The Sustainable Design Fact Sheets are now online at https://factsheets.bess.net.au/. This represents the next stage of this important resource that has supported Victorian planning applicants since 2012.
The Sustainable Design Fact Sheets were originally developed by the five Inner Melbourne Action Plan (IMAP) councils – the Cities of Yarra, Port Phillip, Melbourne, Stonnington and Maribyrnong. They were developed to provide planning permit applicants with early sustainable design information, to raise awareness of the importance of addressing sustainability in building design, and to outline councils’ Best Practice Standards in relation to sustainable design.
More than a decade on from their original inception, the fact sheets have become a mainstay of Environmentally Sustainable Development (ESD) planning practice amongst councils and industry alike.
During 2023 and 2024, a timely review of the facts sheets was undertaken. As part of the review process, the fact sheets were transitioned from pdf to a digital format. This move has enabled greater searching capacity, improved accessibility, and the ability to be easily translated, while still maintaining the potential to be printed.
The information in the original fact sheets has been consolidated into overall categories inspired by the Elevating ESD Targets categories and state planning thematic areas as follows:
Innovation remains a core theme to encourage applicants to extend beyond best practice. Best Practice Standards are integrated into the categories as well as a stand-alone feature on the website.
The time-tested look and feel of the fact sheets continues into the digital age. Further features to support innovation, such as video content, will be added to over time.
CASBE maintains these fact sheets on behalf of CASBE member councils. We acknowledge the Cities of Yarra, Port Phillip, Melbourne, Stonnington and Maribyrnong for their leadership in producing the original suite of Sustainable Design Fact Sheets. We acknowledge and thank all CASBE member councils for their ongoing leadership and support in realising this significant change.