3 Results: Organisations Conducting Research

Land Transport New Zealand

Neil Bennett (Programme and Research Manager)

PO Box 13364
Christchurch

Phone: (03) 964 2866
Fax: (03) 964 2855
Email: Neil.Bennett@landtransport.govt.nz
website: www.landtransport.govt.nz

In planning:

Nil.

In progress:

Nil.

Completed:

Title:

Cycle Network and Route Planning: Literature review (Opus International Consultants Limited, 2003).

Purpose:

To review the literature and summarise it to provide a knowledge base for a separate project to produce a New Zealand cycle network and route planning guide based on world best practice.

Co-researchers:

Paul Ryan (Opus, Hamilton), Roger Boulter (Transport Planning Consultant, Hamilton), Heike Lausterer (Kandel Germany), Dr Paul Rosen (University of York, UK), Warren Salomon (Sustainable Transport Consultants Pty Ltd, Bondi Junction, Australia), Kerry Wood (Consultant, Wanganui), Dr Jean-Paul Thull (Lincoln University), Kym Dorrestyn (Dorrestyn & Co, Adelaide, Australia).

Title:

New Zealand roading network integrated stormwater management guidelines (2004)

Purpose:

To provide guidance on a range of issues relating to the management of stormwater run-off from state highways and local roads in New Zealand, including:

• the legal framework within which stormwater management takes place
• the management framework (agency responsibilities and management tools)
• the gaining of resource consents for stormwater management activities
• environmental effects and mitigation measures
• best practice engineering methods.

Published as Transfund Research Report Number 260.

Title:

Cycle network and route planning guide (2004)

Purpose:

To promote a high standard and consistent approach to cycle network and route planning throughout New Zealand. Published by Land Transport Safety Authority.

See http://www.ltsa.govt.nz/road-user-safety/walking-and-cycling/cycle-network/docs/cycle-network.pdf [Link updated on 21 January 2010 to http://www.nzta.govt.nz/resources/cycle-network-and-route-planning/]

Co-researchers:

Paul Ryan (Opus International Consultants Ltd, Hamilton) in association with Roger Boulter (Transport Planning Consultant, Hamilton) and Kym Dorrestyn (Dorrestyn & Co, Adelaide, Australia) prepared the guide. A stakeholder group steered its development and the LTSA carried out some final edits. Preparation of the guide was informed by a review of international literature on cycle network and route planning. A separate report on the literature review is available (Opus, 2003).

Manukau City Council

Yu Yi (Planner - City Image)

Private Bag 76 917
Manukau City

Phone: (09) 262 8962
Fax: (09) 262 5171
Email: yyi@manukau.govt.nz
Website: www.manukau.govt.nz

In planning:

Nil.

In progress:

Title:

'City Image Framework'

Purpose:

To investigate issues and problems of the look and the feel of the City and to identify the key opportunity to enhance the image of the City.

Co-researchers:

Space Syntax Pty Ltd

Title:

'Crime Prevention through Environmental Design (CPTED) Strategy and Action Plan'

Purpose:

To establish a strategy and action plan for incorporating the CPTED principles into Council's practice.

Co-researchers:

Hill Young Cooper Ltd

Completed:

Title:

Crime Prevention through Environmental Design - Dealing with Public Realm 'Hot Spots' (2005)

Purpose:

To establish best practice standards for perceived unsafe locations (public toilets, car parks, alleyways, ATMs, phone booths, bus shelters, children's playgrounds). Produced as part of Manukau City Council's commitment to reduce crime within the District.

Co-researchers:

Jointly developed by Manukau City Council and Harrison Grierson.

Massey University

Dr Robyn Phipps (Senior Lecturer Building Technology)

Institute of Technology and Engineering
Private Bag 11 222
Palmerston North

Email: R.A.Phipps@massey.ac.nz
Website: www.massey.ac.nz

In planning:

Title (provisional):

'Smart house'

Purpose:

Undefined by respondent.

In progress:

Title:

'Sustainable land development by the incorporation of energy efficiency theory'

Purpose:

A case study to explore tenure options, and land development issues, such as 3D modelling of shading, available solar energy, coppice wood lot to achieve an energy efficient semi-rural subdivision.

Co-researchers:

Andy Duncan (primary researcher), Ralph Sims.

Completed:

Nil.

