THE SUSTAINABLE ARCHITECTURE TOUR explores Melbourne’s goal to be a  sustainable ‘carbon neutral’ precinct by 2030. Is that possible and how? Our walking tour visits leading buildings and places demonstrating sustainable architecture, design and planning. Locations we visit depending on accessibility on the day and may include the Federation Square carbon neutral precinct, Hosier (social sustainability), Birrarung Marr precinct, BHP Billington or St Collins, Degraves recycling precinct,  Council House Two, Green Lanes, Hero Apartments, St Collins and other contemporary and historic locations. modern buildings. Tours are normally 2.5 hours commencing from Federation Square.

Key architectural and design strategies (see below) in Melbourne include biophilic design, biomimicry, biodiversity, retrofitting (Millenium 1200), tree cover, green facades and roofs, rain gardens, nature in the city strategy, rooftop, beehives, recycling and waste disposal, litter traps, alternative transport, Green Star/NABERS ratings, water harvesting, wildlife protection, urban and cultural ecosystems, renewable energy, funding, research and cyber data.  How do we find large-scale solutions to the increasing urban populations and the new megacities? 

SEE  –  INDIVIDUALS AND GROUPS BOOKINGS AND PRICES

SEE –  SCHOOL TOURS AND BOOKINGS

Overall brilliant!   RMIT University Industrial Design  School

ROUTE (Our route can vary on the day according to weather, construction and time available).
Federation Square (design, cultural hub, carbon neutral)
Flinders Station
Atrium, Fed Square (biodiversity, thermal labyrinth)
Atrium terrace (megapanels, Eureka/108, rain garden)
Birramung Marr Park (tree strategy, water strategy,  Indigenous strategy, retrofitting, solar,)
Hosier Lane (agglomeration strategy)
Flinders Lane (BHP star six Nabers)
Swanston Street (metro rail development, transport, ‘smart’ technology)
Degraves Lane (civic spaces, recycling)
CH2 Melbourne City Council (biophilia)
Russell Street (Hero apartment, retrofitting)
Return to Federation Square.

CHALLENGES AND THREATS
In 2021 there were 54,000 residents in the core central activities district of Melbourne but approximately 900,000 people visiting weekly.  This urban population will double over the next 20 years. Greater Melbourne will be Australia’s largest city with 8 million people by 2055. Pressure is increasing on the environment, buildings, open space, businesses, transport and people. All species in our urban ecosystem will be impacted by climate change,  storm and flood events,  extreme dry periods, rising seas and heat.
WHAT MUST WE DO? 
Sustaining healthy and liveable spaces in Australia’s fastest growing city (and indeed the planet) is the defining challenge of our time. We need to use smarter architecture and design technologies, save waste, use greener energy, improve social equality, cool our city with plants , walk and cycle, protect our wildlife and stop pollution.  To reduce, re-use and recycle. Most of all we must all of us we must plan and educate ourselves together:  schools, communities, homes, business and governments – we cannot do it alone.
WHAT IS SUSTAINABILITY
Sustainability means being in balance – balancing  today’s consumption and waste with tomorrow’s needs.  Sustainability also aims for a society with respect for nature, human rights, economic justice and a culture of peace. To survive we need new and ‘greener’ models of environmental management, social responsibility and economic practice. Our Government accepts that our climate is heating up due partly to greenhouse gases from burning carbon-based fossil fuels such as coal and oil. This is why Melbourne City has strategies (below) to stop the increase in carbon dioxide  emissions into the atmosphere (net zero emissions)  by 2020.

MELBOURNE  DESIGN AND ARCHITECTURE FOR A SUSTAINABLE GREEN FUTURE
Nature in the City. Ten year strategy to connect people to nature, improve urban ecosystems and biodiversity of Melbourne including plants, soil, insects, birds (239 species), mammals and frogs. Managing issues such as air pollution removal, carbon storage, urban cooling, healthy soil, stormwater control, wind abatement, water filtration, nutrient recycling.
Carbon neutral Fed Square  VIDEO
Urban ecology or ecosystem strategy:  Study and management of the interactions between all living creatures and their physical city environment including blue (river), grey (built) and green (parks) networks.
Caring for Country: Utilise   land management and cultural practices of traditional owners.
Urban Forest Strategy. Doubling the tree cover in the City of Melbourne by 2040 to reduce inner city heat temperature, improve water use and adapt to climate change. There are currently 77.000 trees. 
1200 Buildings Program: Foster the environmental retrofit of two thirds of the  commercial stock to improve water and energy efficiency 38% to eliminate  383,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions every year.  VIDEO
Watermark Strategy. Improve water recycling and stormwater purity,  reduce mains water consumption 40%, increase water capture from alternative sources. Melbourne Walks is a member of the Yarra Riverkeepers Association.
Zero Net emissions by 2020:  Reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 35 percent, reduce household and commercial waste, reduce energy use from non-renewables 50%, increase renewable green energy use to 45% of demand. Create a voluntary carbon trading precinct. Invest in carbon sequestration.  VIDEO
 Create our own Wind Farm!! With 14 partners – universities, business, local govts. Reduce 96,000 tons of greenhouse.  VIDEO
Waste and Recycling Strategy. Degraves Street, Kirks Lane, Lacey Lane, Stevensons La.  VIDEO
Degraves Street Recycling facility. 392 tons diverted from landfill.
Biophilic design: The new  $9 billion underground metro.
Green Lanes.  Turning your small neighbourhood green.
Sustainable Gardens : and urban food production to maximise the health of the city, ourselves and the planet.
Melbourne Rooftop Project: Gardens, solar and cool roofs mapping. In June 2017 there were 78 roofs vegetation, 755 roofs solar panels, 322 roofs solar hot water systems. Rooftops could potentially carry 236 hectares (heavy) and 328 hectares (light) of garden ie almost  1400 acres!!!
Bike share: 600 bikes, 51 stations, $3 per day.
Melbourne Bicycle Plan. Increase to 10% of traffic by 2030. There 51 bike share stations with 600 bikes. However, 3400 commuter bikes stolen in five years. RMIT Building 80 secure bike room. VIDEO
Melbourne Walking Plan. Walking  safely creates a vibrant city, increase well being, economies and reduces fossil fuels. Increase to 30% of all trips.
Walking connectivity/knowledge economy Increase walking connectivity 10% = $21billion  per annum.
Green Star and NABERS ratings  VIDEO   Building use 40% of the worlds energy. NABERS measures their efficiency. One star is poor. Six stars is market leader.
E-waste locations. Reduce the 1000,000 tons  waste TV, PCs and phone per year.
Alternative housing models – the Nightingale Model Sustainable social  cheaper housing e.g The Commons
Female Lights. Gender quality and ‘unconscious bias’.  More education of girls reduces populations and greenhouse gases.

SCHOOL SUSTAINABIBILITY  RESOURCES 

How to be a citizen forester in Melbourne

Getting started with sustainability in schools

Get resourced by Sustainability Victoria

Make your school a Greenhub with help from Greening Victoria

Green Money:  Earn rewards by changing home, work, school

Suscribe free to The Fifth Estate

Science Data and Sustainability

SCHOOLS: RESEARCH SUSTAINABLE DATA FROM YOUR COMPUTER OR MOBILE PHONE!!
Rooftop Project Maps – solar, green, gardens
How to count people on-line in CBD
How to count green and cool rooftops in CBD and solar panels.
How to see and study every tree in the City centre
Email any of City of Melbourne’s 60,000 trees

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