Design principles

Sustainability

An overview of sustainability design principles

Council's vision for the Sunshine Coast is to be Australia's most sustainable region: healthy, smart, creative.

Sustainability principles

The Environment and Liveability Strategy (2017) contains a chapter on Sustainable design, which it defines as "a holistic approach that takes into consideration climatic, ecological, social and economic needs and is key to supporting healthy, affordable and functional buildings and neighbourhoods while minimising impacts on the natural environment".

It includes key features of sustainable design, such as:

• passive and resilient design in keeping with climate and local character
• renewable energy generation
• energy and water efficiency
• waste management - avoiding, reusing and recycling during construction, operation and disposal
• designing for need, form, function and adaptive reuse
• integrated and connected infrastructure systems, e.g. transport, streets and spaces.

Council encourages consideration of sustainability principles, including:

• Use every opportunity to enhance the natural environment and biodiversity. Plant trees, revegetate areas to create complex habitats and remove weed species.
• Source local materials and local products where possible.
• Incorporate recycled, recyclable or sustainable materials. Where this is not feasible, select materials based upon durability and potential future re-use or upgrade of components.
• Metals/plastics that can be:
  • recycled at the end of productive life
  • used in a buy back scheme
• Finishes, treatments and products that are the least harmful to the environment and park users.
• Ensure materials are flame retardant and resistant to fire.
• Consider maintenance, whole of life costs and aesthetic values.
• Materials and design which initially cost more can result in reduced future maintenance costs and/or longer useful life.
• Made from robust materials that are vandal and corrosion resistant.
• Incorporate water and energy saving measures.
• Install sediment and erosion control products and practices such as mulching to reduce erosion on excavated areas during construction.
• Consider designing-in future flexibility – for example infrastructure that can be relocated by using boltdown methods rather than in-ground installation.
• Consider climate change impacts on embellishment location and construction. In coastal areas, design should consider rise in sea level predictions and severe storm events. Near bushland areas, design should consider the occurrence of bush fires. See SC Environment and Liveability Strategy (ELS) for further guidance.
• Consider flooding, seasonal ephemeral water bodies and water table changes. See SC Coastal Hazard Adaptation Strategy (CHAS) for a broad climate risk and change management initiative to better prepare Council and the community to proactively respond to coastal hazards.

Products, processes and standards

The emphasis of the LIM has been to profile products that are durable and easy to maintain. Further work will develop sustainability guidance on preferred products, processes and standards by:

• Examining materials used in open space embellishment to determine which products noted in LIM guidelines are sustainable and/or recyclable and the location and process of their sourcing and manufacture.
• Examining processes used in the installation and maintenance of embellishments to determine best practice care of open space to ensure longevity of materials and health of plants.
• Examining sources of plant stock and mulch to determine opportunities to develop locally grown/produced products.
• Documenting sites to enable monitoring the effects of chemicals on the environment – e.g. acid wash or leaching from concrete.
• Identifying opportunities for improving sustainability outcomes and opportunity for carbon capture credits.
• Incorporating sustainability ratings where appropriate.