Ministry for the Environment

Luke Troy, Frances Lane Brooker or Yvonne Weeber

84 Boulcott Street
PO Box 10 362
Wellington

Phone: 04 917 7400
Email: urban.design@mfe.govt.nz
Website: www.mfe.govt.nz

In planning:

Nil.

In progress:

Nil.

Completed:

Title:

Curbing the Sprawl: Urban growth management in the United States - Lessons for New Zealand, by Lindsay Gow (2000)

Purpose:

To find out how growing metropolitan areas in the US managed their urban growth and development, and to determine the relevance of these findings to New Zealand.

Title:

Urban Amenity Indicators: The liveability of our urban environments (2000)

Purpose:

This is the first draft of a technical paper, which will form the basis of work on the development of national urban amenity indicators for New Zealand. The draft report suggests an approach to developing national urban amenity indicators and some possible urban amenity indicators to the Ministry for the Environment and local authorities.

Report prepared by:

Karen Bell (EnviroSolutions NZ Ltd), Glasson Potts Group Ltd.

Title:

Key Urban Amenity Approaches (2000)

Purpose:

To document ideas on a conceptual framework and possible approaches to managing urban amenity at the local authority scale. It does not seek to comprehensively answer the question of how to manage urban amenity, but outlines some approaches and a way forward. The focus is on how to define and monitor changes in urban amenity (including some suggested processes to develop urban amenity indicators).

Report prepared by:

Karen Bell (EnviroSolutions NZ Ltd), Peter Glasson and Fiona Hill (Glasson Potts Group Ltd).

Title:

Urban Amenity Trials Report (2000)

Purpose:

To provide information to the councils involved in trialling key approaches to urban amenity, which was an essential step in the Ministry-funded Urban Amenity Project. The overall purpose of this paper is to provide a clear statement on some tools for defining, managing and monitoring urban amenity (including indicator development) in local environments, and to set up the four council trials to test these ideas.

Report prepared by:

Karen Bell (EnviroSolutions NZ Ltd), Fiona Hill (Glasson Potts Group Ltd).

Title:

Background Report for the Urban Amenity Project: Case studies (2001)

Purpose:

To collate the case study reports prepared by the councils involved in the case studies for the Ministry for the Environment's Urban Amenity Project, including Auckland City Council, Christchurch City Council, Palmerston North City Council, Tasman District Council and Waimakariri District Council.

Report prepared by:

Karen Bell (EnviroSolutions NZ Ltd), Glasson Potts Group Ltd.

Title:

Background Report for the Urban Amenity Project: Trials (2001)

Purpose:

To collate the council trialling reports prepared by the councils involved in the trials for the Ministry for the Environment's Urban Amenity Project, including Palmerston North City Council, Rotorua District Council, Waimakariri District Council and Waitakere City Council.

Report prepared by:

Karen Bell (EnviroSolutions NZ Ltd), Glasson Potts Group Ltd.

Title:

Innovation for Urban Sustainability and Eco-efficiency: Workshop report and summary (2002)

Purpose:

A report and summary from the Innovation for Urban Sustainability and Eco-efficiency workshop held in Wellington, April 2002.

Title:

Urban Design Case Studies (March 2005)

Purpose:

To provide examples of quality urban design practice and outcomes. The case studies come from a range of locations and land uses throughout New Zealand. Each case study was analysed against urban design principles, the value added by urban design, and the lessons learnt from the design process. These case studies show how urban design has been implemented in practice, and its benefits.

Co-researchers:

Auckland City Council, Christchurch City Council, North Shore City Council, Waitakere City Council, University of Auckland.

Title:

Value of Urban Design (June 2005)

Purpose:

To present a rationale and evidence for the link between quality urban design and economic, social, environmental and cultural value. It demonstrates that urban design adds value at the site and city-wide scales. Qualitative and quantitative examples and scenarios show the contribution that quality urban design makes to successful towns and cities. These examples include case studies from New Zealand.

Co-researchers:

Graeme McIndoe (Graeme McIndoe Architect and Urban Designer, and Victoria University of Wellington, Centre for Building Performance Research), Dr Ralph Chapman (Maarama Consulting), Chris McDonald (Victoria University of Wellington, Centre for Building Performance Research), Professor Gordon Holden (Victoria University of Wellington, Centre for Building Performance Research), Associate Professor Philippa Howden-Chapman (Otago University, Wellington School of Medicine & Health Sciences), Anna Bray Sharpin (Victoria University of Wellington, Centre for Building Performance Research).

