CRC for Low Carbon Living: Free Tools for Sustainable Built Environments
Integrated Carbon Metrics
The Integrated Carbon Metrics (ICM) projects built knowledge and tools for both direct and embodied emissions in the building process. Carbon accounting tools that can be scaled to the building, precinct or city level have been developed, to provide a complete picture of the carbon lifecycle in the Australian built environment.
The Embodied Carbon Explorer (ECE) tool rapidly evaluates embodied carbon on a precinct-scale project and shows in detail how different industries contribute to carbon emissions. The ECE is hosted on the Industrial Ecology Virtual Lab and managed from the UNSW.
The Precinct Carbon Assessment (PCA) tool examines the whole life cycle of carbon emissions on a precinct scale and enables the exploration of different low carbon scenarios, calculating their carbon impacts.
Transport
Transport is a major emissions contributor. The 'Greening Urban and Suburban Travel' developed and/or utilised a range of tools for a deep exploration of international best practices and trends in the provision of high-priority, transformative initiatives to tackle the mobility challenges facing suburban communities.
This ABM based tool uses the Commuter nanoscopic traffic simulator - as part of the Infraworks 360 Autodesk.Autonomous Mobility On-Demand.
The ABM for Transport Mode Choice tool enables the application of a NED (Nudge, Emergence, Diversity) model to the assessment of mode choices
The Spatial Network Analysis for Multimodal Urban Transport Systems (SNAMUTS) system is an interactive decision tool designed to assist in examining the performance of a city region’s current public transport network framed around the accessibility of the transport network and accessibility of place.
The Precinct Shared Use Mobility Calculator (PSUMC) offers a simple tool for end-users to calculate and review existing levels of carbon emissions in the transport sector within a particular jurisdiction and compare it to future use scenarios.
Energy Options
Several CRCLCL projects developed tools to facilitate the assessment and monitoring of energy supply options in the increasingly complex world of distributed and renewable energy and prosumers.
Several tools have been developed to assist with the assessment and monitoring of Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) and to assist large energy consumers with energy contracting and clean energy options including local as well as off-site renewables. There are also tools for undertaking risk analysis and accessing National Energy Market (NEM) data.
Two open source modelling tools have been developed for (i) embedded networks in multi-unit dwellings and (ii) local mini grids within the distribution network.
Precinct Assessment
Program 2 of the CRCLCL's research portfolio was focused on precinct assessment and modelling. This resulted in the development of several tools to facilitate the complex task of planning at the precinct scale.
The Precinct Information Model (PIM) project saw significant inroads made into the persistent challenges posed in integrating Building Information Model (BIM) and Geographical Information System (GIS) approaches to spatial digital representation and modelling. The project included an integrative approach with BIM and GIS (as well as Lidar and Voxels), applying the combined techniques to the UNSW campus but with a view to wider application in the health and education growth precinct around UNSW and the Prince of Wales hospital.
This tool look at integrated forecasting of energy, transport, water and waste (ETWW). Along with key co-development partner Aecom, the Excel tool was extensively trailed on the Lochiel Park precinct in Adelaide.
This project has focused on activating Greyfield Precinct Regeneration as a viable process for land owners and municipalities to achieve more sustainable housing and land-use outcomes. Two tools have been developed to aid in precinct assessment - ENVISION and the ENVISION Scenario Planner (ESP). These have now been actively deployed among five local governments.
Urban Heat Island Tools
Urban Heat Islands are emerging as key aspect of climate mitigation in major cities. CRCLCL projects made a major contribution to research in this area as well as developing several tools.
The Urban Heat Island Decision Support tool (UHI-DS) provides decision-support for assessing the urban heat implications of development proposals. The tool enables decision makers to determine what the most effective urban design interventions are in reducing air temperature in precinct-scale developments. It has been applied initially to three exemplar precincts (Parramatta, Green Square and Macarthur Heights in Sydney) to assist local governments and developers to effectively mitigate extreme heat conditions.
The Urban Heat Mitigation Performance Index (UHMPI) supports local governments, developers and urban planners to mitigate extreme heat, complementing, the UHI-DS tool. The UHIMPI provides mitigation strategies and alternatives to support building planning, public realm and community program planning decisions.
It is also linked to the Urban Heat Vulnerability Index (UHVI), allowing users to query vulnerability the information of a population to support UHI mitigation decision-making. The UHVI was developed using the IPCC methods and comprises three sub-indexes: Exposure, Sensitivity and Adaptive Capacity.