Shawn Koh Jyh Shen Student ID: 712987
(ENVS10007_2015_SM1)
Urban Environments Assignment 2
(Essay Submission)
INTRODUCTION Approximately 16 kilometers from the city of Melbourne is the quiet suburb of Broadmeadows. Nestled between two natural reserves and close by to Melbourne airport, this settlement homes 62 thousand dwellers. It functions as a community of homes with small service amenities such as convenient stores, supermarkets, clinics and schools. It has a strong manufacturing industry including a large Ford factory in Campbellfield. Not far from the CBD is Docklands, a growing extension of the CBD with tall office and residential buildings towering down its streets. With almost six thousand residence, it’s a small suburb compared to Broadmeadows. Then again its typologies and functions differs much from Broadmeadows, this is a suburb which is largely dominated by office buildings and large infrastructure, a place with luxury amenities, cafes and shops. Here we look into the different ways the physical and social characteristics of Docklands and Broadmeadows has been shaped by socio-economic processes. Local processes such as mobility as well as global processes such as international migration have significant impacts on how these localities have been shaped. We will also look into how these localities differ in their climatic and environmental impacts on both local and global scales, what causes it and what are its impacts. Finally we look into how a better urban design can increase sustainability to create a better urban environment. Mobility In the mid-20th century, there was a significant effort to develop the car industry in Australia, companies such as Ford were one of the first few in the industry that started manufacturing cars in Australia. This economical increase meant more jobs in the labor force and the production of more cars making it cheaper to afford (Cook, 2015a). In combating the housing shortage in the 1950s, the government pushed for several
Housing Developments in the suburbs, making it more attractive by prioritizing ‘Lending’ of finance to buy ‘Detached’ houses such as those in Broadmeadows. With affordable cars, this made a cheaper alternative to living in the city. People would work in the city while living in the suburbs. This also had an impact on the labor force, creating job opportunities with housing in close proximity to factories that were cheaper (Appendix, Table 2 & Table 23), making it also beneficial to those who cannot afford cars to find work, explained by Currie & Delbosc (2011). Still, a large percentage are still car reliant and public transport is not as well developed as those in the city. (Table 25) Rent Weekly Rent Weekly Payments Payments Median Rent (AUD$) Median Rent (AUD$) Rent payments are Rent payments less than 30% ofare less than 30% of household income household income Rent payments are Rent payments 30% or greater, are of 30% or greater, of household income household income Rent Weekly
Docklands Docklands 509 509 76.2% 76.2%
Broadmeadows Broadmeadows 270 270 88.3% 88.3%
Victoria Victoria 277 277 90.0% 90.0%
23.8% 23.8%
11.7% 11.7%
9.1% 9.1%
Docklands
Broadmeadows
Victoria
Median Rent (AUD$) 509 270 Rent payments are 76.2% 88.3% Household Income Docklands Broadmeadows less than 30% of Household Docklands Broadmeadows More than Income $3000 19.7% 4% household income More than $3000 19.7% 4% gross weekly income Rent payments are 23.8% 11.7% gross weekly income Less than $600 gross 14.8% 30.8& 30% or greater, of Less than $600 gross 14.8% 30.8& weekly income household income weekly24 income Table (Censusdata.abs.gov.au,2015)
277 90.0% Victoria Victoria 10.4% 10.4% 9.1% 23.8% 23.8%
Payments Table 23 (Censusdata.abs.gov.au,2015)
Household Income Docklands Broadmeadows Victoria More than $3000 19.7% 4% 10.4% gross weekly income Number Motor Broadmeadows Victoria Less thanof$600 gross Docklands 14.8% 30.8& 23.8% Number of Motor Docklands Broadmeadows Victoria Vehicles weekly income Vehicles None 675 26.8% 575 15.7% 8.6% Table 25Vehicle (Censusdata.abs.gov.au,2015) None 675 26.8% 575 15.7% 8.6% 1 Motor 1308 51.9% 1466 39.9% 35.8% 12 Motor Vehicle 1308 51.9% 39.9% 35.8% 409 16.2% 1466 997 27.1% 36.1% 23 Motor Vehicle 409 16.2% 997 27.1% 36.1% or more Vehicles 76 3% 421 11.5% 16.5% The increase in dependencies on cars 3 or more Vehicles 76 3% 421 11.5% 16.5%
meant major congestion in more compact cities (Cook, 2015a), creating the need Number of Motor Docklands Broadmeadows Victoria for good public transportation. As facilities Vehicles None close and 675 public 26.8% 575 15.7% is 8.6% are transport well 1 Motor Vehicle 1308 51.9% 1466 39.9% 35.8% developed, the of27.1% cars 36.1% are 2 Motor Vehicle 409 ownership 16.2% 997 3 or more Vehicles 76 3% 421 11.5% 16.5% lower than that of suburban areas (Table 25). Trams, buses, trains and non-motorized transports are more popular in compact cities and proved to be a cheaper and greener alternative to cars (Holden, & Norland, 2005) (Appendix, table 8 & 19).
