Environmentally Sustainable Design

Environmentally Sustainable Design (ESD) is the design philosophy of building our environment to minimise negative impacts on our lives and landscape and improve positive effects. This includes a broad range of objectives including energy, water, transport, waste, resilience, biodiversity, environment quality and education. ESD is a critical element of climate action, ensuring our infrastructure supports our communities and environment to reduce impacts to and from the climate.

The Shire adopted the current ESD Policy for Council Buildings and Civil Works in 2022. The Policy requires that Shire buildings and civil works to be built sustainably. The Policy is implemented across all parts of the Capital Works and Renewals programs, some highlights are:

  • Ongoing development of tools, resources and guidelines to improve capital works planning, design and construction for all Shire buildings and civil works. This includes SECCCA’s BriefEzy matrix as well as evidence-based specifications for footpaths and roads, efficient electric appliances and systems, and biodiversity protection.
  • Sustainable buildings, such as Flinders Community Hub, Civic Reserve Soccer and Athletics Pavilion, Southern Peninsula Youth Hub, Mornington Community Animal Shelter. Designed to high standards, these buildings have passive design elements to minimise heating and cooling, efficient electric appliances, low carbon materials and stormwater treatment and retention systems.
  • Low carbon and recycled civil materials – The Shire is committed to designing and procuring sustainable materials, to reduce our carbon footprint, minimise waste sent to landfills and promote positive circular economy outcomes. Examples of this are requirements for recycled content in road asphalt and use of low-carbon materials in concrete footpaths, such as Tyrephalt at Bentons Rd, Plastiphalt at Wilkinson/Carmichael St and Polyrok at Harrap Rd Mt Martha
  • Maintenance contracts – The Shire delivers maintenance services through our Community Asset Maintenance Service (CAMS) contracts, and have included sustainability initiatives to ensure that our investments and maintenance activities support our ESD outcomes and objectives.

 

ESD Case Study

See how the Shire has trialled sustainable building products in our civil work.

 Sarah Race and Despi O'Connor on a new footpath made with Replas' Polyroc 

Download: ESD-Concrete-Footpath-Case-Study(PDF, 561KB)

 

For more information on what the Shire is doing contact Climatechange@mornpen.vic.gov..au.

 

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