Urban Heat Planning Controls Package | NSW
Penrith City Council
The Urban Heat Planning Controls Package developed by Penrith City Council will provide a much needed and forward thinking response to the pressing impacts of urban heat, exacerbated by climate change.
The package has introduced new controls into both the Penrith Local Environment Plan and Development Control Plan to ensure the mitigation of urban heat and heat island effect is a major consideration in development assessment. The controls specify a range of planning and design measures for new development including cooling with landscaping, tree canopy and water; cooling through building design; cool colours and materials; and optimising mechanical ventilation and cooling within buildings to minimise heat sources and conserve energy.
The Judges found this project worthy of the Climate Change and Resilience Award given the comprehensive approach to both development controls and supporting guidance, underpinned with robust research and stakeholder input. The approach sets in place a framework with wide reaching opportunity for transferability and implementation across NSW and beyond, to addresses a critical issue in the shaping of our cities and communities in response to climate change