Table 2 Table 2
Table 2
Table 2 Table 2
Table 2
Table 2 Table 2
Table 2
International Migrations In the late 20th century, the shift from manufacturing based industries to serviced based industries had a profound impact on the migration patterns of Australia. A significant growth in skilled migrants moved into cities such as Docklands as the demand for financial, IT, Legal and population services increased (Cook, 2015b) (Appendix, Table 12). Docklands is now filled with businesses and services from all over the world attracting more skilled migrants into the country to work, explained by Latham, McCormack, McNamara & McNeill (2009) as Transnational Entrepreneurship where migrants work in overseas branches to benefit both the host country and their country of origin. This demand and rise in service based industries creates more job opportunities thus resulting in a significant population of migrants in Docklands (Latham, McCormack, McNamara & McNeill, 2009). Even so, there is still a need for a large labor force for the remaining manufacturing industries in the country. Broadmeadows plays home to a large Ford factory which employs over 2000 workers and in relativity, is also home to a large population of migrants from the middle east of which majority are laborers. Latham, McCormack, McNamara & McNeill (2009) explains how migrants bring with them labor skills from their home country that benefits the host country and in return provide job opportunities and affordable homes in suburbs close to factories (Table 23).With this large population of migrants, brings ‘informal’ economic strategies such as home businesses and community services such as internet cafes and phone shops to cater to their needs in the new settlements (Latham, McCormak, McNamara & McNeil, 2009). Mirco Climates in Urban Cities Urban expansion in cities and suburbs require a large demand for houses and building as homes and business venues. Oke (1997) explains that “The surface and atmospheric modifications associated with the construction and operation of cities are massive”. Changes in surface materials affect heat, radiation and humidity in area
resulting in higher energy consumptions to counter its effects as well as potential health risks. The built up surfaces seen in more urbanized suburbs and cites such as Docklands have high volumes of concrete and steel buildings, an urban canopy of impervious materials that trap heat through its properties. Oke (1997) explains how urban development calls for removal of natural plant cover and the sealing up of surfaces causing a decrease in the rate of evaporation of soil water, increasing the humidity in cities. Less evaporation equals more heat trapped in the atmosphere. Another result of massive surface cover is what Oke (1982; 1995) dubbed as the ‘Urban Heat Island Effect’, the storage of heat reserves in materials that are released in the night. The lack of relief in temperature means the city’s temperature cannot reach its daily minimum and the only way to cool the city is by turning on air-conditioning which increases the overall energy consumption. Suburbs such as Broadmeadows where private gardens are in every home experience less of an impact of the urban heat island effect. Gardens allow for water from the ground to evaporate naturally which provides cooling in the area. The leveled houses also allow for a stronger wind flow into the area adding to the natural cooling process of the area as compared to cities where Oke (1997) describes the wind to have been “retarded and thrown into a more turbulent state by the excess drag of the city.” In the case of Broadmeadows, this advantage of wind flow adds to the cooling of the area making it a more livable space as compared to the city. Land Use in Urban Expansion As urbanization continues to grow, the demand for materials to build cities and towns grows well beyond its physical boundaries. Grimm, Faeth, Golubiewski, Redman, Wu, Bai & Griggs (2008) explains the “ecological footprint” as the impact a town or city has on its surrounding environment outside of its boundaries to maintain and operate daily functions.
