An Integrated Platform for Design and Simulation of Sustainable Developments for
a Peri-Urban Context
Meenakshi Arora, Tuan Ngo, Lu Aye, Hector Malano, Oliver LadeDepartment of Infrastructure Engineering, Melbourne School of Engineering
The University of Melbourne
Challenges
• The size and scale of the contemporary metropolitan area is without precedent in the history of cities.
• Peri-urban has become an amorphous, continuous, seemingly boundless middle-landscape.
• Low densities, mono-functional, little to no public amenities or infrastructure, and consequently, an environment dominated by the vehicles and the road networks.
• Outer suburbs have generally been developed and continue to be developed, to be dominated by the need to accommodate the private vehicle.
• Typical middle and outer suburban development in Melbourne (and other cities) is not sustainable.
Peri-Urban Developments
What would a Zero CO2 emission precinct look like?
What do we need to know?
What is the optimum mix of low-rise, medium rise and high-rise and their typologies?
Building Typology
Water Balance
What is the benefit of hybrid water supply systems in terms of energy usage, resource consumption, water supply augmentation, stormwater infrastructure requirements and stormwater quality, compared with desalination?
Transport
• What is the total vehicle kilometres (vkm / annum)?
• What are the % breakdown of private transport, public transport and commercial freight?
• How to quantify the change in passenger kilometres and modal shifts by comparing proposed options with conventional design?
Energy What is the benefit of passive solar design in medium density housing
developments, including interactions between buildings?
Economics• Cost-Benefit Analysis indicators?
• Break even analysis and return on investment?
• Comparative analyses and sensitivity analyses of different sustainable options?
• Input/output value analysis and efficiency ranking studies?
• Housing affordability?
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MUtopia
• A design tool with integrated visualisation and simulation platform. • Displays in 3-D the actual appearance of an urban development
and quantifies the performance of key sustainability metrics at different scales.
• Enables the assessment of the viability of introducing sustainability best practice such as water efficiency, energy efficiency, dwelling and transportation design, construction and maintenance, and waste management.
• The platform enables– The Integrated assessment of environmental, economic and social
indicators within a single platform.– Urban planners, designers and developers to comprehensively test
sustainable innovative concepts, tools and processes in a single virtual environment.
– Monitoring of the sustainability of a site once built
MUtopia Architecture
MUtopia Domains
Energy Water Waste Transport
3D Spatial Platform Integrated Urban Infrastructure Modelling
GHG Emissions
Water Consumption
Travel Time
WasteGeneration
Life Cycle Costing
Social
Liveability
Economic
Social + Sustainable Design / Renewable Energy OptionsScenario Planning and Testing
MUtopia Rating ToolsGreen Star Communities, OnePlanet
MUtopia Carbon Accounting Monitoring Tool
• Open architecture, scalable and adaptable, cloud-based
• Integrated GIS + BIM using Precinct Information Model (PIM)
• Advanced visualisation capabilities
• Predictive modelling capabilities, what-if scenario simulation
• Multi-user architecture, collaborative design & simulation platform
• Public engagement capabilities via a web portal for community consultation
GIS +
Key Features of MUtopia Platform
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Platform Development
Specifications for MUtopia Platform
Who are the users? What are their requirements?
Land Agencies
Public Community
Developers
Architects / Urban Planners
Engineering Consultants
User requirements
Platform Development Process
Platform testing and evaluation
Platform testing and evaluation
Case Study – West Cranbourne
Developer: The Natural Resources Conservation League (NRCL)
Case Study –Cranbourne West
Economic 1. Optimise economic returns to enable future conservation projects to be undertaken by the NRCL and to ensure the legacy and history of the organisation are protected.
Urban Design 2. Create a demonstration site that will provide leadership in urban design and a viable and influential model of outer urban development.
Environmental
3. Enhance regional flora and fauna including the creation of a node to complement biolinks projects radiating from the NRCL property (particularly the link to the Royal Botanic Gardens, Cranbourne).
(Future) Governance
4. Create governance arrangements designed to promote a low footprint community.
Strategic Objectives
MUtopia and One Planet Living
Rating Tool
Energy
Water
Waste
Transport
Food
Health
Social
Materials
Livability
Scenarios
• Zero Carbon Homes• One Planet Community• One Planet Community plus Engagement • One Planet Community plus Local Council
MUtopia for NRCL Cranbourne Project
MUtopia Transport Simulation
MUtopia Water Simulation
MUtopia Waste Simulation
Testing Different Scenarios
Scenario Zero Carbon Homes
(Sustainable materials)
One Planet Community
(10 principles)
OPC Plus Engagement
(includes public awareness)
OPC Plus
Local Council
Housing 84% 84% 89% 93%
Transport - 38% 72% 89%
Food - 32% 68% 80%
Consumer goods - 25% 57%57%
Private services - 10% 40% 55%
Government - 10% 30% 83%
Capital assets - 10% 31% 68%
Total emissions saving
10% 30% 55%76%
Testing Different Scenarios
Australia Zero Carbon One Planet Community - Standard Res-
ident
One Planet Community - Plus
Engagement
One Planet Community - Plus
Local Council
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2
3
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8
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NRCL Indicative Scenarios
Capital Investment & Other
Government
Private Services
Consumer Goods
Food
Transport
Housing
Ecol
ogic
al F
ootp
rint
per
cap
ita
(gha
)
MUtopia
Lu Aye 23 of 12
QUESTIONS
Why MUtopia ?
City
Precinct
What-if scenarios? Assessment?
Rating, Monitoring?
Energy, Water, Transport, Waste?
Liveability?
Cost Benefit Analysis?
BuildingBrownfields &
Grayfields
for Greenfields
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