Rapid global urbanization and the increase of the Urban Heat Island (UHI) effect make urban cooling a necessity as well as an opportunity to increase the liveability and amenity of cities. This review is a scoping study of the relevant worldwide UHI mitigation/adaptation...Read more

Financing the upfront costs of energy efficiency and renewable energy projects in buildings can be a significant barrier to the expansion of sustainable, low carbon buildings, despite this being a low-cost option on the carbon abatement curve. Systematic literature on...Read more

Energy poverty and deprivation are pressing policy concerns for governments, particularly with regard to low-income households where the impacts can be acute. Literature surveyed in this review recommends interventions be targeted at the most vulnerable households or households...Read more

The systematic review process in research ensures that all applicable research is considered. These studies demonstrate a rapid review method which enables a quicker answer to some of government's immediate pressing questions.Read more

In response to feedback, high-income households can reduce their energy use to a larger degree than low-income households (17% vs 3% reduction). This and other insights were gained by two rapid reviews into research, both Australian and International, on digital services and...Read more

A rapid review on green-rated office buildings, and their operational energy use, found that the conclusions of six studies ranged from the certified buildings performing worse, similarly or much better than the non-certified buildings in terms of energy usage intensity. Two...Read more

Are you an expert on a particular Built Environment topic? Do you think that a resource on our website contains an insight which should be shared with the Built Environment community? If so, please contact BuiltBetter's product manager, Michelle Zwagerman, mzwagerman@swin.edu.au.Read more

Research identifies that home design needs to considers both energy efficiency and heat stress resistance. Currently, NatHERS only focuses on energy efficiency. If the building codes are not modified, then house designs which only focus on NatHERS could adversely impact people's...Read more

Transportation planners are often looking for efficiency in transportation but this article in Science Advances has also identified that resilience is an important city design feature. Planning for when disruptions occur can help to avoid city gridlock.Read more

Australia's Chief Scientist Alan Finkel points out, in this interview, the need for Australia to develop better storage systems and reflects on the recent report from ACOLA. California Energy Commissioner Andrew McAllister, also warns Australia to pursue demand side...Read more