Materials are sort after from outside the cities affecting not just the locality dwellers inhabit, but the land outside the boundaries. All this in an effort to have a higher standard of living and well-being. This level of life quality is often reflected in the built environment of towns or cities. Docklands for example, a high density suburb with towering office buildings and apartments would require more materials to build and sustain as compared to Broadmedows, a less dense suburb with low laying buildings mostly houses, although covering a larger land area, uses less materials in built form (Appendix, Table 6 & 17). This ratio of land area to build works is what Grimm, Faeth, Golubiewski, Redman, Wu, Bai & Griggs (2008) explains as a difference in effect depending on the functions of land-use patterns. A BETTER URBAN ENVIRONMENT With the inevitability of urban expansion, what can urban planning and design do to create a better urban environment? Professor Nicholas Low (2015) in his lecture on Envisioning and Planning Future Cities mentions “The addition of values to knowledge about cities creates ‘problems’ to be solved by planners”. We’ve explored some of the key problems both local and global, now to add values to these cites to solve problems and create a better urban environment. Sustainability & Diversity Sustainability is defined in many ways, but one key idea that is common is the ability to “keep something going over the long run.” Neuman (2005) talks about five Intellectual Traditions of Sustainability, one of it being Diversity. Diversity in two entities, social as well as land-use. A mix of functions, spaces and people can create a diversity that implies interaction and adaptation, learning to coexist in the same space which in turn strengthens the community, an interpretation of health as explained by Neuman (2005). A visit to Broadmeadows reveals a slight
monotony in street life, houses are empty in the day, shops are small and confined to themselves. The district lacks a certain vibrancy and variety, diversity in cultures is seen but also segregated in to specific areas of the town. Jacobs (1961) explains the need for a diverse environment in communities, opening up opportunities for a mix of businesses, culture, dwellings and functions. A prevention from what Jacobs (1961) describes as “a fatal discontent with the place.” Leading to people moving away to seek a better urban environment with more variety, convenience and livelier neighborhood. Diversity bring out many advantages such as a more vibrant street life, safer streets at night and commerce for user’s convenience. The streets of Broadmeadows are lines with suburban houses and long streets, a difficult and less permeable passage to get to place on foot. Shorter blocks and a variety of small businesses could be introduced bring about more life on the streets and bringing more functions and jobs to the vicinity. Old buildings can be restored and sold at lower rent, keeping heritage intact to the community and providing homes to a wider range of economical groups. Implementation however, need to have the consideration of the population and needs of the people. Public opinions may not always agree in favor of planners making the process long and ineffective over time. To catalyze the suburb’s potential, we must first understand what the people want and what is lacking in the suburb that we can introduce, incorporate and mix into the fabric of the urban environment, creating what Massey (1999) refers to as Spatial Hybridity, where a mix of cultures and functions can create a new identity and a better urban environment. Implementation To create a diverse community, we look into two aspects, social and economic diversity. To implement such changes we must have policies that govern these changes with strict rules. Such policies as Singapore’s
Ethnic Integration Policy (EIP,2015), which promotes racial integration and harmony and a balanced mix in the communities in public housing estates, can be implemented in the suburb of Broadmeadows, creating a mix of cultures and social backgrounds of people in an area, thus creating a more diverse community. London’s Rings of Development scheme aimed to control urban growth and the preservation of its land outside the city (Low, 2015). In a smaller scale, could be used as zonings of different functions in the town, making it less segregated and more convenient for people. Having businesses and facilities surrounding the residential area rather than having it concentrated in one area, makes it more convenient and
accessible.This mix of land-use in addition to more green areas can improve the overall health of the environment locally creating a more sustainable place to live and work (Figure 17). CONCLUSION Global and local processes affect both the socio-economical characteristics of a locality and impacts the environment in several ways. Urban design and planning seeks to create a more sustainable way of living through planning and implementation of policies to enable life to sustain in the long run. This includes a greener solution to our daily operations as well as better city planning to create a better quality of life.
