Architecture, Building and Planning - Research Publications
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Item'Rethinking the way we practice our professions': social-ecological resilience for built environment professionals(ROUTLEDGE JOURNALS, TAYLOR & FRANCIS LTD, 2023-01-02)Urbanisation and industrialisation have contributed to significant and detrimental changes in the earth’s natural environments. The concept of social-ecological resilience can assist this problem, by integrating the consideration of human and ecological systems in decision-making. An implication is that built environment professionals must be competent in social-ecological resilience knowledge and skills to ensure cities are well adapted to current environmental challenges, and do not further contribute to them. Yet the capabilities of built environment professionals to incorporate resilience thinking (theory and knowledge) into their work (skills and practice), is not well understood and is not well addressed in education theory. This paper contributes to this gap by: exploring the social-ecological resilience knowledge, skills, and practical experience of Australian built environment professionals, thereby identifying gaps to address in further and higher education. Results indicate that built environment professionals’ know about social-ecological resilience, but they identify their practical experience is low. Additionally, respondents are more confident with their abilities, compared to colleagues, and their profession at large. The results indicate that further and higher education offerings (e.g. university education, continuing professional education, and practice) must assist built environment professionals to further develop social-ecological skills. As one respondent stated–it will require ‘rethinking the way we practice our professions’.
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ItemClimate change preparedness across sectors of the built environment-A review of literature(ELSEVIER SCI LTD, 2022-02)Cities (built environments) produce a significant proportion of global greenhouse gas emissions, making a significant contribution to climate change. They are home to the majority of the world's population and economic activity yet face increasing risks from climate change impacts. Thus, it is critical that those involved in producing and managing built environments are prepared for climate change. This paper presents a review of literature focused on two key components of professions and professional practice across the built environment sectors urban planning, construction, property, and design (architecture, landscape architecture, urban design): 1) barriers to and facilitators of climate change action (mitigation and adaptation); and 2) climate change preparedness. Barriers to and facilitators of climate change action were found to vary across sectors, with some overlap. A limited understanding of preparedness to address climate change action was found across the sectors reviewed. These findings are important. A limited understanding of climate change preparedness across these sectors may limit capacity to achieve global goals such as the Paris Agreement which seeks to limit global warming to 1.5 oC, and to be well adapted to the changes that will occur. Significant social and economic impacts could result from a lack of preparedness. The published research reviewed lacked a holistic and integrated view of: the built environment; and of climate change action within it. It is recommended that these gaps in research and practice are addressed to facilitate effective climate change action in cities, to avoid further economic, social and environmental impacts of climate change.
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ItemNo Preview AvailableTowards the transformation of cities: A built environment process map to identify the role of key sectors and actors in producing the built environment across life stages(Elsevier, 2022-02-01)Cities must transform in order to address the challenge of climate change and to achieve societal ambitions such as the sustainable development goals. However, a key impediment to achieving transformation is underdeveloped understandings of how key actors and sectors within the built environment work together to achieve goals. This paper addresses these gaps by developing and visually presenting a process map to describe: the key processes involved in producing the built environment across its life stages; key sectors of the built environment, their key actors, and the activities coordinated between them. The process map was peer reviewed by an expert reference group of built environment professionals active in Australia and the UK. The motivation for developing this process map is to facilitate future research to identify and expedite opportunities for coordinated action to address significant societal challenges such as climate change action, and the sustainable development goals – which require transformative action in cities.
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ItemClimate change transformation: A definition and typology to guide decision making in urban environments(ELSEVIER, 2021-07)Climate change presents a threat to the sustainability of cities and their societies, and must be adequately addressed. Urban environments (cities) are responsible for the creation of a significant amount of greenhouse gas emissions which are the source of climate change. Cities have been increasingly the focus of action to address climate change, yet emissions are not significantly reducing. Additionally, there a lack of integration between adaptation and mitigation. This prevents responses adequate to limit global warming to 1.5OC, and to be well adapted to anticipated changes. This paper critically analyses existing definitions and typologies of climate change actions. A definition of ‘climate change transformation’ is proposed which includes the integration of adaptation and mitigation goals to enable a new regime in which global warming is limited to 1.5OC. A new three-part typology: ‘coping, malaction and transformation,’ is presented for categorising climate change actions by the extent to which they integrate adaptation and mitigation, and define a new regime. The typology is accompanied by illustrations to demonstrate the relationship between adaptation and mitigation. The definition, typology and illustration serve to guide effective climate change decision making, and provides principles to guide application in urban environments.
