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Research

The Biocity Studio conducts research through collaborations and partnerships with various private, government and academic organisations.  We regularly conduct short courses, workshops and presentations.  Our partnership with the University of New South Wales resulted in the establishment of an annual Biocity Studio subject in the School of the Built Environment.  This Studio won the Australian Institute of Landscape Architects New South Wales Research and Communication Award in 2007.

This cross disciplinary Studio challenges students to rethink conventional fossil fuel based urban design, policy and planning in order to tackle the spectre of environmental, geopolitical and cultural crises expected with climate change and peak oil. Premised on the idea that cities are living, metabolising biotopes whose futures are dependent on embracing wholistic bio-cultural programs, participants are required to research, debate and present design and policy solutions for sustaining cities.

The following presentations are illustrative of the studio outputs.

2009 University of New South Wales

Sydneys Health infrastructure

Student name not available
Tags: Health Comments(0)

Australia has the 2nd longest living people on the earth at 82.2 years, with low death rates for cancer, heart disease, and stroke. In the future global warming impacts such bush fire, heat waves droughts and will create increased strain ...

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Food/Agriculture/Chemicals

Eve Valensise, Lauren Nissen and Henry Chan
Tags: Food, Pollution/Chemicals Comments(0)

Sydney is very diverse compared to other large cities around the world. Recent pressures are resulting in a decline of our diverse flora and fauna. Sydney has followed London’s and Scandinavian models to help with linking green space and biodiversity. ...

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The Energy Crisis

Kriston Kearney, Zinan Zhang
Tags: Energy Comments(0)

Sydney’s energy usage is 15% per capita higher than other developed cities in the world. The government is introducing a Carbon Trading Scheme as a proactive response to Greenhouse Gas Emissions. This presentation discusses the outcomes and benefits of the ...

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Food, Distance and Energy

Student name not available
Tags: Food Comments(0)

The average Australian Basket of food has traveled over 70,000km from producer to consumer (Anna Salleh 2007) This distance means the energy consumed in food freight often outweighs the nutritional energy in the food itself. (Australian Conservation Foundation 2009). Food, Distance ...

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Reprioritising our values to recognise culture for its true value

Eltin Miletic, Safiah Moore
Tags: Culture/Education Comments(0)

Our culture is continually changing due to the impact of migration patterns. Many languages are now spoken in Australia. Attempts have been made to measure ‘culture’ through a range of indices: Florida, Monocle and Anholt, but are subjective to cultural ...

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Governance – a citizen’s jury

Amy Mirow, Chloe Tait
Tags: Governance Comments(0)

There is a very complex structure of the relationship between the different governances, e.g. State, Federal, Local and Community. The crisis issue is the potential for corruption, power of political donations, lack of community consultation, transparency and accountability. This presentation ...

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Sydney’s Pollution

Ben Magistrale, Benjamin Gresham
Tags: Pollution/Chemicals, Transport Comments(0)

The main types of pollution are noise, air, water and light. Domestic/Commercial/ Motor Vehicles have the highest percentage of greenhouse gas emissions. Sydney has geographical problems which effects the air circulation cycle. How can we solve Sydney’s pollution problem? Reducing ...

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Sydney Transport – Victoria Road

David Baker, Thea Roberts
Tags: Transport Comments(0)

Sydney’s transport system is suffering due to the fact that may services do not in link with where Sydney residents need to travel. Victoria Road is a very congested route in peak hour. This presentation designed concepts on how to ...

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Biodiversity Gone

Student name not available
Tags: Biodiversity Comments(0)

We created a scenario where Scientists discovered a cure for the AIDS virus from the Cumberland Plain Land Snail of Western Sydney. Unfortunately the destruction of this ecosystem has led to its extinction. This presentation offers solutions to preserve the ...

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Sydney’s water will run out by 2038

MT Banh, Liz Kimbell
Tags: Water Comments(0)

If water consumption does not become more efficiently Sydney will run out by 2038. To help solve this problem in the short term there will need to be an increase in price to help decrease the amount of consumption per ...

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Economics

Student name not available
Tags: Economy Comments(0)

Manufacturing and exporting natural resources were Australia’s major industries in from 1913 till after WWII. The Australian economy has boomed and had downturns in the past. Currently the economy is only growing at 3.7% per year, inflation has risen to ...

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Urban System Research – Waste

Munir Zilic, Zhiyu Chen
Tags: Waste Comments(0)

No description available Urban System Research – Waste | Biocity StudioView more presentations from Biocity Studio.

