A collaborative initiative that captures and shares the knowledge of sustainable, climate-responsive urban design in Tropical Queensland.
Project implemented: July 2014
To build on its established process to support ongoing compilation and publication of sustainable tropical design projects.
Tropical Australia is uniquely placed to offer innovative solutions in sustainable design for the rapidly expanding tropical world.
Funding was obtained to research the Case Studies and the resulting website was launched in July 2014.
New case studies can be submitted on an ongoing basis. These come from from local government, industry and students.
The case studies have generated an ongoing interest from the media, local government, and the local community. A book chapter discussing the case studies will soon available from ANU Epress.
The need for sustainable buildings in the tropical world is stronger now than ever. These buildings use resources more efficiently, are more climate-responsive and deliver new technology using world’s best practice. With the estimated three billion people living in tropical regions set to double by the end of the century, tropical Australia has a unique advantage in terms of developing innovative tropical design solutions. The Case Study Project is a joint initiative of the Tropical Green Building Network and James Cook University and captures and shares the knowledge of tropical expertise in our built environment. The Case Studies record key features of selected sustainable/green/tropically adapted building projects in the Cairns and Far North Queensland region. Many of the projects already have green star ratings from various sources; others are well adapted to our tropical environment yet are difficult to rate using criteria typically based on temperate models. The Project consolidates knowledge and augments our understanding of those features that deliver sustainability in our tropical environment.