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ItemNo Preview AvailableClimate change frontrunners in the Australian property sector(ELSEVIER, 2021)
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ItemUrban planning policy must do more to integrate climate change adaptation and mitigation actions(Elsevier, 2021-02-01)Well-designed urban planning policy can mitigate greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to anticipated climate change impacts. However, there has been limited analysis of the extent to which urban planning policy documents addresses climate change adaptation and or mitigation. There is a need to rapidly reduce greenhouse gas emissions to limit warming to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels by 2100, and to be well adapted to this change (in line with the Paris Agreement). Achieving this goal will assist in limiting damage and loss to humans and the natural environment. This paper presents a detailed qualitative and quantitative evaluation of urban planning documents (policy, regulation and law) in the state of Victoria, Australia, and the degree to which climate change mitigation and adaptation (with a focus on sea level rise) are addressed and integrated. Two scales of government (state and local) were analysed across three policy disciplines (urban planning, climate change and flood management). The evaluation framework contributes to the few tools for analyzing legislation, regulation and strategic policies for climate change adequacy. The findings reveal limited climate change adaptation and mitigation actions in urban planning documents. Additionally, there is limited integration of adaptation and mitigation actions. Important opportunities for better alignment of policies across disciplines and government levels in line Paris Agreement goals are identified, to ensure implementation in decisions made about land use and development. The analysis finds that urban planning policy must do more to include and integrate climate change adaptation and mitigation actions.
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ItemAdvancing capacity to adapt to climate change: addressing information needs in the Australian property industry(Emerald, 2020-06-18)Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to understand the sources of climate change information used and trusted by key stakeholders in the Australian property industry, their information needs and their capacity to translate that information into decision-making. Design/methodology/approach: Qualitative research applying in-depth interviews with 24 key stakeholders from a diverse range of property/real estate companies in Australia. Findings: This research identified a wide range of information types used by key stakeholders, ranging from reliance on unsophisticated mass media reporting to detailed analysis of scientific research. The capacity of stakeholders to translate this information for their organisation was polarised; 11 of the 24 interviewees indicated they had the capacity, while the other 13 indicated they did not, often owing to time horizons or lack of current interest within the organisation or from clients. Research limitations/implications: This research was limited to 24 in-depth interviews and is not intended to be a representative sample. However, this limitation is offset by the fact that a diverse range of stakeholders were interviewed and an in-depth and rich understanding has been provided about their approach to climate change. Practical implications: The results can inform the development of better communication channels for climate change for the property industry by supporting science-practice collaborations in the timely and effective dissemination of research. This is important to understand given the identified need to bridge the gap among research, policy and practice. Social implications: Climate change poses significant challenges and risks for built environments. The property industry, as a key stakeholder, has great potential to influence current practices. The results reported here assist in addressing these challenges. Originality/value: At present, limited research globally has been conducted about climate change actions in the property industry. This research responds to this gap.
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ItemIs climate change in the curriculum? An analysis of Australian urban planning degrees(Taylor & Francis (Routledge), 2020)The profession of urban planning contributes to the design and spatial arrangement of cities, and has been recognized as a key potential facilitator of action on climate change. Yet, there has been limited research to understand if, or how, urban planning students are being educated for climate change competency. This paper investigates the coverage of climate change in the curriculum of professionally accredited urban planning university degrees in Australia. Climate change coverage was assessed across three fields: 1) explicit climate change issues; 2) sustainable urban form issues (e.g. contributing to climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions), and 3) education for sustainability (with links to professional competencies relevant to climate change action). A content analysis was undertaken of: 1) the Planning Institute of Australia’s Policy for the Accreditation of Urban Planning Qualifications, and 2) a sample of nine accredited urban planning degrees. Limited coverage of explicit climate change issues and sustainable urban form issues was found. Coverage of education for sustainability themes (liberal education; civics; interdisciplinarity; cosmopolitism) was stronger. Results indicate that the professional accreditation policy, and the content of urban planning degrees should be revised to include greater coverage of explicit climate change issues.