Figure 17 (Author,2015) A proposal fo a new urban design of Broadmeadows addapted from The Abercrombie Plan 1944, rings of functions radiate from town centre to create an even mix of programs, houses and spaces.
References (Text) Currie, G., & Delbosc, A. (2011). Transport disadvantage: a review. In G. Currie (Ed.), New Perspectives and Methods in Transport and Social Exclusion Research (pp. 15-26). Bingley: Emerald Group Pub. Grimm, N. B., Faeth, S. H., Golubiewski, N. E., Redman, C. L., Wu, J., Bai, X., & Briggs, J. m. (2008). Global changes and the ecology of cities. Science, 319(5864), 756-760. Holden, E., & Norland, I. T. (2005). Three challenges for the compact city as a sustainable urban form: household consumption of energy and transport in eight residential areas in the greater Oslo region. Urban Studies, 42(12), 2145-2166. Jacobs, J. (1961). The death and life of grat American Cities. New York: Vintage Books. Latham, A., McCormack, D., McNamara, K., & McNeill, D. (2009). Key concepts in urban geography. Los Angeles and London: SAGE. Massey, D. (1999). Cities interlinked. In D. Massey, J. Allen & S. Pile (Eds), City worlds (pp. 95-108). London and New York: Routledge. Neuman, M. (2005). The compact city fallacy. Journal of Planning Education and Research, 25(1), 11-26. Oke, T. R. (1997). Urban climates and global environmental changes. In R. D. Thomson, & A Perry (Eds), Applied Climatology: Principles and Practices (pp.273-286). London: Routledge References (Lecture) Cook, N. (2015a) Mobility within cities: Daily transport and travel [PowerPoint slides}. Retrieved from the University of Melbourne Urban Environment LMS: https://app.lms.unimelb.edu.au/webapps/portal/ Cook, N. (2015b) International migration to major cities [PowerPoint slides}. Retrieved from the University of Melbourne Urban Environment LMS: https://app.lms.unimelb.edu.au/webapps/portal/ Low, N. (2015a) Envisioining and Planning Future Cities [PowerPoint slides}. Retrieved from the University of Melbourne Urban Environment LMS: https://app.lms.unimelb.edu.au/webapps/portal/ Low, N. (2015b) Strategiv Metropolitan Planning [PowerPoint slides}. Retrieved from the University of Melbourne Urban Environment LMS: https://app.lms.unimelb.edu.au/webapps/portal/ References (Tables) Censusdata.abs.gov.au,. (2015). 2011 Census QuickStats: Broadmeadows. Retrieved 3 May 2015, from http://www.censusdata.abs.gov.au/census_services/getproduct/ census/2011/quickstat/210051242?opendocument&navpos=220
APPENDIX
Broadmeadows: Social Profile Cultural Background Observations: A large community of Middle-Eastern people who live there, most are families with young children. The playground was full of kids from the Middle-East, Shops as well as food outlets were mainly middle-eastern. Through secondary data, many are second generation migrants who were born in Australia but parents were from another country. This influences the mix of cultures in the area, predominantly by the Middle-Eastern population. (Massey, 1999) Country of Birth Australia Iraq Parents Birth Place Both Parents born overseas Both Parents born in Australia Religion Islam Catholic
5,667 (48.5%) 645 (5.5%) 6417 (63.8%) 2,685 (26.7%) 2,968 (25.4%) 2,905 (24.8%)
Table 1 (Censusdata.abs.gov.au,2015) Occupation
Observations: Through secondary data, the most common occupations are more labor intensive ones which require certain set of skills. It could be closely related to why the area has a large number of migrants from overseas.
