Themes
Keynote Speakers
Professor Richard Ashley
Richard Ashley is a Professional Civil and Environmental Engineer, Director of EcoFutures Ltd (http://www.ecofutures.eu/), Professor of Urban Water & former Managing Director of the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council funded multi-disciplinary Platform Centre, the Pennine Water Group (PWG) at the University of Sheffield. He has more than 300 publications in journals, articles, reports and books. He led the urban area flooding aspects of the UK Government’s 2004 Foresight Future Flooding study, the AUDACIOUS project on adapting local drainage to climate change; acted as specialist scientific advisor to the UK Government House of Lords Scientific Committee inquiry into water management, was involved in three UK Government flagship local drainage pilot studies and advised the Government Cabinet Office inquiry into the UK 2007 floods, undertaken by Sir Michael Pitt. He is involved in 4 current EU projects related to flood resilience, water, sanitation and climate change. He has been a visiting Professor at a number of international Universities and has recently taken up a part-time position at UNESCO IHE, Delft, in Flood Resilience (http://www.floodresiliencegroup.org/frg/index.php) and at the University of Bradford in an EU environment framework project adapting water supply and wastewater systems to climate change and at Lulea technical University as an adjunct professor. He won the International Water Association’s biennial Prize for Research Excellence in Support of Sustainable Urban Water Management in 2008. His most recent activities are in advising the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering on adapting to climate change in the urban environment; the OECD on flood risk management in the Loire catchment; reviewing the Dutch Room for the River programme; Thames Water on the scope for retrofitting SUDS in London and is engaged in a CIRIA project on retrofitting surface water management. He is in process of being appointed a part-time position as adjunct Professor at Luleå University in Sweden. Richard will bring a wealth of knowledge to the 7th International Conference on Water Sensitive Urban Design, especially with regard to sustainable urban water systems, flooding and climate change research.”
Professor Stuart Bunn
Professor Stuart Bunn is the Director of the Australian Rivers Institute at Griffith University in Brisbane. His major research interests are in the ecology of river and wetland systems, with a particular focus on the science to underpin river management, including environmental flow assessment and the development of tools to assess aquatic ecosystem health. This research has resulted in over 200 technical publications, most of which are refereed journal papers and conference proceedings. Stuart has extensive experience working with international and Australian government agencies on water-resource management issues. He is Chair of the Scientific Advisory Panel for the Lake Eyre Basin Ministerial Council, Deputy Chair of the Scientific Expert Panel for the Healthy Waterways partnership in South East Queensland and leads the Australian Climate Change Adaptation Research Network for Water Resources and Freshwater Biodiversity. In 2008 he was appointed as an Australian National Water Commissioner. Stuart will bring internationally recognised expertise to the 7th International Conference on Water Sensitive Urban Design in the area of aquatic ecosystem protection and management.”
Professor David Pannell
David Pannell is Winthrop Professor in the School of Agricultural and Resource Economics at the University of Western Australia, Director of the Centre for Environmental Economics and Policy, and an ARC Federation Fellow. He has been a prominent commentator on environmental policy within Australia, arguing for policies that better reflect scientific, economic and social realities. He was President of the Australian Agricultural and Resource Economics Society in 2000, a member of the WA Government’s Salinity Taskforce in 2001, and a director on the Board of Land and Water Australia 2002-05. His research includes the economics of land and water conservation; environmental policy; farmer adoption of land conservation practices; risk management; and economics of farming systems. His research has been published in five books and 160 journal articles and book chapters, and has been recognised with awards from the USA, Australia, Canada and the UK, including the 2009 ARC Eureka Prize for Interdisciplinary Research.
Mr Jon Shinkfield
Jon Shinkfield is a Principal of the design firm AECOM with extensive design and masterplanning experience of public spaces. Jon's high calibre portfolio has been recognised through various awards, competition wins and publications. His projects and team leadership are characterized by a pursuit of higher order ideals embedded in long term sustainable goals combining complex urban design issues and leading conceptual applications in landscape architecture. Projects such as E-Gate in Melbourne (carbon neutral and car free city piece), Masdar City in Abu Dhabi (carbon neutral and car free city) and Melbourne's Southbank Structure Plan are indicative of the teams and projects that he is leading. In addition he has recently directed the team responsible for winning the international competition for Seoul Grand Park in Korea. The winning entry, Gaia: The Living World, envisions an integrated entertainment and educational experience that revitalises the urban realm and showcases Korean heritage. Jon's project focus stems from his passion for systems based thinking and his ongoing exploration of 'how does a designer inform practice with theory, and how do theorists gain the insight
of practice?'.
