Sustainability can be applied in different ways to many different types of development.

Achieving sustainability

Some of the ways that a sustainable built environment can be achieved are:

• minimising impact on biodiversity through appropriate design and siting of buildings;
• reducing greenhouse gas emissions by locating buildings close to public transport facilities and providing for walking and cycling facilities;
• reducing emissions of greenhouse gases through energy efficiency measures and through use of renewable energy;
• reducing potable water use and recycling water where appropriate;
• reducing stormwater run off;
• improving indoor air quality; and
• using sustainable building products.

Planning controls and technical standards

Design professionals and construction occupation professional should refer to the following links to regulations and standards to help clients meet sustainable design requirements:

• the Territory Plan - refer to relevant Codes as required by development tables;
• the Building Code of Australia and related protocols;
• energy efficiency standards; and
• water efficiency requirements.

Ideas to consider and services to use for residential buildings

The Guide to Good Design looks at home design issues and provides suggestions on achieving long-term cost savings and high quality of life by including well-considered environmentally friendly features in your development, such as orientation, shading, glazing, energy sources and appliances, water, the outdoors and adaptable housing.

Fire-wise Home Design and Construction and Fire-Wise Home Gardens suggests building materials and plants that can help to reduce your home's suspectibility to attach from flames or embers.

The Federal Department of Climate Change provides information about designing and building a more comfortable home that is less expensive to run while more environmentally friendly.

The Home Energy Advice Team offers a free advisory service on ways to make your home more sustainable.

Your Home is a suite of consumer and technical guide materials and tools developed to encourage the design, construction or renovation of homes to be confortable, healthy and more environmentally sustainable.

The Green Building Council's Green Star tool addresses the sustainability of a range of commercial and institutional buildings.

The National Australian Built Environmental Rating System can provide energy and water sustainability ratings for the operation of office buildings.

The Australian Government has developed an Ecologically Sustainable Development Design Guide for Australian Government Buildings.