Figure 1 Broadmeadows (Mapbox.com, 2015)
Occupation Laborers
580 (18.1%)
Technicians and Trade Workers Machinery Operators and Drivers
547 (17.1%) 481 (15%)
Table 2 (Censusdata.abs.gov.au,2015) Families Types of Families Couple family with children One parent families
Table 3 (Cencusdata.abs.gov.au,2015)
1,240 (44.9%) 752 (27.2%)
Observations: Families were at the nearby playground with their children having picnics and gatherings, a large community of Middle-Eastern people in the area. Barber shops and Grocery shops are run by the young and the old, could be a family business. Most houses have 2 cars, families seen leaving together from their houses. Suburban areas are more popular for larger families who have settled down and prefer the quieter option of living as compared to the city. Housing is larger and cheaper the further it is away from the city.
Figure 2 Photo of Middle‐Eastern Family at Playground (Author)
Migration (as of 2011) 2010 Lived at same address Lived at different address Difference 2006 Lived at same address Lived at different address Difference
9,337 1,527 7,810 6,574 3,553 3,021
Table 4 (Censusdata.abs.gov.au,2015)
Observations: from secondary data, the number of people who have a new address in Broadmeadows has steeply increased over the past 5 years since 2006. There is a need for a developing city to have more labor intensive jobs to build the city. (Latham, McCormack, McNamara, & MacNeil, 2009)
Figure 3 Photo of Middle‐Eastern Restaurant (Author)
Docklands: Social Profile Cultural Background Observations: A community made up mostly of office workers and residences. Few people on the streets in the middle of the day, most are in office buildings. An even mix of other cultures and ethnicity but largely dominated by the Australian locals. Country of Birth Australia China India Parents Birth Place Both Parents born overseas Both Parents born in Australia
2,102 (36.3%) 469 (8.1%) 351 (6.1%) 3,043 (64%) 1,336 (28.1%)
No Religion Catholic Anglican
1,603 (27.7%) 1,039 (17.9%) 467 (8.1%)
Table 12 Censusdata.abs.gov.au,2015) Occupation Observations: Dockland has more professionals than the compared area of Broadmeadows, it has the characteristics of a city where there are more professional occupations and where people live in the city to reduce the amount of travel from home, and this reduces energy consumption and pollution. (Dodman, 2009)
Figure 10 (Findlotsize.com, 2015)
Occupation Professionals
Managers Clerical and Administrative Workers
1,273 (37.7%) 725 (21.5%) 219 (6.5%)
Table 13 Censusdata.abs.gov.au,2015) Families Types of Families Couple family without children Couple family with children One parent families
Table 14 Censusdata.abs.gov.au,2015)
Figure 11 A young child plays in the playground in Docklands (Author)
906 (67.7%) 262 (19.6%) 99 (7.4%)
Observations: A couple of families and they young children at the nearby playground, but more adults gathered there for a cycling gathering. A very business driven area with not much play areas for families. Bike paths are separated from the road making it safe for younger children to cycle. Migration (as of 2011) 2010 Lived at same address Lived at different address Difference 2006 Lived at same address Lived at different address Difference
396 95 301 216 265 -59
Table 15 Censusdata.abs.gov.au,2015) Observations: from secondary data, the number of people who have a new address in Docklands has steeply increased over the past 5 years since 2006. A growing city is in need of more people to work. There is also a growing trend of people moving into cities for a better lifestyle and more job opportunities. (Latham, McCormack, McNamara, & MacNeil, 2009)
Figure 12 A group of elderly enjoying the catch of the day (Author)
Density Number of Dwellings People per household Population Area Density
4,395 2.8 11,695 8.525km2 1,371 people/km2
Table 5 (Censusdata.abs.gov.au,2015)
Function Observations: Broadmeadows functions as an area of suburban dwelling with small shops and amenities that is sufficient for the size of the population. If functions mainly as a settlement of dwellings.
