Through the examination of various best practice case studies around the world, a number of recommendations can be made to the City of Sydney to address the problem of sea level rise.
The recommendation will include a combination of mitigation and adaptation strategies designed to complement each other and maximise the outcome.
The recommendation will include a combination of mitigation and adaptation strategies designed to complement each other and maximise the outcome.
Recommendation 1: District Energy Systems
The group believes that by developing and expanding new district energy systems that utilises renewable energy sources around different neighbourhoods in the City of Sydney, there is potential for substantial reductions in the City’s greenhouse gas emissions and assist the City of Sydney in achieving its 2030 target.
The success of renewable District Energy Systems can be seen from the City of Vancouver Case study.
The City can look to implement these systems in various areas and neighbourhoods arounds the City, such as the Darling Harbour precinct, or for inner city suburbs such as Pyrmont and Surry Hills.
From the review of the Vancouver, the expansion of Renewable District Energy had been one of the most successful strategies in reducing the City’s greenhouse gas emissions.
The success of renewable District Energy Systems can be seen from the City of Vancouver Case study.
The City can look to implement these systems in various areas and neighbourhoods arounds the City, such as the Darling Harbour precinct, or for inner city suburbs such as Pyrmont and Surry Hills.
From the review of the Vancouver, the expansion of Renewable District Energy had been one of the most successful strategies in reducing the City’s greenhouse gas emissions.
Recommendation 2: Capturing of Landfill Gas
The Neighbourhood Energy, along with Green Buildings will contribute up to 35% of the total reductions by 2020. Apart from leveraging the efficiencies and economies of scale of District Energy Systems, this innovative new technology is the first District Energy utility in North America to utilise the energy from sewage waste heat recovery, meaning that the energy source is both sustainable and renewable.
Environmental Benefits:
The system’s GHG emissions is reduced by over 60% compared to conventional energy sources such as coal or fossil fuels and it supplies approximately 70% of the annual energy required for the neighbourhood. While the remaining 30% is supported by high-efficiency natural gas boilers that provide additional heating during peak demand periods (City of Vancouver 2014)
Social Benefits:
The use of renewable energy in a system adaptable to future clean energy technologies while also offers consumers more reliability and certainty compared to the highly volatile nature of fossil fuels.
Economic Benefits:
These systems can be very much self-funded and it provides a return on investment to taxpayers.
It provides competitive rates for consumers
For builders and developers the system creates economies of scale and is a much more cost-effective way to meet renewable energy targets than individual systems in separate buildings.
Environmental Benefits:
The system’s GHG emissions is reduced by over 60% compared to conventional energy sources such as coal or fossil fuels and it supplies approximately 70% of the annual energy required for the neighbourhood. While the remaining 30% is supported by high-efficiency natural gas boilers that provide additional heating during peak demand periods (City of Vancouver 2014)
Social Benefits:
The use of renewable energy in a system adaptable to future clean energy technologies while also offers consumers more reliability and certainty compared to the highly volatile nature of fossil fuels.
Economic Benefits:
These systems can be very much self-funded and it provides a return on investment to taxpayers.
It provides competitive rates for consumers
For builders and developers the system creates economies of scale and is a much more cost-effective way to meet renewable energy targets than individual systems in separate buildings.
Collecting and using methane collected from landfills is another great way to utilise renewable energy while at the same time reducing the amount of greenhouse gas being released into the atmosphere.
Methane is even more potent than carbon dioxide at retaining heat in the atmosphere, making it a powerful greenhouse gas (City of Vancouver 2012). By effectively capturing the gas it prevents the methane from being released into the atmosphere and decreases greenhouse gas emissions. The gas collected is then utilised as a sustainable and renewable energy source.
In 2014, the City of Vancouver captured 505,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions, this equals to taking over 126,000 cars off the road for a year (City of Vancouver 2015), furthermore the energy generated from the gas is enough to power 7,000 Vancouver homes.
Methane is even more potent than carbon dioxide at retaining heat in the atmosphere, making it a powerful greenhouse gas (City of Vancouver 2012). By effectively capturing the gas it prevents the methane from being released into the atmosphere and decreases greenhouse gas emissions. The gas collected is then utilised as a sustainable and renewable energy source.
In 2014, the City of Vancouver captured 505,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions, this equals to taking over 126,000 cars off the road for a year (City of Vancouver 2015), furthermore the energy generated from the gas is enough to power 7,000 Vancouver homes.
Recommendation 3: Green Building Codes
From further research, it appears that the City of Sydney itself is already considering the use of landfill gas as an alternate energy source, mentioned in its Advanced Waste Treatment Master Plan (2014). Therefore it is widely agreed that landfill gas has a large energy potential and is definitely a viable option
From an economic standpoint, the investment in the construction and development of the gas capture system is likely to see a return over a period as little as 10 years. An example would be the landfill gas collection system in the City of Toronto, the collection system and power plant costed a total of $32 million but it generates a revenue of $3-4 million annually from the sale of electricity generated from the gases (C40, 2012).
From an economic standpoint, the investment in the construction and development of the gas capture system is likely to see a return over a period as little as 10 years. An example would be the landfill gas collection system in the City of Toronto, the collection system and power plant costed a total of $32 million but it generates a revenue of $3-4 million annually from the sale of electricity generated from the gases (C40, 2012).
Recommendation 4: Research and Development Partnerships
It is recommended Research and Development Partnerships with industries, students,world bodies and individuals who are all on the path of discovery, in the battle of mitigating and adapting to climate change.Green innovation is the key to sustainability in Sydney yet it cannot be solely funded by the private sector where the economic viability is not yet sustainable. Information always comes at a cost,but it is better to be proactive in the discovery of solutions rather than to be reactive to the results of failure.
