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St Kilda breakthrough in water sensitive urban design

Melbourne's City of Port Phillip has won two United Nations Association of Australia World Environmental Day Awards for local government. Council received awards for "Overall Excellence in Environment Management" and "Best Specific Environmental Initiative" for a 236 unit Housing Development at the former St.Kilda works depot.

"I am delighted that our efforts have been recognised," said Port Phillip Mayor, Julian Hill. "We passionately believe that this stuff is not marginal. Sustainability is mainstream and part of our core business.

"As an intensely urban, highly developed municipality, it's a real challenge to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, lower power consumption and enhance and maintain parks and open spaces.

"We also need to provide efficient waste collection, recycling and cleaning services to both residents and business operators."

Cr Hill said that he was pleased that the 'Inkerman Oasis', a new development at the former St Kilda works depot, had won an award. "It's a joint venture involving a private developer, Inkerman Developments Pty Ltd and the council. Importantly, it is being financed and constructed by the developer".

Units in the 'Oasis' are designed to benefit from the sun's warmth and light. Some units have solar hot water, and communal areas will be lit by solar power. As a first for Victoria, a system designed by Integrated Eco-Villages will result in greywater being recycled using an aeration tank and wetlands. The recycled water will be used for toilet flushing throughout the development.

An injection of $267,000 into the project by the Commonwealth's Living Cities Urban Stormwater Initiative will strengthen the council's efforts to protect the marine environment from stormwater impacts.

Waterwatch groups have already identified stormwater flows with dissolved oxygen and high nitrate levels as a major threat to a colony of Port Phillip fairy penguins near St.Kilda. As a result of the grant, first flush and general ground flow will be filtered and cleaned by a 400 square metre subsurface flow wetlands and 100 square metre sand filter. It will be combined with the recycled, domestic greywater and used for garden irrigation and toilet flushing.

Compared to current building designs, the recycling of stormwater and greywater will reduce the amount of potable water required by the units in the 'Inkerman Oasis' by up to 45 percent. By capturing and reusing a percentage of the site's annual rainfall, a contribution is made to reducing the need for the construction of further dams and pipework in Victoria. The constant use of recycled water into toilets reduces potable water demand.

It is estimated that, stormwater treatment and reuse will directly prevent 7 tonnes of nitrogen and 6.8 tonnes of phosphates entering Port Phillip Bay each year.

The project also builds on other smaller demonstration sites in the catchment that have employed complementary techniques such as roof gardens, porous paving and composting toilets.

"A roof garden on top of the sub-basement car park will contribute to the battle against greenhouse emissions, provide insulation, minimise stormwater runoff and receive nutrient rich recycled water," said Cr Hill.

"Energy efficient design fixtures and appliances, including non-mechanical ventilation for the car park, will be utilised and units will be internally ventilated by shafts within buildings. The building material will come from sources which minimise energy use in their catchments."

Inkerman's Development Manager, Michael King, is quick to point out the market appeal of environmentally sustainable design. "All the units have already sold off the plan. Private home purchasers are seeking sustainable designs and it's now viable for developers to meet this demand. It is the way of the future and Inkerman Developments is proud to be delivering this unique project which contributes to the environment."

Cr Hill said that the St. Kilda project would be used as a benchmark for sustainable development standards in a planning scheme amendment.

"Other developers will be required to incorporate sustainable development features in their projects as a common rather than rare practice."

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