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Global awareness on climate change has increased dramatically due to Al Gore, the UK Stern Review, the IPCC Report and the Garnaut Review in Australia. The considerable work over 20-30 years by scientists, NGOs and politicians through the UN Climate Change process has created expectations of major carbon reductions in the economy. However the process of change to achieve these expectations remains unclear.

‘Carbon neutral’ has become a part of the policy arsenal on climate change globally. The Australian Federal government recently released the new National Carbon Offset Standard (NCOS) and the Carbon Neutral Program Guidelines, which provides government certification for organisations and products wishing to claim carbon neutrality. The standard and guidelines replace the previous Greenhouse Friendly Program, which became problematic after Australia ratified the Kyoto Protocol in terms of eligible offsets and issues of double counting. These latest guidelines set out a new framework and methodology for assessing claims and generating offsets.

Nevertheless, the guidelines remain relatively broad and not entirely relevant and applicable to all types of claims. Land development is one example where specific guidelines may be necessary. Claims of carbon neutral developments vary considerably worldwide. Most often ‘carbon neutral’ is used only for stationary energy (electrical power) and does not include transport fuels associated with the project, the natural gas used by people in the buildings, the embedded energy in the materials or the GHG associated with the water and waste used or produced in the project.

This project seeks to better define what carbon neutral, low carbon and carbon free can mean for the built environment as well as demonstrating how the concept can be facilitated in the policy process. Several real world examples of developments that are attempting to decarbonise will be examined as case studies for this project. The industry partners, Parsons Brinckerhoff, Cedar Woods, North Port Quay and Horizon Power have been fundamental in providing these case studies. The Western Australian case studies demonstrating low carbon and carbon neutral land development will include the following areas:

1. Carbon Neutral and Low Carbon Urban Subdivision and Redevelopment (adapting present methods of development from projects such as those by Cedar Woods);
2. Carbon Free New Urban Development (new concept projects such as in Stirling City Centre and North Port Quay);
3. Carbon Neutral Indigenous Settlement (projects developed in partnership with Horizon Power and Parsons Brinckerhoff) and;
4. Carbon Neutral Mining Camp (case studies TBA).

There is a PhD student working on each of the four areas above. The case studies will be assessed in terms of their actual carbon dioxide (CO2) content and their C02 reduction potential through different design options. Below are the characteristics that will be assessed as part of the project.

This project is focussing purely on the carbon emissions associated with urban and regional land development. From research conducted thus far, this study will provide the most comprehensive carbon analysis, to support carbon neutral claims, undertaken to date. For each case study area the following characteristics will be examined in order to determine the overall carbon content of a development:

1. The GHG used in the materials of the buildings and the infrastructure including the variations when regional and recycled materials are used;
2. The GHG used in the construction process and how this varies with different approaches;
3. The electrical power and natural gas used in the buildings including the differences with different building types and their variations when provided from centralised or distributed sources;
4. The transport fuels used in the construction and the on-going use of the area by residents including the variations with different urban and remote area designs;
5. The GHG produced in the full water cycle (pumping water in and out) including GHG linked to gardens, public landscaping and different forms of water infrastructure (centralised or distributed);
6. The GHG associated with the solid waste generated by the community and its variations when there is more re-use and recycling.

By quantifying and analysing the (a)-(f) characteristics across various developments ranging from current practice to those that appear more sustainable, a benchmark will be developed for how a carbon neutral urban or regional land development can be designed and built.

Once a development’s CO2 component can be adequately measured within a framework that is consistent and manageable, such developments will want to see how they can be acknowledged for their carbon reduction and environmental contribution. Thus, a process similar to that for providing accreditation for carbon neutral businesses under the Carbon Trust’s new Carbon Neutral Program will be required specifically for urban and regional developments. Developments which gain this accreditation would also want to see what such status could mean in the way of facilitating their proposal – could it be given some financial benefit through fast tracking, exemptions from land taxes or through developing carbon credits through an emissions trading scheme?

A fifth PhD student is working on developing a carbon neutral accreditation scheme for land development based on the four case study areas outlined. The project will investigate whether the scheme could be compatible with, or be integrated into, national and international policy, regulations and governance.

The Decarbonising Cities and Regions project will provide a unique collaboration between researchers at the Curtin University Sustainability Policy Institute and the Environmental Technology Centre at Murdoch University as well as private and government partners ensuring the project is both practical and innovative. The significance of this project however expands to the global scale, as it will be the first attempt to fully conceptualise carbon neutral and carbon free within urban and regional land development in all of its characteristics.

The project will also enable Australia to compete in the global innovation stakes on decarbonising development. This is rapidly becoming a defining point for post-industrial, post-carbon economies. Australia has a chance to show leadership in the urban and regional land development innovations associated with climate change through this project. It will also be extremely costly for this country if we miss the opportunity to challenge and change the existing patterns in land development.

Key research supervisors in this innovative and practical research project include Professor Peter Newman and Professor Dora Marinova from CUSP and Professor Goen Ho and Associate Professor Martin Anda at ETC. PhD students include: Colin Beattie, Jessica Bunning David Goodfield, Joanne Stewart and Vanessa Rauland.

Project Leader
Peter Newman
Curtin University Sustainability Policy (CUSP) Institute
3 Pakenham St Fremantle 6160
Ph: 08 9266 9032
Email: p.newman@curtin.edu.au

Project Coordinator
Vanessa Rauland
Curtin University Sustainability Policy (CUSP) Institute
3 Pakenham St Fremantle 6160
Ph: 08 9266 9025
Email: v.rauland@curtin.edu.au

PhD Candidates
Colin Beattie
Urban Redevelopment
Email: colbeattie@gmail.com

Jessica Bunning
Urban New Development
Email: jessbunning@hotmail.com

David Goodfield
Regional Focus: Mining
Email: d.goodfield@murdoch.edu.au

Joanne Stewart
Regional Focus: Remote Indigenous Communities
Email: joanne.stewart@westnet.com.au

Vanessa Rauland
Accreditation Scheme Development
Email: v.rauland@curtin.edu.au