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Sydney’s Water – Grey water, Water efficiency programs, Desalination Plant and early lead detection

MT Banh, Liz Kimbell
Tags: Water Comments(0)

Sydney’s water demand is currently met by 11 major damns, recycled water and water pumped from the Shoalhaven River. Warragamba dam provides Sydney with 80% of Sydney drinking water supply. Sydney’s high demand for water has forced the NSW Government ...

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Sydney’s Water Sustainability

Student name not available
Tags: Water Comments(0)

According to the CSIRO Sydney rainfall will decrease by 3% while population will increase, amounting to an increase of 20% more water by 2030. Currently Sydney is recycling 25 billion litres per year; by 2015 we will be recycling up ...

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Sydney: The Built Form

Robert Malec, Alfie Arcuri
Tags: Built form, Energy, Pollution/Chemicals, Renewable Energy, Transport, Waste, Water Comments(0)

The city of Sydney is expanding rapidly. The cities energy and power relies heavy on natural resources, coal and oil. NSW is currently producing 27.2 tonnes of carbon dioxide each year by burning coal for electricity. It has been predicted ...

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Sydney transport in crisis

David Bake, Thea Roberts
Tags: Built form, Economy, Governance, Transport Comments(0)

The city Sydney is facing a major crisis in transport. Sydney residents make over 15.9 million trips per day and these are rising at an annual rate of 1.2%. Sydney is expecting to grow to an extra 1.4 million people ...

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Noise, Air and Chemical Pollution in Sydney

Ben Magistale, Benjamin Gresham
Tags: Pollution/Chemicals Comments(0)

Noise, Air and Chemical Pollution is a serious issue in Sydney. Domestic and Commercial/ Motor Vehicles have the highest percentage of greenhouse gas emissions. Pollution can led to serious health problems e.g. respiratory problems, decrease in lung and immune system ...

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Sydney’s health system


Tags: Health Comments(0)

Before 1990 Infectious diseases were a major source of illness and impacted life expectancy. Now life expectancy has increased by 50% since 1990 and will put demand on Sydney’s health system. Currently we are ranked 32 on the World Health ...

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Governance – Are we effectively managing the metro region of Sydney?

Student name not available
Tags: Governance Comments(0)

The structure of Governance in Australia consists of the Commonwealth Government, which also contains a State, Territory and Local Governments. Other parties influence the decision, making such as Greenpeace, Amnesty International, resident action groups and Regional Councils. Issue like fragmented ...

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Energy and Sydney – high demand and new solutions

Kriston Kearney, Zinan Zhang
Tags: Energy, Renewable Energy Comments(0)

Sydney has a high electrical demand from housing, commercial and industrial land use. The population is increasing which has led to a high demand for electricity. New solutions need to be created such as solar power energy. Energy and Sydney - ...

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The coexistence of biodiversity and built environments of the Sydney Basin Bioregion


Tags: Biodiversity, Built form Comments(0)

Over the past two hundred years Europeans have had a negative impact on Cumberland Plain Woodland Forest. This presentation discusses the coexistence of biodiversity and built environments of the Sydney Basin Bioregion and solutions for the future. The coexistence of biodiversity ...

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Economy & Energy – Crisis Solution

Student name not available
Tags: Economy, Energy, Governance, Renewable Energy Comments(0)

Federal and State Governments are committed to reducing greenhouse. But funding tells a very different story. This presentation contains: Background Statistics, Crisis Scenario, Crisis Solutions, Justifications & Global Perspective. Economy & Energy - Crisis Solution | Biocity StudioView more presentations from ...

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2008 University of Adelaide

Biodiversity Crisis

Student name not available
Tags: Biodiversity, Culture/Education Comments(0)

Do you know what is “biodiversity”? Answer: Biodiversity is the variety of life: the different plants, animals and micro-organisms, their genes and the ecosystems of which they are a part. Biodiversity Crisis | Biocity StudioView more presentations from Biocity Studio.

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Waste Recycling

Liyana mohamed Yusof
Tags: Governance, Waste Comments(0)

The local government or council can’t afford to manage the waste management as efficient as today OR Council can’t pay the levy on your behalf anymore OR There is no one to collect our waste weekly anymore. Waste Recycling | Biocity ...

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Transport Issues in Adelaide

Hantao Wei
Tags: Built form, Design, Transport Comments(0)

By Encourage People use More Public Transport Instead of Cars A better, reliable and efficiency public transport system come up improve the system now adjust + regulate but HOW? Transport Issues in Adelaide | Biocity StudioView more presentations from Biocity Studio.

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Adelaide’s transport Twenty minute city

Student name not available
Tags: Transport Comments(0)

The “20-minute city “ no more National transports analyst Austroads: -Adelaide's morning traffic crush had increased by 30 per cent since 1997/98 -Adelaide rush hour holds up motorists by 44 seconds for every kilometres travelled compared to 33secs/km in 1997/98. ...

