Our aims: 

This CCAP set of activities aims to develop RMIT-driven sectorally-specific, cross-disciplinary technological infrastructural innovations to increase urban resilience and to increase adaptive capacity to climate change.

1. Select candidates from an RMIT technological inventory for the initiative by screening possible innovations against the criteria of least-regrets, overlap with globally and socially-justified climate mitigation measures, scalability and replicability, and extent to which it reduces the multiple jeopardies facing the most vulnerable populations due to non-climate change stresses.
2. Develop, test, and transfer the innovation to the demonstration project level in at least two cities, one in Australia and one in the region, within three years.

Our desired outcomes:

Year 1: Completed inventory of RMIT infrastructural candidate technologies for climate change adaptation in context of candidate vulnerable cities assessed in element 1 and selected; initial candidates are buildings energy-related adaptations; and waste water treatment adaptation technologies.

Year 2: Demonstration project implemented and related decision tools for assessing need for and utility of a range of adaptive technologies developed.

Supporting projects

Solar-Thermal/Low Grade Heat Water Desalination Technology
RMIT University’s Conservation And Renewable Energy (CARE) Group is undertaking this project developing renewable energy systems  and desalination technology that can be used to generate usable water and energy for the many communities that currently face shortages of these or will do so as a result of climate change. The CARE Group are exploring the viability of using the technology in various places including the north and north west Victoria including Hamilton region and parts of Vietnam. For more information see the CARE website or contact Professor Aliakbar Akbarzadeh or Dr. John Andrews.

Building Adaptive Materials Calculator
The Building Assemblies and Materials Scorecard (BAMS) is a project to establish a method and reporting format to assess the environmental performance of building assemblies. Learning from international methods, BAMS uses Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) to ensure consistent and science-based evaluation of construction options. It is intended that BAMS will provide a common basis for materials assessment in environmental building rating tools including Green Star, STEPS and SDS. BAMS scorecards will be invaluable to project teams aiming to optimise total building performance over their life, and in the future to assist building products suppliers differentiate high-performing products and assemblies.

The Centre for Design at RMIT is developing the Building Assemblies and Materials Scorecard. When fully operational, this tool will enable its users to make informed choices regarding the environmental impacts of building products and assemblies. The new tool considers the impact of building assemblies and not just individual products i.e. the impact of timber plus plaster for use in a wall, for example.

Initial funding for BAMS has been provided by the Sustainability Fund managed by Sustainability Victoria. Project partners include the Green Building Council Australia, Sustainability Victoria, VicUrban, Victorian Department of Sustainability and Environment and the City of Port Phillip, Moreland and Manningham City Councils. The research and project leader is the Centre for Design at RMIT University. The first stage of BAMS addresses base building materials only for residential and commercial applications in a generic format. It is anticipated that as further data emerges from the building industry, the BAMS scorecards will change from generic to specific building product and material information. For more information see the Centre for Design’s ‘Sustainable Built Environments’ webpage or contact Dr. Ralph Horne.