Remembering the Past, Imagining the Future: Embedding Narrative and New Media in Urban Planning. This project supports new media creativity and literacy in two Australian communities. It helps people participate in the urban planning process. It assists in improving a sense of belonging and fosters human talent and socio-cultural values favourable to creativity and innovation. By empowering people to bring about change within their local community, the project re-invigorates a more contemporary ....Remembering the Past, Imagining the Future: Embedding Narrative and New Media in Urban Planning. This project supports new media creativity and literacy in two Australian communities. It helps people participate in the urban planning process. It assists in improving a sense of belonging and fosters human talent and socio-cultural values favourable to creativity and innovation. By empowering people to bring about change within their local community, the project re-invigorates a more contemporary interpretation of community values in a knowledge society. Australia's capacity to interpret and engage with its urban environment is also enhanced by raising our awareness of the socio-cultural background, heritage and future aspirations of local community members.Read moreRead less
Structural behaviour of innovative hollow flange steel members subject to local and lateral distortional buckling effects. This project will investigate the local and lateral distortional buckling behaviour of a new generation of innovative and cost-effective thin and high strength steel hollow flange sections (HFS) being developed using a unique dual weld and roll-forming technology. It will use experiments and advanced numerical modelling to develop fundamental behavioural and design data for ....Structural behaviour of innovative hollow flange steel members subject to local and lateral distortional buckling effects. This project will investigate the local and lateral distortional buckling behaviour of a new generation of innovative and cost-effective thin and high strength steel hollow flange sections (HFS) being developed using a unique dual weld and roll-forming technology. It will use experiments and advanced numerical modelling to develop fundamental behavioural and design data for HFS flexural members. Effects of web corrugations and punched holes will also be investigated. The research will enable innovative applications using HFS in the building industry in Australia and overseas. It will bring significant economic benefits to the industry partner, steel building industry, and Australia.Read moreRead less
Building sustainable social capital in new communities. Industry partners and investigators have identified the need for foundation knowledge about social capital and the development of new communities in Australia. The current environment is of increasing responsibility for property developers to account for their social responsibility/corporate citizenship, and manage increasing responsibility for developing communities which provide social, economic and cultural benefit to Australia's well-be ....Building sustainable social capital in new communities. Industry partners and investigators have identified the need for foundation knowledge about social capital and the development of new communities in Australia. The current environment is of increasing responsibility for property developers to account for their social responsibility/corporate citizenship, and manage increasing responsibility for developing communities which provide social, economic and cultural benefit to Australia's well-being. The study identifies the extent to which planning and strategic interventions in new communities contribute to, or detract from, social capital building. The results will be used to identify long term theoretical and practical strategies for strengthening and sustaining social capital in new communities.Read moreRead less
An Integrated Thermal and Structural Investigation for the Development of Innovative Lightweight Cold-formed Steel Wall and Floor Systems under Fire Conditions. This research will benefit the Australian building industry by providing a set of design rules that will not only enhance the fire safety standards but also the structural robustness of steel construction, thereby resulting in a reduction in loss of lives and property due to natural or man-made disasters. This will give Australian manufa ....An Integrated Thermal and Structural Investigation for the Development of Innovative Lightweight Cold-formed Steel Wall and Floor Systems under Fire Conditions. This research will benefit the Australian building industry by providing a set of design rules that will not only enhance the fire safety standards but also the structural robustness of steel construction, thereby resulting in a reduction in loss of lives and property due to natural or man-made disasters. This will give Australian manufacturers a leading edge both nationally and internationally in developing innovative prefabricated fire resistant LSF wall and floor systems using high strength steels. Australians have an opportunity to become world leaders in fire research and LSF construction. It will provide valuable research training to young Australians and will contribute to the protection of Australia's critical infrastructure.Read moreRead less