Figure 4 Photo of Grocery Shop in Broadmeadows (Author)
Most of the infrastructures are private homes that were low lying, few apartments, and several houses being rebuilt. However there are a few new homes being built that have the same design and appearance, most likely built by developers to be sold to new home owners. The houses appear to be of the middle-class price range, nicely designed homes with neat gardens, very different from the other older houses in the area. A possible sign of Gentrification may be occurring as newer houses are being built and older ones being demolished. (Forster, 2004) Housing by Types Type of House Separated house Flat, Unit or apartments Semi-detached, row or terrace houses
3,102 (84.5%) 415 (11.3%) 150 (4%)
Table 6 (Censusdata.abs.gov.au,2015) Housing by Bedrooms Number of Bedrooms 3 bedroom houses 2 bedroom houses 4 bedroom houses
Figure 5 & 6 Photo of newly built house in Broadmeadows (Author) 2,346 (63.9%) 610 (16.6%) 424 (11.5%)
Table 7 (Censusdata.abs.gov.au,2015) Street Types
Observations: 2-way streets with pavements on both sides. Cars parked along the side of the roads without any metering or payment needed. Quiet streets with low vehicular traffic. Public Spaces
Figure 7 Photo of older houses in Broadmeadows
Observations: Several small shops run by Middle Eastern people in a cluster along. Barbers, grocery shops and pubs that were filled with people in the middle of the day. Few public amenities such as shopping malls or services. There was a small clinic at the corner of the street. The school on Goulburn St, Sirius College was empty even on a weekday. Public Transport Observations: There were bus stops along the major street of Camp Rd leading into the city. Train station of the area was Broadmeadows Station located across from Broadmeadows Shopping Centre. The lack of a more accessible and flexible transport system prompts people to buy personal cars to travel. (Currie & Delbosc, 2011)
Docklands: Physical Profile Density Number of Dwellings People per household Population Area Density
3,975 1.9 5,791 3.041km2 1,904 people/km2
Table 16 Density Calculation (Censusdata.abs.gov.au,2015) Function Observations: Apartments and tall office buildings fill the area of Docklands with many new buildings still under construction. A suburb of modern architectural buildings, shops and business headquarters. Several banking headquarters were located there, very large buildings that required that much space that was not available in the CBD area. A diverse range of food outlets and grocery stores, this suburb plays host to a range of different cultures and ethnicity. Although many large corporate businesses thrive here, many apartments around are home to the nearby workers of these businesses. Bike lanes are more developed here than in the CBD, encouraging people to cycle more. Stadiums are also seen as venues for large games and events. The area still uses a grid planning system for their roads but a much more organized layout compared to the CBD, probably because it’s newer and had no original layout before being developed.
