Sustainable urban development
More sensitive urban development has had much attention from His Royal Highness Prince Charles. During the launch of the Year of the Built Environment, he made it clear that we in New Zealand must do more than think about the future shape of our cities-he urged central and local government, architects and developers to start taking action now to ensure healthy, aesthetic and ecologically sustainable settlements. The Ministry for the Environment (MfE) and some local authorities are already working towards this, and the Centre for Urban Ecosystem Sustainability (CUES)-a joint initiative between Manaaki Whenua and the University of Auckland launched in 2004-is providing much needed research support.
CUES
research is focused on assessing the relative sustainability of compact
or dispersed settlement patterns, and developing strategies for implementing low-impact urban design and development (LIUDD) practices.
The Centre is also measuring the performance of buildings, such as our
science facilities at Tamaki and neighbourhoods that incorporate LIUDD
technology. These data will provide evidence of the economic, environmental
and social benefits of sustainable urban development at different scales-from
"device and lot" to "neighbourhood and catchment".
CUES made a significant contribution to the Taupo District Council's approach to a new residential settlement in Taupo West. A very intense period of public and council meetings resulted in enthusiastic support for the Council shelving its immediate plans for the Taupo West site. Instead, a regional growth strategy is being developed over the next 18 months. This will identify the most suitable (lowest impact) locations for future development, review consent processes and ensure maximum use of LIUDD technologies.
 |
| Operations Manager Maggie Lawton with HRH Prince Charles at the Wellington launch of the Year of the Built Environment. Image - Neil McKenzie, for MfE |
Our analysis of overseas case studies relevant to New Zealand, showed the environmental footprint of BedZed, a world-famous sustainable neighbourhood development in South London, was only 3.75 hectares per person compared to 5.39 for the conventional household. Principles used in BedZed could be applied to New Zealand to help address the key issues facing our towns and cities. Studies like this are benefiting the Auckland Mayoral Taskforce for Urban Design, and also the Opus-led, FRST-funded programme "Learning Sustainability", which CUES joined in December 2004.
Manaaki Whenua is also working with Beacon Pathways Ltd, a collaborative research consortium that has four programmes around affordable, attractive ways to make New Zealand homes more sustainable. Manaaki Whenua manages the "Market Transformation" programme. This is focused on encouraging all sectors of organisations across the housing market-from designers and builders, to regulators and occupants-to collaborate in implementing more sustainable options that would, for example, dramatically reduce energy use throughout the life-cycle of a home.
Despite the enormous potential benefits-economic, ecological, social and cultural-LIUDD is not yet mainstream. Surprisingly little New Zealand knowledge exists on ecologically-based stormwater treatment systems such as retention ponds and raingardens. The CUES team, in collaboration with Auckland Regional Council, Waitakere City, North Shore City and other Councils, has a number of research sites to define optimum size and configurations of stormwater retention ponds. Recent data from the Te Atatu peninsula site show good removal of zinc and sediment, and some removal of copper.
As part of this LIUDD research, we installed a raingarden at our Tamaki site to reduce and treat stormwater. We are measuring the volume of stormwater runoff from the pervious car park and swale, and the contaminants in the water, before and after it flows through the raingarden. The site is being used as an educational tool for students and developers.
We believe sustainability tools, systems, buildings and neighbourhood designs are often being developed and implemented without suffcient research to determine what works well and what does not. Our goal is to create the quantitative knowledge base (social, technical, environmental and economic) to facilitate the mainstreaming of sustainable approaches.
 |
Talk to us |
Michael Krausse
Email 
Ph (09) 574 4100 |
|
 |
On our website |
| Urban Environmental Management |
Whaia e koe te iti kahurangi, ki te tuohu
koe, me he maunga teitei.
Seek that which is close to the heart; if you should bow down, let it be to a lofty mountain .