Silvia Tavares

The economic burden of urban heat is already comparable to that of chronic health, with heat related productivity losses already amounting to almost $8 billion a year. To address this issue the use of cool materials and coatings can reduce surface temperatures and cool down our urban environments improving their urban climate. This preliminary study aimed to explore built environment professionals’ knowledge of available design and planning strategies conducive to urban cooling and, in particular, their perception of the use of cool materials and coatings in public open spaces. Semi-structured interviews were conducted (n=8) with architects, landscape architects and urban designers, facilitating discussion on the opportunities and barriers of urban cooling strategies. The results demonstrate a wide variation in awareness of available heat mitigation strategies, with a priority on the use of vegetation for shade, and the need for training programs leading into enabling the adoption of new technologies related to cool materials, both from manufacturers and end users. Establishing clear performance standards is essential, and policy and governance changes are also necessary to properly account for the benefits of cool materials and to standardize their application. Research outcomes also emphasise the need for careful consideration of related emergent issues when addressing heat in urban environments and translating architecture-based strategies into urban design. Findings intend to inform urban design and planning policy to achieve high performance climate-sensitive public open spaces.

In response to the escalating challenges posed by climate change in subtropical urban areas, this work utilises the Research Through Design (RTD) methodology for promoting resilience and sustainability in urban environments. Based on urban microclimate modelling using advanced ENVI-met simulations, this work identified hot urban areas and informed the subsequent design process for improving urban climate outcomes. The study is focused on a local government area in South-East Queensland (Australia) and unfolds in three stages. The first stage involves evaluating the existing site’s thermal characteristics and communicating the results to professional consultants. Aligning with local council requirements and community engagement outcomes, consultants then use these insights as a foundation for drafting a new public open space and main street conceptual masterplan. In the second stage, the proposed masterplan undergoes urban climate analysis through ENVI-met simulation to assess the impact of the proposal on the resulting urban microclimate and the thermal comfort of public space users. The results from this stage guide subsequent iterative improvements, identifying areas for enhancement and further consideration. In the third and final stage, consultants incorporate these findings into a refined masterplan that aligns with council guidelines and community requirements while prioritising thermal comfort, resilience, and sustainability. This work contributes to evidence-based urban design and planning, emphasising the importance of integrating climate-responsive strategies into the early stages of the consultation, design, and urban planning processes. It demonstrates the benefits of a dynamic and iterative approach, where computer-based simulations guide each design stage, ensuring that the final urban design and planning outcome complies with regulatory frameworks and enhances the overall well-being of users of public spaces and surrounding urban environments. Using the RTD methodology, this work presents a solid and replicable framework for addressing climate challenges in various urban contexts.

Taking the mining industry and associated communities as proxy for industry development as a whole in Australia from the colonial period to the present day, this study examines the socio-cultural and economic reasons behind the observed recurrent nature of class conflict in the industry over this time. Industrial capitalism, birthed in the land enclosures and Industrial evolution of Great Britain is inherently unstable, being prone to cycles of ‘booms and busts’. Since the early advent of unions in Australia, these cycles have seen power ascendency alternately pass between capitalist elites and workers. With society composed of unpredictable and emotional individuals in continually evolving social structures, this work-in-progress-study attempts an explanation for this recurrent and cyclical nature of class conflict.

Urbanization is one of the twenty-first century's most transformative trends, and increasing urban population along with the impacts of climate change provide new challenges and new opportunities. However, there are significant differences in the way countries are perceiving the phenomenon of climate change and implementing adaptation strategies to improve urban climate. This paper reports on a study carried out in New Zealand and aimed at identifying how the country is implementing adaptation strategies through urban design and planning to improve urban climate in the face of climate change. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with New Zealand scholars studying urban climate related issues, urban design and planning practitioners, and governance. The study was designed to provide a wide range of perceptions rather than a set number of interviews in specific cities. The semi- structured interviews focused upon awareness of the need for climate change adaptation, existing urban climate phenomena because of design decisions, existing design strategies to improve climate adaptation, communication of climate change issues, existing policy instruments and implementation of initiatives. The paper discusses the perceptions of interviewees regarding awareness and urgency of action; the role of citizens, governance, and urban designers and planners in the urban climate adaptation agenda; and the role of dramatic events such as the Christchurch earthquakes on acknowledging the need for appropriate design and planning. Results indicate that the geographical condition of New Zealand and its consequent maritime climate means that climate change - particularly effects related to city design - are not seen as a major issue. However, the recent Christchurch earthquakes have sped up the processes of change, making citizens and governance more aware of consequences of inappropriate design and planning.