Program Information
Conference Themes
Integrated Urban Water Supply
Drainage and Flood Mitigation
Climate Responsive Design
Urban Water Economics
Society and Social Capital
Institutions and Urban Water Governance
Urban Planning
Building Architecture
Urban Landscape Architecture
Urban Ecosystems
Terrestrial and Aquatic Ecosystems: Protection & Rest
Tours And Workshops
Pre-Conference Young Leaders International Study Tour - "Water Sensitive Cities of the Future"
Applications are now open for the 2011 Water Sensitive City Study Tour. This is the third tour in this series and follows explorations of the USA in 2005 and Europe in 2009 to find world class examples of integrated water management in practice. The 2011 tour has been initiated by Melbourne Water and is aimed not only for young leaders in the Australian Water Industry, but also participants beyond the water industry.
Participants will travel around Australia and explore the topic of "water sensitive cities of the future". Much of the latest thinking in relation to water sensitive cities is occurring in Australia and our cities and regional centres now have an international reputation as leaders in sustainable urban water management. Tour participants will travel Australia to:
generate new ideas to advance the development of water sensitive cities
build cross sector collaboration and leadership skills
disseminate tour knowledge and lessons upon their return
The tour is an excellent opportunity to develop leadership potential as participants help and influence the group in its design, organisation and execution of the tour. Participants can expect to build new networks across numerous disciplines and will meet a cross section of practitioners and leaders from the community, government, industry and research communities who already influence urban water management decisions.
The tour will conclude in Melbourne at the WSUD2012 conference in Feb 2012. In addition to attending the conference, a 1 hour session will be reserved at the conference for the tour group to influence their peers. This session will be developed by the tour group, possibly using Q&A style reflections on the tour experience. More information will be posted as it becomes available.
WSUD 2012 Technical Site Tour 
Date: Friday 24 February 2012
Time: 8.45am - 4.00pm
Meeting Point: Corner of Jolimont St / Jolimont Terrace East Melbourne- near MCG Gate A (Melways 2G 6C)
Clearwater is organising a 1 day bus tour. The tour will leave from and return to the MCG (the Conference venue) and will include morning tea and a full barbeque lunch / picnic.
Tour description:
The WSUD 2012 technical site tour is ideal for practitioners involved in sustainable water planning or asset design such as developers, engineers, planners, landscape architects and environmental managers.
The technical tour will highlight how innovative WSUD stormwater treatment measures and harvesting systems contribute to a water sensitive city vision. The tour will visit new and established WSUD sites at a range of scales across Melbourne. Council experts, design consultants and project partners will be on hand at each site to provide valuable insights into the development and management of each project; discussing challenges, learning's and outcomes from concept to completion.
Sites visited will include:
- Wicks Reserve - A large bio-infiltration basin designed to treat stormwater and retain it on site while creating a habitat and protecting the receiving creek.
- Dandenong Wetlands - Melbourne's largest wetland (48 hectares) treats solid, phosphorous and nitrogen in stormwater to protect the waterways and bay.
- Lynbrook Estate - The first residential housing estate to fully incorporate water sensitive design principles in streetscape with a centralised wetland treatment system.
- Darling Street - An innovative stormwater harvesting system that captures, treats and stores water for parkland irrigation.
Workshops
A number of workshops will be available (they will be run on the Friday after the conference). Some will be developed specifically for water practitioners and others for researchers. More information will be posted as it becomes available. Suggestions are welcome - please send them to david.mccarthy@monash.edu.
Concept Design for Water Sensitive Developments
Date: Monday, 20 February 2012
Time: 9.00am - 4.00pm
Venue: Jim Stynes Room, MCG
Cost: $450 (Standard), $338 (Students and Retirees)
Description:
This course will help you create water sensitive developments by providing you with skills and techniques to help you:
develop visions and narratives for water sensitive developments
better understand the roles and perspectives of other professional disciplines and strategies for more effective collaboration
develop water management strategies and urban designs based on site characteristics
understand how these approaches have been applied on iconic projects in Australia.
