Assessing the full benefits of WSUD: Activating WSUD for healthy resilient communities

Moores, Jonathan; Batstone, Chris

Abstract – Tuhinga Whakarāpopoto

The potential benefits of water sensitive urban design (WSUD) usually include better hydrology and water quality and healthier aquatic ecosystems. However, assessments of the benefits of WSUD that focus solely on these water-related outcomes are incomplete in scope. WSUD has the potential to deliver a wide range of other environmental and social co-benefits. This paper suggests WSUD should be repositioned in New Zealand to realise its potential to deliver a wide range of water-related and non-water-related benefits. The research team has developed a qualitative assessment method tool, ‘More Than Water’ (MTW) – outlined here and fully described in: Moores, J., Ira, S., Batstone, C. & Simcock, R. (2019). The ‘More than Water’ WSUD Assessment Tool. Report for Building Better Homes, Towns and Cities: Activating water sensitive urban design for healthy resilient communities (Contestable Research), 64pgs. Wellington: BBHTC.

Articles associated with this research – Karere Tūhono

News: Green infrastructure in water-sensitive urban design fundamental to wellbeing

27 September 2019: Urban areas typically alter landscapes from vegetated ground, which is able to absorb water, to a series of interconnected hard surfaces that result in large quantities of storm-water runoff scouring our waterways. In addition, this run-off can be polluted with contaminants such as metals, motor oil, garden pesticides, litter, and sediment. This run-off requires management, but the Building Better Homes, Towns and Cities Water Sensitive Urban Design (WSUD) team says this isn’t just a matter of guttering in the right place and piping the excess straight to waterways, but also aesthetically pleasing urban lay-outs that promote water re-use and enhance urban liveability and human wellbeing. >> Read More.

Other reports in this series

Afoa, E. & Brockbank, T. (2019). Te Ao Māori and Water Sensitive Urban Design. Report for Building Better Homes, Towns and Cities: Activating water sensitive urban design for healthy resilient communities (Contestable Research), 55pgs. Wellington: BBHTC.

Ira, S. & Batstone, C. (2019). An investigation of alternative funding and incentive mechanisms to support implementation of WSUD in New Zealand: Activating WSUD for healthy resilient communities. Report for Building Better Homes, Towns and Cities: Activating water sensitive urban design for healthy resilient communities (Contestable Research), 40pgs. Wellington: BBHTC.

Ira, S., Moores, J., Simcock, R., & Batstone, C. (2019). Recommendations for future research: Activating WSUD for healthy resilient communities. Report for Building Better Homes, Towns and Cities: Activating water sensitive urban design for healthy resilient communities (Contestable Research), 23pgs. Wellington: BBHTC.

Ira, S. & Simcock, R. (2019). Understanding Costs and Maintenance of WSUD in New Zealand. Report for Building Better Homes, Towns and Cities Urban Wellbeing: Activating water sensitive urban design for healthy resilient communities, 71pgs. Wellington: BBHTC.

Moores, J., Ira, S., & Batstone, C. (2019). Study trip to Melbourne, November 2018 – Findings: Activating WSUD for healthy resilient communities. Report for Building Better Homes, Towns and Cities: Activating water sensitive urban design for healthy resilient communities (Contestable Research), 17pgs. Wellington: BBHTC.

Moores, J., Ira, S., Batstone, C. & Simcock, R. (2019). The ‘More than Water’ WSUD Assessment Tool. Report for Building Better Homes, Towns and Cities: Activating water sensitive urban design for healthy resilient communities (Contestable Research), 64pgs. Wellington: BBHTC.

Moores, J., Batstone, C., Simcock, R., & Ira, S. (2018). Activating water sensitive urban design for healthy resilient communities – Discovery phase: Results and recommendations. Report for Building Better Homes, Towns and Cities: Activating water sensitive urban design for healthy resilient communities (Contestable Research), 103pgs. Wellington: BBHTC.

Keywords – Kupu Hāngai

infrastructure; three waters; water sensitive urban design; WSUD; wastewater; storm water; run-off; water; wai

Fields of Research – Āpure Rangahau

Water Sensitive Urban Design; urban design; infrastructure management; built environment and design

 

Date – Te Wā Whakarewa

2019-04

 

Type – Te Auaha

Report

Collections – Kohinga Kaupapa
Citation – Kupu Hautoa

Moores, J. & Batstone, C. (2019). Assessing the full benefits of WSUD: Activating WSUD for healthy resilient communities. Report for Building Better Homes, Towns and Cities: Activating water sensitive urban design for healthy resilient communities (Contestable Research), 33pgs. Wellington: BBHTC.

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