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Energy in the City of Adelaide

Student name not available
Tags: Energy, Renewable Energy Comments(0)

Adelaide is faced with an energy crisis, with only 200 years of coal, 50 years of natural gas and 35 years of oil supplies left. The government encourages and facilitates the development of renewable energy. We can also help by ...

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Economy

Tsai hui chu
Tags: Economy Comments(0)

South Australia currently is experiencing strong economic growth in mining, defence, industry sectors, construction, finance and insurance. This strong performance over the past eight years is due to employment being up by 14%, business investment up by 126% and retail ...

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Water / Wastewater – groundwater levels, dry land salinity and drought in Adelaide

sindy chung
Tags: Waste, Water Comments(0)

Adelaide’s main source of water comes from the River Murray and the Mount Lofty catchment area and connects to the reticulation system. Urban stormwater is a major input to surface water with a number of natural creeks discharging to stormwater ...

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Metropolitan Adelaide

Nawaf Alhajaj
Tags: Built form Comments(0)

Metropolitan Adelaide built form is mainly influenced by the topography. The highest percentage of population growth was recorded between 1910-1940. Metropolitan Adelaide Urban / Built Form | Biocity StudioView more presentations from Biocity Studio.

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Waste and Recycling

Tim Clark
Tags: Pollution/Chemicals, Waste Comments(0)

This presentation discusses waste avoidance, reduction, recovery-material and energy and why it is necessary. We need to use our resources more efficiently and become eco-efficient. Waste Recycling | Biocity StudioView more presentations from Biocity Studio.

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Adelaide – a green city?


Tags: Pollution/Chemicals Comments(0)

Adelaide suffers from air, light, water and noise pollution. 70% of the air pollution is from transport, the key emissions that impact air quality are carbon monoxide, oxides of nitrogen. South Australia wastes over $5 million dollars per year on ...

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Waste Recycling

liyana mohamed yusof
Tags: Waste Comments(0)

Each household produces 681kg of waste per year. South Australia’s landfills create 60 million cubic metres of landfill airspace. The state is one of the best at recycling and manages to divert 65% recyclable from the landfill. One of the ...

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Urban Process Research: Transport

Hantao Wei
Tags: Transport Comments(0)

Social, economic and environmental factors will fundamentally change the nature of urban transport systems and the way we use them. Demographic change, aging population, peak oil, reliance on fossil fuels, climate change and technological changes will be imposed as a ...

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Australia Governance


Tags: Governance Comments(0)

The commonwealth of Australia is a Federative constitutional monarchy under a parliament democracy. In 1987, The Hawke government decentralized part of the federal government’s power from 28 departments to 18. This was to decrease corruption, despotism and increase in efficiency ...

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Urban Process: Food & Agriculture

Carina Green
Tags: Food Comments(0)

South Australia’s agricultural industry has had booms and downturns in the past. Agriculture and food production affects transport, pollution, water usage, waste, erosion and soil/topsoils. The food to energy output is 1 calorie of food energy produced is equal to ...

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Biodiversity in Adelaide

Student name not available
Tags: Biodiversity Comments(0)

Biodiversity is all forms of life and the ecosystems of which they are a part. Adelaide once had a rich variety of wildlife, now it is under serious threat today. The loss of biodiversity has been caused through European settlement ...

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Adelaide’s Transport – Rail, Air, Bus, Car

Student name not available
Tags: Pollution/Chemicals, Transport Comments(0)

The main form of transportation in Adelaide is rail, air, bus and car. Adelaide has a well-defined city layout, with multi lane roads. It was once called the 20 minute city, but not for much longer. Morning peak hour traffic ...

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Adelaide economy and population

Tsai hui chu
Tags: Economy Comments(0)

There are large manufacturing, defence and research zones in Adelaide from which the city earns its primary revenue. 50% of Australian cars are manufactured here and is the homeland for the territories oil supply. Adelaide’s major industries are agricultural, manufacturing ...

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Energy in the City of Adelaide

Student name not available
Tags: Energy, Renewable Energy Comments(0)

South Australia electricity demand has risen 1.7% annually and Gas has risen 0.8%. Mining at Leigh Creek will continue only until 2020 and Natural Gas is estimated to last till 2018. What can we do to try and save energy? ...

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Understanding water systems in Adelaide

Student name not available
Tags: Water Comments(0)

Adelaide’s water supply comes from reservoirs, Murray water accessed via the Mannum pipeline, stormwater, groundwater, waste water and localised systems. Then Adelaide metropolitan area comprises of four major catchment areas and four wastewater treatment plants. Adelaide stormwater generates around 86 ...