Structural Behaviour of Innovative LiteSteel Beams, their Design Improvements and Applications. This project will develop a significant knowledge base, accurate design models and innovative application methods for the new LSB, which will be fully used by the collaborating partner in marketing them in Australia and overseas. Both construction and manufacturing industry sectors will benefit through the increased use of the innovative and lightweight hollow flange sections. Using the new sections a ....Structural Behaviour of Innovative LiteSteel Beams, their Design Improvements and Applications. This project will develop a significant knowledge base, accurate design models and innovative application methods for the new LSB, which will be fully used by the collaborating partner in marketing them in Australia and overseas. Both construction and manufacturing industry sectors will benefit through the increased use of the innovative and lightweight hollow flange sections. Using the new sections and the wealth of design information from this research, Australian engineers can develop cost-effective and safer building systems. Community at large, in particular rural and regional communities will gain through cheaper building systems, additional employment in LSB manufacturing and design, and opportunities locally and overseas.Read moreRead less
An Investigation into the Behaviour of Light Gauge Steel Structures under Fire Conditions. This research will clearly result in a major national benefit with potential reduction in loss of life, loss of property and reduced insurance rates with improved fire resistant construction. Australian maufacturers will have a leading edge internationally with the use of high strength steels. There is an opportunity for Australia to become a world leader in an area of fire research. The project will assis ....An Investigation into the Behaviour of Light Gauge Steel Structures under Fire Conditions. This research will clearly result in a major national benefit with potential reduction in loss of life, loss of property and reduced insurance rates with improved fire resistant construction. Australian maufacturers will have a leading edge internationally with the use of high strength steels. There is an opportunity for Australia to become a world leader in an area of fire research. The project will assist in developing fire resistant prefabricated building systems. In also provides valuable research training to young Australians. Most importantly it will contribute to Australia's major initiatives in protecting its critical infrastructure.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
Demonstrating the feasibility of designing sustainable buildings using evolutionary systems. The design approach proposed in this research will result in two key areas of national benefit. First, the research will enable Australian built environment design professions to become more competitive in both domestic and international markets. There is a growing demand for environmentally-friendly buildings and the proposed design approach will enable Australian firms to be at the cutting edge of sust ....Demonstrating the feasibility of designing sustainable buildings using evolutionary systems. The design approach proposed in this research will result in two key areas of national benefit. First, the research will enable Australian built environment design professions to become more competitive in both domestic and international markets. There is a growing demand for environmentally-friendly buildings and the proposed design approach will enable Australian firms to be at the cutting edge of sustainable design. Second, the research will enable the Australian built environment to become more sustainable. The proposed approach will enable buildings to be designed that perform well, that are cost effective and that minimise their environmental impact. Read moreRead less
More than a Roof Overhead: Meeting the Need for a Sustainable Housing System in Remote Indigenous Communities. Many Indigenous Australians live in substandard and over-crowded accommodation, and experience poor health, education, family stability and child-safety outcomes as a result. The lack of improvement in this situation is largely due to levels of funding and approaches to construction and management inadequate to the scale of the problem. This situation is changing and new funding and po ....More than a Roof Overhead: Meeting the Need for a Sustainable Housing System in Remote Indigenous Communities. Many Indigenous Australians live in substandard and over-crowded accommodation, and experience poor health, education, family stability and child-safety outcomes as a result. The lack of improvement in this situation is largely due to levels of funding and approaches to construction and management inadequate to the scale of the problem. This situation is changing and new funding and policies are being established. The researchers will work alongside housing providers and selected Indigenous communities in Western Australia and Northern Territory to develop procurement, construction and housing management practices that will meet the critical need for more affordable, appropriate and sustainable housing.Read moreRead less
Exploring synergies with innovative Green Technologies for Advanced Renovation: Redefining a Bioclimatic approach for multi residential and office buildings in warmer climates. Building energy consumption accounts for nearly 27% of all energy related greenhouse gas emissions. By 2010, emissions' from buildings is estimated to increase by 48% above 1990 levels. This projected trend is alarming given that Australia's obligation under the Kyoto Protocol is only 8% above 1990 levels. Renovation of e ....Exploring synergies with innovative Green Technologies for Advanced Renovation: Redefining a Bioclimatic approach for multi residential and office buildings in warmer climates. Building energy consumption accounts for nearly 27% of all energy related greenhouse gas emissions. By 2010, emissions' from buildings is estimated to increase by 48% above 1990 levels. This projected trend is alarming given that Australia's obligation under the Kyoto Protocol is only 8% above 1990 levels. Renovation of existing buildings is necessary to achieve this target. Research will address this problem by providing principles, strategies and solutions demostrating improvement of environmental performance and cost benefits. The application of new principles will assist with transforming the building industry to meet Kyoto targets.Read moreRead less