New Urban Design Protocol a step towards liveable, sustainable, productive cities

The Australian Sustainable Built Environment Council (ASBEC) has welcomed the launch of the Australian Urban Design Protocol, which has been developed to encourage world-class urban design and architecture.

“ASBEC has been calling on the Australian Government to take a streamlined, coordinated approach to the planning and delivery of our cities, and the Urban Design Protocol is a step towards achieving this,” says Romilly Madew, Chief Executive of the Green Building Council Australia and chair of the ASBEC Cities task group.

The Australian Urban Design Protocol has been developed by the Department of Infrastructure and Transport’s Major Cities Unit, with the assistance of an editorial board that includes ASBEC, each of the state government architects, various state and territory planning bodies, the Council of Capital City Lord Mayors and other stakeholders. Public consultation involved 500 participants in workshops and presentations around the nation, as well as a written submission process.

The Protocol, which also incorporates Universal Design and Accessibility Principles, establishes a framework for the practice and delivery of urban design that is supported by case studies, a toolkit for best practice and links to additional resources.

“The Protocol will complement the Australian Government’s national urban strategy, as well as industry-led projects such as the Green Star – Communities project, which aim to set best practice benchmarks for the planning, design and construction of sustainable communities across Australia,” Ms Madew says.

“ASBEC believes coordinated approach to urban policy development is necessary to meet Australians’ desire for sustainable and liveable cities, to make our cities more resilient to climate change and environmental disasters and to maximise the opportunities of our cities as drivers of Australia’s productivity and innovation.  The ASBEC Cities Task Group is actively working with government and industry in support of this important agenda and the Urban Design Protocol will make a valuable contribution towards achieving the objectives of sustainable, liveable and productive cities,” Ms Madew concludes.

About ASBEC

The Australian Sustainable Built Environment Council (ASBEC) is a collective of leading industry organisations committed to a sustainable built environment in Australia.  ASBEC’s membership consists of a range of key industry government and academic organisations who are involved in the planning, design, delivery and operation of our built environment and who are concerned with the economic, social and environmental performance of the sector.   

ASBEC’s activities, including research and policy development on built environment issues, are an example of a collaborative, co-ordinated approach undertaken across all segments of the built environment. ASBEC works actively to develop and promote leading practice in the design, planning and operation of our cities, at a buildings, precincts and citywide scale. 

Contact:
Karen Jamal
Communications Manager
Green Building Council of Australia
Phone: 0412 179 135
Email: karen.jamal@gbca.org.au