This course is based on the highly regarded 'Concept Design Guidelines for Water Sensitive Developments' (Water by Design 2009). This is essential pre-reading for those wishing to get the most out of this advanced course.
Gaining institutional capacity for WSUD
Date: Monday, 20 February 2012
Time: 8.30am - 5.00pm (8.00am registration)
Venue: Jim Stynes Room, MCG
Cost: $360 (Standard), $330 (Students and Retirees)
Description:
Implementing and maintaining WSUD projects requires buy-in from numerous stakeholders within an organisation. Gaining organisational commitment is continually identified by practitioners as one of the key barriers to the uptake of WSUD projects. This one day workshop developed and delivered by Clearwater will provide participants with the skills to assess organisational capacity, build commitment into planning and policy, and engage stakeholders to adopt new initiatives. The workshop will provide a range of recognised engagement and self assessment techniques to accelerate uptake of sustainable water management.. This will be reinforced through course activities such as real life case study investigations and problem solving scenarios. The workshop will be framed in a local government context, with reference to Victorian local government processes and planning tools, however it is broadly relevant to any practitioners who want to apply strategic organisational capacity building.
Stormwater Control Measure Inspection & Maintenance
Date: Monday, 20 February 2012
Time: 9.00am - 4.00pm
Venue: Jim Stynes Room, MCG
Cost: $250 (Standard), $188 (Students and Retirees)
Description:
Various stormwater control measures used as part of WSUD (or LID in North America and New Zealand) require regular inspection and preventative maintenance to operate as intended. The workshop is intended for field practitioners and reviews the various mechanisms at play in SCMs and details the inspection and maintenance tasks needed to keep the SCMs functioning appropriately. Practices to be examined include constructed stormwater wetlands, biofiltration/ bioretention, grassed filter strips and swales, green roofs, and permeable pavement.
Tools for Effective Urban Water Management Decision Making
Kickstart your WSUD 2012 workshop program with this free workshop. Learn from industry experts about the latest developments in eWater's new and improved urban water modelling products: music v5 and Urban Developer.
Date: Monday, 20 February 2012
Time: 9:00am - 11:00am
Venue: Jim Stynes Room, MCG
Cost: Free
Who should attend: Urban planning, engineering and environmental professionals.
Description: A two hour session to introduce eWater's latest urban modelling tools including Urban Developer and music v5. Learn how eWater's urban modelling tools are changing the way we achieve Water Sensitive Urban Design (WSUD) in Australia and contribute your thoughts on the future of integrated urban water management. See demonstrations of how these products can improve water quality outcomes and save water. Ask the tricky questions of an expert panel and let us know your ideas for the application and development of these market-leading tools.
Urban Developer
The newest tool from eWater can be used in the regulation, design and assessment of urban development in relation to total water cycle management (TWCM).
Urban Developer can:
- assist design of developments for input into land development applications
- support assessment of scenarios to meet mains water consumption targets at various scales
- assess water management scenarios using a consistent evaluation framework
- analyse stormwater, potable and wastewater interrelationships, including infrastructure issues, in the context of ecosystem response and potentially changed infrastructure requirements
- show how design scenarios meet (or don't meet) legislative requirements and local targets.
- assist planning for local and regional water security
- support the longevity of existing infrastructure.
music v5
The leading stormwater modelling software in Australia, music now has significant new capabilities to support stormwater management, WSUD and development assessment.
Some music v5 improvements include:
- Split flows functionality. This makes complex modelling even easier by allowing for the flow to be broken into its component parts such as low and high flow bypass, weir overflow, pipe, infiltration, reuse etc.
- examine water quality outcomes pre and post development
- model alternative pollutants for better assessment of water quality outcomes
- link stormwater quality and flooding management initiatives using the new detention basin node
- import spatially aware background images and lock your music design to them
- multi-node edit, for more efficient comparison of node setup and design
- import and export from other modelling tools with ease
The Centre For Water Sensitive Cities Design Competition
In an attempt to encourage and support students enrolled in related tertiary courses to attend and benefit from the WSUD2012 conference, a competition is being developed with a substantial cash prize ($10,000 per team).
Category: International
Type: Open
Registration Deadline: 05 December 2011
Submission Deadline: 05 December 2011
Open To: Students + Industry Partners
Entry Fee: None
Awards: First Prize AUD$10,000
Jury : First Stage: WSUD Committee
Jury : Second Stage: International Panel including speakers from the conference.