Figure 13 Apartment building in Docklands
Housing by Type Type of Houses Flat, Unit or Apartments Semi- Detached, Row or Terrace houses Separate House
2,465 (97.9%) 46 (1.8%) 0 (0.0%)
Table 17 Housing Types (Censusdata.abs.gov.au,2015) Housing by Bedrooms Number of Bedrooms 2 bedroom houses 1 bedroom houses 3 bedroom houses
1,357 (53.9%) 628 (24.9%) 417 (16.6%)
Table 18 Types of House by Number of Bedrooms (Censusdata.abs.gov.au,2015) Street Types
Figure 14 Apartment in Docklands (Author)
Observations: 2 lane strips of road going in both directions. Special bike lanes that are separated from the road also have 2 lanes and a pavement for walking. Much safer bike lanes as it is away from traffic and have a barrier of protection. Newly paved roads are clean and undamaged. Traffic is moderate as it was during working hours. Public Spaces Observations: Small play areas for children and families in the area, although there are not many of these seen. Public toilets are new and clean. Coffee shops and restaurants are on every street. More convenient stores than supermarkets. The public space is well developed and caters to more tourist and busy office workers who come out of the office for a quick break. Shared bikes also available in the area and have bike racks in several places. A higher quality of life is displayed. (Holden & Norland, 2005) Public Transport Observations: There were many bike racks for personal bikes but not many bicycles parked there, there were some riding on the bike paths but not as many as the CBD. A good number of trams run through the area and into the city. People here have branded cars and many parking lots are available for the many cars in the area. (Holden & Norland, 2005)
Broadmeadows: Ecological Profile Domestic Energy Consumption Household Energy Demand per person (MJ) = 24,022.35MJ (10 Dacelo Ave, Broadmeadows) Transport Type Number of people Car 2115 Train 230 Tram 0 Bus 60 Walk/ Cycle 80 Total in area 2485 Total transport energy per person
Energy Consumed (MJ) 7,825.5 9.2 0 18.48 0 7,853.18 3.16 MJ
Table 8 (Censusdata.abs.gov.au,2015) Storm Water Runoff
Calculating 5 different plots of land in the area for its imperviousness to find the storm water runoff per square meter Street 95 Lahinch St 66 Walsh St 21 Ortolan Ave 225 Widford St 52 Meredith St
Total plot size 654m2 709m2 647m2 678m2 689m2 Table 9 (Findlotsize.com,2015) Average Plot size Average Impervious Area Imperviousness Storm water runoff (per/m2)
Table 10 (Findlotsize.com,2015)
Impervious Area 279m2 218m2 322m2 282m2 376m2
675.4m2 295.4m2 0.437 232.2
Figure 8 Polluted water in Broadmeadows
Water Consumption Avg size of private gardens Avg size of private garden per person Avg water usage per person for watering private gardens Avg overall water consumption per person
Table 11 (Censusdata.abs.gov.au,2015)
308.4m2 135.857m2/ person 17,661.4L 308.4m2
Vegetation Cover Average Plot Size (675.4m2) – Impervious Area (295m2) = Vegetation Cover (380.4m2) (Censusdata.abs.gov.au,2015) Observation: Houses in the area have well maintained gardens with a variety of flora and fauna. The pavements are also lined with grass and the two largest reserves in Broadmeadows, Seabrook Reserve and Jack Roper Reserve, provide a vast amount of greenery and water catchment area of approximately 128.5m2 and 196.8m2. Waste Management Observations: There were many sites along the streets where large objects were disposed along the streets and in between houses where probably a house was demolished. Material waste was never cleared and seems to have been there for a long time. An abandoned burnt up car is left at the corner of a parking lot along with a pile of rubbish. However, the streets are relatively well maintained, but a lack in government services is shown in these abandoned sites of mass rubbish. (Kennedy, Cuddihy, & Engel-Yan, 2007) Urban Steam Observations: The stream that runs through Broadmeadows sits behind the houses and runs through the Seabrook Reserve and Jack Roper Reserve. It polluted with waste and pests, the government have put up a warning sign to not get into contact with the waters. Pollution due to improper waste management and water treatment. (Walsh, Roy, Feminella, Cottingham, Groffman,& Morgan,2005)
Figure 9 Signage that warns people of the water quality in the area (Author)