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2007 University of New South Wales

Water Shortages: What does it hold for Sydney?

Josh Harold, Angus Werden
Tags: Climate Change, Water Comments(0)

Climate change in the future will led to sea level rising, low rainfall, warmer days and water shortages through evaporation in the dams. A lesser amount of Sydney rain falls in the catchment area, as most of Sydney’s rain falls ...

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Water / Waste Water

Josh Harold, Angus Werden
Tags: Waste, Water Comments(0)

Sydney’s water supply is in crisis scenario due to drought and population increase. The Metro Water Plan hopes to supply Sydney’s water need by 2015. This plan focuses on three main areas, saving water, recycling and finding additional supplies. Water ...

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Future of Food


Tags: Food Comments(0)

As diesel prices increase in Sydney, farmers are unable to transport their produce to market. Cheap and reliable oil has led us to grow uninhibited, forcing us to carry above 100% capacity. This presentation gives alternatives to the crisis by ...

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Sydney’s Water Crisis

Student name not available
Tags: Water Comments(0)

Sydney’s main source of water came from the tank stream in Sydney cove before it was polluted in 1826. Pipes were laid out throughout Sydney and we became more dependent on bore water. The Upper Nepean and Warragamba dam were ...

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Water / Wastewater – how we solve Sydney’s water problem

Student name not available
Tags: Water Comments(0)

If Sydney’s water supply is consumed our agricultural industry, transport and energy will be badly effected. This presentation looks at how we solve Sydney’s water problem? Do we build a desalination plant or try to scale water on a large ...

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Water / Wastewater – What happens when Sydney’s drinking water demand exceeds supply?

Student name not available
Tags: Water Comments(0)

Severe drought and water contamination could trigger the onset of a water supply shortage in Sydney. What happens when Sydney’s drinking water demand exceeds supply? The immediate effects of a water shortage in Sydney will led to agricultural devastation, loss ...

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Governance: The melt down

Student name not available
Tags: Climate Change, Governance Comments(0)

As climate changes, Sydney is at greater risk to bushfire events. In an extreme bushfire events Sydney would not be able to cope due to our management hierarchy system. The solution will be to reconstruct our emergency management system. The ...

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Sydney: Waste, Landfills & Soaring Oil Prices

Student name not available
Tags: Peak Oil, Waste Comments(0)

Australia is the 5th highest waste generator among the OECD Countries. With Sydney’s population and oil prices on the rise it is predicated that our landfills will be full in 15-20 years. We should start now to improve the system, ...

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Bio(diverse)city – 2030

Student name not available
Tags: Climate Change Comments(0)

By the year 2030 Climate change will increase droughts, sea level, severe storms, evaporation and invasion of exotic plant species and will decrease wetland ecosystems and core habitat for Eucalyptus. Bio(diverse)city – 2030View more presentations from Biocity Studio.

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Food/Agriculture/Chemicals/Transport

Student name not available
Tags: Food, Pollution/Chemicals, Transport Comments(0)

Sydney’s main food source is too far away from the city. Food is transported over 2.5 billion kilometres per year from original food source. With the increase of the price of fuel so will food. We should be encouraging and ...

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Food/Agriculture/Chemicals

Eve Valensise, Lauren Nissen and Henry Chan
Tags: Food, Pollution/Chemicals Comments(0)

Sydney is very diverse compared to other large cities around the world. Recent pressures are resulting in a decline of our diverse flora and fauna. Sydney has followed London’s and Scandinavian models to help with linking green space and biodiversity. ...

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Bio(diverse)city – the variety of life

Matthew Coggan, Rosanna Krauss, Catherine Wilson (O’Riordan & Kleeman, Eds.)
Tags: Biodiversity Comments(0)

Sydney is very diverse compared to other large cities around the world. Recent pressures are resulting in a decline of our diverse flora and fauna. Sydney has followed London’s and Scandinavian models to help with linking green space and biodiversity. ...

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Bio(diverse)city Climate Change

Matthew Coggan, Rosanna Krauss, Catherine Wilson
Tags: Biodiversity, Climate Change Comments(0)

Climate change is the activity that alters the composition of the atmosphere, which creates unstable climate. If temperatures rise up by 5 degrees it will lead to more droughts, less snow coverage, threaten/extinction of some plants and animal species, devastation ...

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Sydney’s Biodiversity Solutions

Joyce, Victoria
Tags: Biodiversity Comments(0)

Sydney is one of the most biodiversity regions within Australia. Over 950 native plants and animals are on the threaten species act and 40 animals and 41 plants are assumed extinct. As Sydney’s population is growing so is the rate ...

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