Private enterprise, world leaders,researchers,developers and scientist all have an agenda to be the first to discover or the creator of the ultimate solution to issue of global significance like climate change and rising sea levels.No one has the answer and yet funding and priority is limited to political agendas and economic viability of the the research needed .
Korea,identified research and development as an essential strategy in their mitigation strategy for green growth but were seen to fall short of the financial commitment in supporting the area. They prioritized their emphasis into world bodies and global opportunities where quicker economic benefit could be reaped.
Sydney Vision is to be a Global City. So if we are interested in attracting International business to our foreshores we should be interested in utilizing their expertise and research capabilities to develop solutions for our city and it's sustainability into the future. Sydney and Australia is the home of world class universities with access to global data bases and dynamic ,knowledgeable people who are often leaders in their field. Utilisze resources that are available to us and fund opportunity that could make Sydney an example of Sustainable growth to 2020.
Private enterprise, world leaders,researchers,developers and scientist all have an agenda to be the first to discover or the creator of the ultimate solution to issue of global significance like climate change and rising sea levels.No one has the answer and yet funding and priority is limited to political agendas and economic viability of the the research needed .
Korea,identified research and development as an essential strategy in their mitigation strategy for green growth but were seen to fall short of the financial commitment in supporting the area. They prioritized their emphasis into world bodies and global opportunities where quicker economic benefit could be reaped.
Sydney Vision is to be a Global City. So if we are interested in attracting International business to our foreshores we should be interested in utilizing their expertise and research capabilities to develop solutions for our city and it's sustainability into the future. Sydney and Australia is the home of world class universities with access to global data bases and dynamic ,knowledgeable people who are often leaders in their field. Utilisze resources that are available to us and fund opportunity that could make Sydney an example of Sustainable growth to 2020.
Recommendation 5: Green Transport
It is recommendation Sydney implement a more dynamic Green Transport Hub in the city centre and surrounds. Whilst the city has slowly been transforming to meet it's strategy of a green city by 2020 , there is a lack of provision of complementary services to enhance new transport network and to encourage community commitment.
Bike/Helmet Hire stations and exchange facilities should be scattered along the bike route and at major destination points. Bicycle parking facilities for private use equipment should also be facilitated for easy storage of by daily commuters ans students near office blocks and university/college facilities.Electricity plug in stations should provide recharge facilities for electric cars and shuttle services that can facilitate the movement of the disabled and aged. It is also recommended to promote the green transport choices available to commuters and to offer incentive's of discounts and bonus's to reward use.Lastly , the city should provide larger parking stations on the fringes of it's internal infrastructure framework ,free of change, to move people into a park and ride philosophy.
San Francisco has implemented electric taxi's into their mitigation strategy and a network or shared car networks to reduce the number of vehicle movements within the city centre. The city also integrated a safe commute bicycle network for short distant commuters and visitors in the Bay area. Pedestrian friendly sidewalks and pathways have also been constructed reducing vehicle movement and non pedestrian activating within the city centre.
Sydney in it's vision for 2020 also identifies the need for a vehicle free centre and the freedom for pedestrians to move about in a safe and pollution free environment.Whilst Sydney ,like San Francisco struggles with transitioning it's community to a greener way of transportation, it is public awareness and education that should not be forgotten. Sell the benefits to the individual. Provide a service that is reliable safe and clean. Invest in user friendly infrastructure that is sustainable and economically viable and the savings on green house emissions will increase thru community input rather than thru governmental moratoriums.
Bike/Helmet Hire stations and exchange facilities should be scattered along the bike route and at major destination points. Bicycle parking facilities for private use equipment should also be facilitated for easy storage of by daily commuters ans students near office blocks and university/college facilities.Electricity plug in stations should provide recharge facilities for electric cars and shuttle services that can facilitate the movement of the disabled and aged. It is also recommended to promote the green transport choices available to commuters and to offer incentive's of discounts and bonus's to reward use.Lastly , the city should provide larger parking stations on the fringes of it's internal infrastructure framework ,free of change, to move people into a park and ride philosophy.
San Francisco has implemented electric taxi's into their mitigation strategy and a network or shared car networks to reduce the number of vehicle movements within the city centre. The city also integrated a safe commute bicycle network for short distant commuters and visitors in the Bay area. Pedestrian friendly sidewalks and pathways have also been constructed reducing vehicle movement and non pedestrian activating within the city centre.
Sydney in it's vision for 2020 also identifies the need for a vehicle free centre and the freedom for pedestrians to move about in a safe and pollution free environment.Whilst Sydney ,like San Francisco struggles with transitioning it's community to a greener way of transportation, it is public awareness and education that should not be forgotten. Sell the benefits to the individual. Provide a service that is reliable safe and clean. Invest in user friendly infrastructure that is sustainable and economically viable and the savings on green house emissions will increase thru community input rather than thru governmental moratoriums.
Recommendation 6: Harbour Barrier System
Barrier System in London
City of Sydney could implement Harbour Barrier System to reduce the risks of sea level raise to property and infrastructure of COS such as Opera House and heritage buildings in Circular Quay and The Rocks and Woolloomooloo area, However, it has to be further consult and assessed by scientists and specialists before implement. It also need participation of state government, federal government and related organisations.
Recommendation 7 : Berms with waterfront parkland along coastlines
To protect the buildings and infrastructures in city of Sydney, we recommend contiguous berm system can be built along coastlines. After implementing the recommend system, we can reduce future damage from rising sea level as well as provide social and environmental benefits to the city.
Strategies Explained in Detail
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