how previous generations have productively and creatively contributed to decisions affecting general environmental well-being. It will contribute an historical perspective to current debates on the need for more collaborative planning.Read moreRead less
Drivers and barriers to sustainability in residential and commercial buildings. In acknowledging that climate change is one of the greatest moral and economic challenges of our time, the federal Government is committed to Australia's internationally agreed target of limiting greenhouse gas emissions. In its efforts to achieve this, the Government is supporting various initiatives including the development of renewable energy technology. In Australia, buildings contribute almost one-quarter of ou ....Drivers and barriers to sustainability in residential and commercial buildings. In acknowledging that climate change is one of the greatest moral and economic challenges of our time, the federal Government is committed to Australia's internationally agreed target of limiting greenhouse gas emissions. In its efforts to achieve this, the Government is supporting various initiatives including the development of renewable energy technology. In Australia, buildings contribute almost one-quarter of our greenhouse gas emissions. This research will identify methods that assist in the nationwide uptake of sustainability practices, including the use of micro-generation technology, to help improve building performance and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.Read moreRead less
CATCH: Children, Active Travel, Connectedness and Health. This project will explore built and social environmental influences on children's independent mobility, active travel and health. The research will provide necessary evidentiary support to justify government and development industry policy supportive of healthy and child-friendly environments.
Understanding Sydney's changing role as a global city in the Australian urban and regional network. In recent decades Sydney has changed from being a capital city linked mainly to a hinterland of NSW towns and regions, to a global city with a 'blizzard' of linkages in new sectors involving cities and territories around Australia and across the globe. As yet we know little about this blizzard apart from what can be inferred from the global cities literature and from minimal evidence that is large ....Understanding Sydney's changing role as a global city in the Australian urban and regional network. In recent decades Sydney has changed from being a capital city linked mainly to a hinterland of NSW towns and regions, to a global city with a 'blizzard' of linkages in new sectors involving cities and territories around Australia and across the globe. As yet we know little about this blizzard apart from what can be inferred from the global cities literature and from minimal evidence that is largely selective and anecdotal. This Project will produce a detailed profile of Sydney's linkages - locally, nationally and internationally. Better data and analysis on Sydney's place in the global economy is a critical issue for government and corporate planning especially in and around the Sydney basin where growth pressures are intense.Read moreRead less