Contact: Competition Moderator
Email: competition@wsud2012.com
Description: Urban design a water sensitive precinct in the Maribyrnong Defence Site.
The WSUD 2012 Committee in conjunction with Monash University's Centre for Water Sensitive Cities invite students to partner with members of the design profession to submit urban design proposals that clearly articulate water sensitive initiatives within the Maribyrnong Defence Site.
The competition is open to teams of up to five students each. In order to be eligible, all team members must be enrolled in a certified undergraduate, graduate or post-graduate program of study from between July and December 2011. The competition is geared towards those studying urban and regional planning, urban design, landscape architecture, architecture, engineering and related disciplines. We strongly encourage the development of interdisciplinary teams. Each student team must partner with one commercial or government
organisation where they can access expert advice/mentoring during the development of the design.
A shortlist of ten [10] teams will present their work - either in person or via video-link to the First Stage Judging Panel. From this presentation, four [4] teams will be selected to further refine their work for final presentation - in person of via video-link on at a nominated time and date at the WSUD Conference 2012.
BRIEF
This competition seeks to explore how one can create water sensitive spaces with a sense of place. We will do this by learning, developing, and testing the informed, intuitive, and technical languages of design - worked through urban context, architectural typologies, scientific credibility and experiential relationships.
We will research, disseminate, interrogate, and pursue ideas through a rigorous analysis of our emotionaland intellectual potential. Hence, this competition is about becoming more aware of yourself, and the development of your skills to sustainably engage and balance the built and natural environment around you.
To set our trajectory, let us accept certain definitions. Firstly, allow ourselves to accept that 'all' is design, and that design is about elements that exist in an active relationship to each other. Secondly, allow ourselves to accept that sustainability is not a product or a segregated discipline. It is a holistic approach to thinking and designing the relationship between us, and the world we live in. Given these two definitions, allow yourself to explore the possibility that our urban environment is more than the spatial composition of buildings and streets, but rather the creation of spatial experiences that has the potential to raise the environmental and social values of our society.
SITE
The site for the WSUD 2012 Conference student competition is the Maribyrnong Defence Site.
1. Background Material
All teams should familiarise themselves with the concept and principles of a water sensitive city. Monash
University will supply relevant documents which discuss this concept. All documentation can be downloaded from the WSUD2012 website.
2. Water and Urban Opportunities and Constraints
Further information will be provided regarding the opportunities and constraints of the site. This information will be advertised on the WSUD2012 website.
SUBMISSION DEADLINE
First Stage: 2:00pm 05 December, 2011
Shortlisted entrants will be notified by 20 December 2011 and informed of the remaining timetable.
SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS
1. 1 x PDF file no greater than 10Mb.
2. PDF file to be no more than 5 x A1 landscape pages.
3. First A1 panel should provide the master plan @ 1:500.
4. Provide at minimum 1 x scaled section across the long, and at minimum 1 x cross section across the short of the site.
5. Provide at minimum 1 x 3D massing-style image of the site showing how the design works.
6. All text to be in English.
7. Description of design to be no greater than 1,000 words.
8. All images to be captioned: one sentence per image caption.
9. All diagrams to be scaled, titled and captioned: one sentence per diagram.
10. Follow the link on the Conference website to upload your submission. Ensure you allow sufficient time to do this as access will be promptly disconnected after the submission time.
RULES
1. This is a student competition comprising teams of up to five students each. All team members must be enrolled in a certified undergraduate, graduate or post-graduate program of study from between July and December 2011.
2. Each team must partner with members of the profession in disciplines related to water sensitive urban design. This can range from architects, landscape architects, urban designers, hydrologists, environmental engineers and sustainability consultants, but to name a few. However, the current consultancy team on the project site is excluded from any collaborative or consultative enquires relating to this competition.
3. Do not leave any mark on any panels that may identify yourself or your team. Any identification will disqualify the entry. Upon receipt of uploaded submissions, a staff separate to the competition judging panel will randomly number each submission.
4. The design proposition must demonstrate hypothetically feasible responses to the site. Designs that propose imaginary scenarios, fantasy, or unrealistic suppositions will not be accepted.
5. All images to be originally generated by the participants. No referenced images of existing projects will be allowed.
6. Only submissions that comply with the submission requirements and uploaded via the Conference website before the submission time and date will be accepted.
