An Integrated Simulation and Visualisation Platform for the Design of Sustainable Urban Developments in a Peri-Urban Context

Abstract

Designing sustainable urban development is a multi-dimensional and multi-disciplinary challenge that can benefit from next-generation modelling tools to achieve high performance outcomes and integrated assessments. This chapter presents and demonstrates the use of ‘MUtopia’, an information modelling platform for assessing alternative urban development scenarios. The use of the platform is illustrated through the application to a peri-urban development in the city of Melbourne, Australia. The modelling platform allows simulation of various transi- tion and future scenarios at the precinct level. The platform is capable of extracting data to assist in developing and assessing the performance of different components (land use, individual buildings and infrastructure related to energy and water supply and use, waste management and transport systems) by taking advantage of the plat- form’s unique scalability. The selected case study is a 31.5 ha Parcel of land, a typi- cal peri-urban development in Melbourne’s fringe located in West Cranbourne. A key aspect of the development is the design of a sustainable precinct that is afford- able, provides a greater level of amenity and incorporates biolink corridors and natural open spaces critical to the preservation of native biodiversity. As a low rise suburban development this project presents a unique opportunity for the application of the MUtopia platform and to demonstrate how the tool can lead to optimum design parameters for achieving sustainable development. This chapter also describes how MUtopia can be used to optimise the selection and design of sustain- able and resilient energy, water and waste infrastructure and its integration with existing infrastructure.