The National Project Economic Evaluation Framework project for WSUD and green infrastructure has advanced well in its first 6 months. Cooperative Research Centre for Water Sensitive Cities’ (CRCWSC) Integrated Research Project 2 (IRP2) is a three-year project that commenced in January 2017. The aim of IRP2 is to create an evaluation framework to quantify economic, environmental, and community values of water-related investments.
Stakeholder engagement
IRP2 has developed a strategy to guide communications and level of engagement required under each group of external stakeholders to ensure useful and relevant tools, guidelines and approaches are produced. Water Sensitive SA is an investment partner in this project and is directly involved in the industry advisory steering committee.
Benefit-cost analysis tool
IRP2 has completed the review of existing BCA tools currently in use by different groups. Additionally, through wide consultation, we have now established what a benefit-cost analysis tool (BCA) relevant to water sensitive systems and practices should look like and how it should function to enable the best uptake in the sector.
Non-market values and benefit transfer tool
An update of the report on all the existing non-market values of water sensitive systems and practices has been completed, and we are now in the process of developing a database on non-market values.
Urban heat mitigation
IRP2 has determined the appropriate modelling methods, explored study site locations, and significantly progressed in developing landscape scenarios.
Case studies
IRP2 has held three workshops to clarify the scope and understand the specific issues of three separate case studies; Greening the Pipeline (Melbourne), Subiaco Wastewater Precinct (Perth), and a Residential Development with WSUD (Perth). Further case studies around urban renewal projects in Victoria, SA and Queensland are being considered.
The CRCWSC website outlines all the work packages, details of proposed case study sites, deliverables and outputs of the project. The project team and Project Steering Committee members’ details are available on the website.
For further information:
Sayed Iftekhar, Project Leader, (08) 6488 4634
Download Integrated Research Project 2: Comprehensive economic evaluation framework project update PDF.