7. No moving imagery will be allowed. This includes animated slideshows.
8. Canvassing of any Committee members, members of the judging panel, the current consultant team for this site, their relatives or families will be immediately disqualified.
9. Requests to submit beyond the submission date or late submissions will not be accepted.
10. Short-listed teams have the option to present in person or via video-link. It is the responsibility of each shortlisted team at all relevant stages of the competition to ensure they can present. Shortlisted teams will be responsible for the financial, technical and logistical arrangement of their presentations.
FAQ
1. Due to class work, impending exams and the need to meet with group members and industry partners time is of the essence and out team is keen to make progress asap.
A. Progression of design ideas and master planning can commence and to a large extent, continue. The outstanding information to be uploaded is to complement the design work, not have a direct impact on the design work unless the Entrant determines otherwise.
2. Some more specific instructions would be appreciated. It is understandable that the project is very conceptual but some more guidance would be great, even an explicit statement saying that there are no boundaries would provide us with more clarity.
A. The competition is an open brief to master plan a community onto this site. The scale, density and type of development is to be determined by the Entrant, though its' appropriateness to site and context should be validated within the submission package.
3. An elaboration of the type and extent of the role that our industry partner should play would be handy.
A. The purpose of industry collaboration is to provide a more informed submission - promoting professional/ industry advice and guidance for the students. An example would be their expertise pertaining to concepts and principles of water sensitive cities, and opportunities and constraints of the site.
Further Resources
Shared Vision
GIS Contours
More information will be posted as it becomes available.
Content also published on http://www.e-architect.co.uk
Abstract Submissions
The conference organisers seek 250 word abstracts (as well as one figure and/or table) outlining the key information to be presented at the conference. The abstract will be used to determine whether the submission is suited to the theme(s) of the conference. When submitting the abstract, authors should select their preferred FINAL submission type:
1. Traditional Submission & Platform Presentation (for details, see Program)
2. Practice Submission Platform Presentation (for details, see Program)
3. Soap-box Submission & Platform Presentation (for details, see http://www.wsud2012.com/highlights.asp"Program)
Abstract Submission Deadline - 9th September 2011
Abstract Acceptance Notification - 19th September 2011
Full Submissions
Traditional Paper Submission & Platform Presentations
This option is designed for authors interested in a traditional scientific peer-review process of a full conference paper submission. Authors of accepted abstracts are asked to prepare a traditional 8pg conference paper (template yet to be provided, but will follow previous WSUD conference templates).
Submission Deadline - 17 October 2011
Acceptance Notification - 5 December 2012
Final Submission Required - 16 January 2012
Practice Submission & Platform Presentations
This option is designed for authors interested in presenting at the conference, but not going through the traditional full paper submission process. Authors of accepted abstracts are asked to prepare an extended abstract (approx. 1000 words, 2pgs) and a set of presentation slides; both of which will be expert-reviewed. The abstract and slides should explain the significance, methods and the most important results and discussion.
Submission Deadline - 17 October 2011
Acceptance Notification - 5 December 2012
Final Submission Required - 16 January 2012
5 minute Soap-Box Submissions
This option is designed for organisations/companies interested in presenting their new ideas and/or novel technologies. Authors of accepted abstracts are asked to revise their 200 word abstracts according to the initial reviews and resubmit (this could be identical to the one submitted initially and is not reassessed).
Final Submission Required - 16 January 2012
Professor Nigel Tapper
Professor Nigel Tapper holds a Personal Chair in Environmental Science at Monash University where he has recently served as Head of the School of Geography and Environmental Science, Foundation Director of the Monash Sustainability Institute, and Joint Coordinator of the Monash Atmospheric Science Program. He is currently on the Executive of the Monash Centre for Water Sensitive Cities, Project Leader in the Cities as Water Supply Catchments Program and is a designated Key Researcher in the new CRC for Water Sensitive Cities. In the climate change space Nigel serves on the Implementation Committee of the Victorian Centre for Climate Change Adaptation Research and is actively involved in the work of the IPCC, including the IPCC Expert Panel on Infrastructure and Settlements. Nigel has an active research program in surface atmosphere interaction, climate change adaptation and mitigation, and climate impacts, especially as they relate to urban environments, human health, dust and fire.