Ministry for the Environment - Sustainable Management Fund

Pamela Harvey (Project Officer)

84 Boulcott Street
PO Box 10 362
Wellington

Phone: (04) 917 7481
Email: pamela.harvey@mfe.govt.nz
Website: www.smf.govt.nz

The following projects have received funding from the Ministry for the Environment's Sustainable Management Fund. The fund supports the community, industry, iwi and local government in a wide range of practical environmental management initiatives.

In planning:

Nil.

In progress:

Title:

'Stormwater Management Resources Programme'

Purpose:

The Programme comprises three main inter-related components: (a) Stormwater Management Resources Directory, an internet-based searchable database of information resources, such as guidelines and design manuals; (b) Decision Making Guide for the Best Approaches to Stormwater Management, an internet-based decision-making framework which identifies problems and details processes to determine policy or management solutions; (c) Guidelines for On-Site Stormwater Source Control Mechanisms, which provides guidance on the use of source control mechanisms, such as rainwater roof collection and rain gardens.

Contractor:

New Zealand Water Environment Research Foundation.

Date funding approved:

February 2003.

Duration:

Two years.

Title:

'TUSC - Tools for Urban Sustainability Engineering Code of Practice'

Purpose:

The TUSC project aims to provide a single user-friendly interface for developers, practitioners, compliance officers and policy makers that will deliver cost-effective urban sustainability outcomes in both new developments and urban retrofit or intensification projects. The sustainable management objectives are to:

• simplify the development planning process
• disseminate evidence and examples of sustainable urban development, and techniques that heighten awareness and influence societal attitudes towards sustainability principles
• provide effective choices for developers and home owners to achieve sustainability goals using a scorecard system, together with implementation details
• efficiently assess development proposals using integrated analysis tools against clearly stated benchmarks and indicators
• provide a single flexible and expanding database for local environmental data, treatment technologies, monitoring and baseline information, policy goals and objectives, analysis models and tools, and presentation techniques and interfaces
• develop a new national best practice approach that will be widely adopted and will ultimately win support for legislation change
• provide linkages for the Sustainable Development for New Zealand, Programme of Action.

See www.tusc.org.nz for further information.

Contractor:

Waitakere City Council.

Date funding approved:

January 2003.

Duration:

Three years.

Completed:

Title:

Reducing stormwater pollution in Gisborne

Purpose:

To design, publish and deliver to Gisborne urban households an information brochure identifying local stormwater problems and householder pollution-reducing strategies, and to design and publish a poster highlighting the same issues. By highlighting individuals' contribution to the problem and the high proximity of the pollution outcomes, modification of individual behaviours will reduce stormwater pollution of urban rivers and Poverty Bay.

Contractor:

Gisborne Environmental Centre.

Date funding approved:

September 2002.

Duration:

One year.

Title:

Urban sustainability information resource

Purpose:

To prepare a report on New Zealand urban sustainability information and a report on stakeholder information needs (see below). Increasing attention is being paid in New Zealand, and in many other countries, to urban issues. With over 80% of our population residing in cities and towns, urban areas are the places where the quality of the environment most directly affects the quality of life of citizens. Wide-ranging challenges face our human settlements in delivering the sustainability objectives of improved social, economic and environmental outcomes. Yet making progress in meeting these challenges depends on having access to timely, high quality information. At a series of cross-sectoral meetings convened by the Ministry for the Environment on urban issues in 2001/02, participants raised the need for better access to information about New Zealand research and other material on urban issues.

Contractor:

BRANZ/Unitec.

Date funding approved:

April 2002.

Duration:

Two years.

Ministry of Transport

Jo Buckner (Co-ordinator - Environment)

Phone: (04) 498 0651
Email: j.buckner@transport.govt.nz
Website: www.transport.govt.nz

In planning:

Nil.

In progress:

Title:

'Towards more sustainable cities'

Purpose:

To promote/implement sustainable settlements, good urban form and settlement systems, and to determine:

• what a sustainable settlement is within the New Zealand context
• how progress towards more sustainable settlements can be measured
• the influences on the development of settlements and the role of transport
• what actions can be taken to influence communities to become more sustainable in terms of transport and movement patterns.

Researchers:

Boffa Miskell Ltd, Hill Young Cooper Ltd, Jeff Kenworthy.

Draft report submitted:

December 2002

Completed:

Nil.