Project Description
The City of Ipswich has partnered with Griffith University and the University of the Sunshine Coast to conduct
a three-year analysis about the identification of Urban Heat Island (UHI), the residents’ perceptions about urban heat and how changes in urban design might mitigate these effects.
Methodologically, three sites were selected as case studies, showcasing old urban fabric (Ipswich centre: Bell St, Brisbane St and Limestone St) and new urban fabric (Joy Chamber Circuit in Ripley). Our mixed- method
approach included weather data collection, urban design analysis, surveys, workshops and Virtual Reality experiences to provide the evidence-based analysis constituting this report.
16 recommendations emerged from this 3-year project, amongst which 7 to support residents/stakeholders to mitigate urban heat, 6 to support better planning and 3 to implement heat
mitigation for the three case studies.
Project Personnel and Beneficiaries
The project benefits:
Residents of Ipswich
Council staff of Ipswich (specifically Environment and Sustainability officers and planners)
Outcomes to Date
The project has achieved evidence-based analysis, testing new participation methods with residents, council staff and private stakeholders.
The Mayor of Ipswich and the Environment and Sustainability committee members have endorsed this project and unanimously put the motion in favour and carried to start implementing actions in the near future relating to the report’s recommendations. (13th July 2023,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wK0fAisT-ho, Time: 8:15- 12:14)
Project Significance
This 3-year project addresses SDGs #3, 11, 13 and 17.
This 3-year project provided the following:
1. evidence-based analysis of urban microclimate in key areas of Ipswich demonstrating that better planning and design need to be implemented,
2. an UrbanDesign analysis that relates the identified urban microclimate and possible UHIs with design solutions.
3. insights into the relationships between people’s experience of place and urban heat specifically in regard to their health
4.opportunities to use new technologies such as Virtual Reality to engage with residents and stakeholders (developer) and foster new mitigation design against urban heat
5. 16 recommendations (7 to support residents to mitigate urban heat; 6 to support better planning and 3 to support urban heat mitigation for the 3 case studies)
Related Link
External link to https://experts.griffith.edu.au/7232-karine-dupre/publications