The Centre for Design is committed to indepth, long term research to help provide government and industry partners with long term informed strategies and policies.

The Centre for Design has been successful in partnering for funding on the following research projects:

• Carbon Neutral Communities

Towards Carbon Neutral Communities is aimed at making Australia a world leader in applying innovative methods to overcome non-technical barriers to achieving carbon neutrality at community level. The project will focus on the role behaviour change initiatives and other non-technical interventions in transitioning towards carbon neutrality.

Website: www.rmit.edu.au/cnc

Industry partners:
ICLEI
MEFL
NAGA
Consumer Affairs Victoria
Manningham
Playford

Researchers:
Assoc Prof Dr Ralph Horne
Innovation Prof John Fien
Jon Kellett (Uni SA)
Prof Steve Hamnett (UniSA)
Dr Susie Moloney
Trivess Moore
Margaret Bates

PhD Candidates:
Cathryn Hamilton (UniSA)
Maria Cugnetto

• Lifetime Affordable Housing

This project will address critical aspects of two fundamental issues in the lifetime affordability of housing in Australia. Parallel studies will be undertaken to establish the lifetime environmental and cost benefits of a) improved housing design and specification, and b) utilisation of urban land for increased affordable housing.

Website: Under construction

Industry partners:
VicUrban
South Australia’s Land Management Corporation
Building Commission

Researchers:
Assoc Prof Dr Ralph Horne
Prof Mike Berry
Dr Jon Kellett (UniSA)
Prof Steve Hamnett (UniSA)
Dr John Morrissey

PhD Candidates:
Tim O’Leary
Sue Irvine (UniSA)

These projects demonstrate the Centre’s broadening of its application of over 20 years of research in the field of sustainable products and buildings. The projects seek to deepen applied knowledge and contribute to community and industry understanding of sustainability in the area of the built environment and the behaviour relating to the use of our buildings and homes.