The coincidence of the Queensland Floods Commission of Inquiry and Information Awareness Month offers the opportunity to explore how well our urban communities are using information and knowledge in regard to natural disasters. In early January this year the media …
Queensland floods: information, history and knowledge Read more »
The draft report from the Productivity Commission Inquiry into Australia’s Urban Water Sector was released on 13 April 2011. Written submissions are invited by Wednesday 18 May 2011. In undertaking the inquiry, the Commission is tasked with identifying opportunities for …
Draft Report – Productivity Commission Inquiry, Australia’s Urban Water Sector Read more »
The National Water Commission has released four reports that look at water pricing options and opportunities for greater competition. For further information see the Media Release and the reports Reviews of pricing reform, Externality pricing, Competition in the urban water …
National Water Commission calls for a rethink on urban water pricing Read more »
Sydney’s desalination project was named desalination plant of the year at the Global Water Summit 2011 in Berlin. In a Media Release Sydney Water Managing Director Kerry Schott said Sydney’s desalination project won the award because it was delivered on …
Sydney’s desalination plant wins international award Read more »
The Griffith University Environmental Futures Centre Fact Sheet Biodiversity and urban design: birds, ‘burbs and Brisbane’s bushland provides information on Brisbane’s significance as a “hotspot” for bird biodiversity, the impacts of urbanisation, and approaches to sustain the city’s bushland-dependent bird …
Biodiversity and urban design: birds, ‘burbs and Brisbane’s bushland Read more »
How can we transform and future-proof the post-industrial city through strategies of architectural and urban design? The Principles of Green Urbanism advises that the answer is to use an energy-efficient, zero-carbon model based on renewable energy sources and renewable building …
The Principles of Green Urbanism – Transforming the City for Sustainability Read more »
Heat islands are urban and suburban areas that are significantly warmer than their surroundings. Traditional, highly absorptive construction materials and a lack of effective landscaping are their main causes. Heat island problems, in terms of increased energy consumption, reduced air …
Heat Islands – Understanding and Mitigating Heat in Urban Areas Read more »
Urban Microclimate explores how the quality of life of millions of people living in cities could be improved if the form of the city were to evolve in a manner appropriate to its climatic context. This new book advises that …
Urban Microclimate – Designing the Spaces Between Buildings Read more »
‘Cities are green’ is becoming a common refrain. But in his new book Urbanism in the Age of Climate Change Peter Calthorpe argues that a more comprehensive understanding of urbanism at the regional scale provides a better platform to address …
Understanding Soils in Urban Environments explains how urban soils develop, change and erode. It describes their physical and chemical properties and focuses on specific soil problems, such as acid sulfate soils, that can cause environmental concern and also affect engineering …