Decarbonising the Built Environment

This book explores innovations from the Co-operative Research Centre for Low Carbon Living, addressing Australia's shift to renewable energy and sustainable urban development through four key transition pathways: technology, design, and human behavior.

Decarbonising the Built Environment explores the advancements in knowledge and innovation stemming from research conducted by the Co-operative Research Centre for Low Carbon Living between 2012 and 2019. This initiative, supported by the Australian Government's Department of Industry, Science and Technology, aims to address the pressing challenges posed by the United Nations regarding climate change and sustainability. The book delves into Australia's critical need to shift towards renewable energy and revitalize its urban spaces, emphasizing the transformation of the built environment as essential for achieving low carbon living in the 21st century.

The text outlines the global implications of these challenges, drawing connections to the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change's (IPCC) focus on both mitigation and adaptation strategies. It underscores the importance of collective action from all nations to contribute significantly to this necessary transformation, highlighting that the journey toward sustainability is not only a local concern but a global imperative.

Central to the book are four key transition pathways that form its thematic framework: technology, buildings, precinct and city design, and human behavior. Each pathway is examined in detail, showcasing how they interact and influence one another in the quest for a decarbonized future. Through this comprehensive approach, Decarbonising the Built Environment offers valuable insights and practical solutions for addressing the complex challenges of creating sustainable, low carbon living spaces.