Future Proofing Residential Development in Western Sydney

 

The homes we build today will be in place for decades to come.  

 

With projections for hotter temperatures and more extreme weather events, future-ready homes must be energy efficient, thermally safe, and inexpensive to cool to ensure everyone has equitable access to a thermally comfortable home as our climate warms.

 

This study reviewed the thermal performance of BASIX-compliant Western Sydney homes under future climate scenarios (climate zone 28), with the aim of understanding whether today's housing standards are future-ready.

Four housing types were modelled under 2020, 2030, 2050 and 2017 heatwave scenarios:   FutureProofingCover_web2.jpg

 

  • Single storey home
  • Double storey home
  • Low rise apartments
  • High rise apartments.

 

Further modelling was conducted to test how design modifications could allow these homes to perform better in future climates.    

 

Key findings:

  • Dwellings in Western Sydney are currently designed for a historical climate which does not represent today’s conditions, or those we will experience in future.​
  • BASIX-compliant homes became thermally unsafe when tested in 2020, 2030, 2050 and 2017 heatwave conditions.
  • Homes modified to perform better in future, failed to meet today’s NSW BASIX standards – therefore are not allowed to be built.
  • ​If we continue designing for historical climate, homes will neither be energy efficient nor heat resilient. ​This results in increased energy network demand, higher household energy bills, higher residential emissions and increased health impacts.

 

Download the full report here: Future Proofing Residential Development in Western Sydney (2022)

 

Strategy action: 4. Land use and design controls that prioritise resilience.

Project time frame: 2022

Project partners: This is a collaboration between WSROC (lead). UNSW, WSP, DPE (BASIX), Blacktown City Council, Hawkesbury City Council, Liverpool City Council, Waverley Council.

The project builds on Waverley Council’s Future Proofing Residential Development to Climate Change study, which was focused on the Sydney Eastern Beaches.

This project is proudly funded by the NSW Government in association with Local Government NSW.

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