Docklands: Ecological Profile Domestic Energy Consumption Household Energy Demand per person (MJ) = 17,408.39MJ (15 Caravel Lane, Docklands) Transport Type Number of people Car 1,111 Walk/ Cycle 909 Tram 583 Train 155 Total in area 2758 Total transport energy per person
Energy Consumed (MJ) 4,110.7 0.0 87.45 6.2 4204.35 1.52
Table 19 Transport Energy Consumption per Person (Censusdata.abs.gov.au,2015) Observation: Docklands uses less energy per person as compared to Broadmeadows. Possibly due to the idea of a dense compact city that has more convenient services as well as better public transport that would reduce the amount of energy consumed by an individual. (Holden & Norland, 2005)
Figure 15 People commuting by car and bicycles (Author)
Storm Water Runoff Calculating Boyd Tower for its imperviousness to find the storm water runoff per square meter Street Total plot size Impervious Area 15 Caravel Lane 10,299m2 2,100m2 Table 20 Average Plot Size & Impervious Area (Australian Bureau of Statistics) Average Plot size Average Impervious Area Imperviousness Storm water runoff (per/m2)
10,299m2 2,100m2 0.2052 109.08
Table 21 Storm Water Runoff (Findlotsize.com) Water Consumption
Figure 16 Docks of Docklands (Author)
Average size of private gardens Average size of private garden per person Average water usage per person for watering private gardens Average overall water consumption per person
Table 22 Water Consumption per Person (Findlotsize.com)
8,199m2 6,306m2/ person 819,900L 864,900m2
Vegetation Cover Average Plot Size (10,299m2) – Impervious Area (2,100m2) = Vegetation Cover (8199m2) Observation: Vegetation cover cannot be accurately calculated due to the mixture of hard concrete pavements of plaza spaces and greenery in the area, there are less fauna compared to the outer suburbs like Broadmeadows but some areas of Docklands are made into gardens and parks. (Oke, 1997) Waste Management Observations: Garbage trucks were on their daily route during my visit. Streets are clean, rubbish is disposed regularly. There are many public trash points unlike the suburbs. The alleys are clean and free from any rubble. Urban Steam Observations: The nearest water source is the docks where boats are kept and where people do to catch fishes. It is slightly polluted with rubbish but due to the vast size of the open waters, this pollution is not as concentrated. (Walsh, Roy, Feminella, Cottingham, Groffman,& Morgan,2005)
References (Text) Currie, G., & Delbosc, A. (2011). Transport disadvantage: a review. In G. Currie (Ed.), New Perspectives and Methods in Transport and Social Exclusion Research (pp. 15-26). Bingley: Emerald Group Pub. Dodman, D. (2009). Blaming cities for climate change? An analysis of urban greenhouse gas emissions inventories. Environment and Urbanization, 21(1), 185-201. Forster, C. A. (2004) Australian cities: Continuity and change (3 ed.). South Melbourne: Oxford University Press. Holden, E., & Norland, I. T. (2005). Three challenges for the compact city as a sustainable urban form: household consumption of energy and transport in eight residential areas in the greater Oslo region. Urban Studies, 42(12), 2145-2166. Kennedy, C., Cuddihy, J., & Engel-Yan, J. (2007). The changing metabolism of cities. Journal of Industrial Ecology, 11(2), 43-59. Latham, A., McCormack, D., McNamara, K., & McNeill, D. (2009). Key concepts in urban geography. Los Angeles and London: SAGE. Massey, D. (1999). Cities interlinked. In D. Massey, J. Allen & S. Pile (Eds), City worlds (pp. 95-108). London and New York: Routledge. Oke, T. R. (1997). Urban climates and global environmental changes. In R. D. Thomson, & A Perry (Eds), Applied Climatology: Principles and Practices (pp.273-286). London: Routledge Walsh, C. J., Roy, A. H., Feminella, J. W., Cottingham, p. D., Groffman, P. M., & Morgan, R. P. (2005). The urban stream syndrome: current knowledge and the search for a cure. Journal of the North American Benthological Society, 24(3), 706-723. References (Tables) Censusdata.abs.gov.au,. (2015). 2011 Census QuickStats: Broadmeadows. Retrieved 3 May 2015, from http://www.censusdata.abs.gov.au/census_services/getproduct/ census/2011/quickstat/210051242?opendocument&navpos=220 Find Lot Size. (2015). Retrieved 3 May 2015, from http://findlotsize.com/ References (Images/ Figures) Mapbox.com,. (2015). Mapbox | Design and publish beautiful maps. Retrieved 3 May 2015, from https://www.mapbox.com/