Close Explore CSIRO Close

Explore CSIRO

About CSIRO

The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation is Australia's national science agency and one of the largest and most diverse research agencies in the world.

CSIRO's core areas of impact
Contact Enquiries: Phone - 1300 363 400 | Email - Enquiries@csiro.au | Contact Us

Capability

 
 printer friendly view
 
Photograph of a palm tree in front of two high-rise buildings.
CSIRO research is working towards creating urban sustainability.

Creating urban sustainability

CSIRO is applying its technological expertise to help Australia improve the sustainability of its cities.

Overview

CSIRO is helping to revitalise Australia’s cities through the generation of new technologies and integrated infrastructure solutions capable of providing a 20 per cent reduction in urban ecological footprints.

Skills and expertise

CSIRO has identified three technological streams that would amount to a substantial contribution to Australia’s shift to sustainable urban development practices.

They are:

  • high performance buildings that allow for:
    • adaptable, more efficient facilities
    • healthy environments
    • a better fit with client and user requirements
  • distribution systems such as water and energy wherein reliable, cost-effective technologies reduce resource use while meeting community expectations
  • complex city modelling systems that provide:
    • an understanding of regional social, economic, and environmental factors
    • allow our cities a pathway to transition to sustainable configurations.

Implementation

To ensure Australian cities have robust and adaptable infrastructure, buildings and healthy environments, CSIRO has identified areas where new technologies are required.

These include:

  • building processes and performance models:
    CSIRO is revitalising Australia’s cities through the generation of new technologies and integrated solutions capable of 20 per cent reduction in urban ecological footprints.
    • management system for client-demand performance requirements
    • integrated whole life suite of management tools
    • whole building process and performance models
  • property investment models:
    • product service life and life cycle inventory database
    • property management system
    • investment decision-making tools
  • human-indoor environment interaction:
    • smart building management system
    • smart indoor environment laboratory
  • improved water quality:
    • small scale decentralised treatment systems
    • higher water quality standards, techniques and processes
  • new generation monitoring and control:
    • improvements to monitoring of water quality
    • new sensors and control strategies
  • new treatment technologies:
    • membranes
    • physical and biological systems.

Partnerships

CSIRO’s collaborators on the urban sustainability program include:

  • Commonwealth, State and Local Governments
  • Cooperative Research Centre for Water Quality and Treatment
  • Cooperative Research Centre for Construction Innovation
  • Water utilities and industry groups
  • The United Nations 
  • The World Bank.

Learn more about CSIRO's work in Energy Efficiency.

 

Share this CSIRO content using:

What are these?
 

Fast facts

  • Australia’s cities need to be flexible and adaptable to meet the needs of a changing urban environment
  • Challenges include population increase, climate change, water deficit, traffic congestion, utility resources, health of buildings and changing community needs
  • CSIRO is revitalizing Australia’s cities through new-generation technologies and integrated infrastructure solutions
  • These solutions will enable a reduction in our urban ecological footprint

Contact Information

Dr Matthew Inman
Program Leader - Urban Systems
Sustainable Ecosystems
Phone: 61 2 9490 5499 
Alt Phone: 61 02 9490 5444 
Fax: 61 02 9490 5537