Sustainable design

Analysis and Comment (11)

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Not just a nice idea: zero emissions housing is affordable and possible, once some policy changes are made. Jeff Egnaczyk

To cut emissions, the housing sector has to pull its weight

By Trivess Moore, RMIT University

If Australia is to reduce its emissions enough to limit the impacts of climate change, all sectors are going to have to pull their weight. It’s a big job: scientists tell us we need reduce emissions by…
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From hot property to unwanted waste: it’s time to rethink the way we design, produce and reuse new products. Obsolete computer image from www.shutterstock.com

A cooler planet by design

By Ken Friedman, Swinburne University of Technology

Many of us get frustrated with the slow pace of international action on climate change. But powerless as we feel, we can still make a difference by rethinking the way we design our lives. Design is rarely…
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Planning new developments for sustainability should reflect the evidence. Fernando de Sousa

Good intentions not enough: do your sums on urban sustainability

By Hector Malano, University of Melbourne and Brian Davidson, University of Melbourne

It is not surprising that there is plenty of debate about making urban development more sustainable. However, like much of the debate on sustainability in general, there is little or no attempt to define…
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Recycling is all very well, but how do we stop producing waste in the first place? Yoav Lerman

For a truly sustainable world, we need zero waste cities

By Steffen Lehmann, University of South Australia

The current state of worldwide urban development is depressing. We are not moving towards environmentally sustainable design and reduced consumption quickly enough. There have been dire warnings about…
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One of the urine diverting toilets used in the trial. Dena Fam

Reinventing the toilet – urine diversion where it’s needed most

By Kumi Abeysuriya, University of Technology, Sydney; Cynthia Mitchell, University of Technology, Sydney, and Dena Fam, University of Technology, Sydney

Collecting and reusing urine to grow crops may raise some eyebrows. But as the negative consequences of modern day sanitation systems become more significant, so does the relevance of research and innovation…
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Many apartment dwellers would like to know how to make their home more sustainable. But where to start? Chris Kreussling

Untangling the steps to a more sustainable apartment life

By Rebecca Leshinsky, Swinburne University of Technology and Judy Rex, Swinburne University of Technology

Apartment owners beware – your asset could be under threat! If we don’t improve the sustainability of our city apartment blocks their value will fall. Australian cities are increasingly embracing apartment…
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Sir Rod Eddington: unless the rail networks are right, Australia’s cities won’t work properly. Supplied

Sir Rod Eddington: ‘The infrastructure challenges are real’

By Peter Newman, Curtin University

Welcome to In Conversation; an ongoing series in which leading academics interview prominent public figures. In today’s instalment, Dr Peter Newman, Professor of Sustainability at Curtin University, sits…
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It’s much-maligned, but Melbourne’s bike share scheme has the right idea. avlxyz/flickr

Sustainable design, consumption and change

By Stephen Clune, RMIT University

There’s been a boom in sustainable products and packaging from keep cups to green bags – but how important is sustainable design in reducing our global footprint? Sustainable design can play a critical…

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