GREEN BUILDING GUIDE
Local food production is bringing the community
together and fostering meaningful intergenerational
relationships. These kinds of relationships ensure older
people aren’t disproportionately represented among
the victims when disasters occur – as they were during
Hurricane Katrina. They also ensure that cultural
knowledge can be shared with younger generations.
As we’ve seen in the wake of disasters the world over,
without healthy communities built on collaboration
and communication, even the strongest economies
are vulnerable. And without robust urban economies
that provide citizens with opportunities to prosper,
the natural environment suffers. With Australia’s
four largest cities expected to double in size over the
next 15 years, ensuring that our standard of living
remains among the highest in the world will hinge
upon our ability to build cities that are resilient to the
environmental, social and economic challenges that are
a growing part of life in the 21st century.
ADAPTING TO A CHANGING CLIMATE
Lendlease’s Climate Change Adaptation and
Community Resilience framework for Barangaroo South
outlines the climate change effects that are likely to
affect the $6bn precinct. Lendlease has adapted the
design of Barangaroo South to mitigate these impacts.
An expected increase in the number of extreme
heat days, for instance, is being addressed by the
selection of materials along boardwalks with a high
solar reflectance index. Public realm areas have been
modelled for sunlight exposure and wind movement to
find the balance between winter and summer comfort.
Tree-lined promenades, street awnings and drinking
water fountains have been integrated into the design.
Stormwater infrastructure has been upgraded and
building façades have been designed to withstand
intense storms and winds, while the ground plane was
raised to address sea level rises of 0.9 metres predicted
by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.
Lendlease is building a community – one that will be
the workplace of 1 in 20 of Sydney’s CBD workforce – to
stand the test of time. And that’s true resilience in action.
GOVLINK » ISSUE 3 2016
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