Understanding Developers’ Perspectives InSustainable Urban Design

Auckland, the largest metropolitan area in New Zealand, is rapidly growing in population. With this growth comes additional pressure on natural resources and physical infrastructure. The Auckland Region has adopted policies of residential intensification to accommodate growth which will also assist in achieving sustainability goals such as reducing environmental impacts through the containment of growth. Medium density housing is one of the tools being used to implement these policies. In addition, some Auckland councils, and other city councils in New Zealand, have recognized the opportunities for environmental protection and infrastructural cost-savings by producing a variety of low-impact design strategies and guidelines. Developers are a key stakeholder group in the process of implementing low-impact design. This paper presents the findings from a pilot study on the barriers to the incorporation of sustainable urban design as identified by developers in medium density housing developments in Auckland and Christchurch. Understanding the barriers is an important step in helping to determine appropriate solutions towards implementing more sustainable practices in the development of the built environment.