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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

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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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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2008 University of Adelaide

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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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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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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