Sustainability Benefits of Urban Density

Shreysha Shreysha (Student ID- 4561552)

Project Charter

The Vision for Melbourne 2026

Project title: Capture the sustainability benefits of urban density

Project description

Designing more energy efficient cities is a praiseworthy goal in order to obtain sustainable development. Melbourne is developing as a compact densely populated place to live, learn and work. It has one of the largest urban foot prints and a trend of increasing population in CBD due to job opportunities and facilities that holds number of benefits that can help create a sustainable city moving one step further towards better future. The idea of the project is to utilize the forces generated by urban population into the electrical energy that can be brought into use for different purposes.

Purpose and justification

The main purpose is to take a full benefit of daily activities of Melbournians and channeling these forces into production of electricity. Utilization of increasing urban density to reduce energy consumption will lead Melbourne towards sustainable future.

• Melbourne’s CBD is set to become the largest business center with increasing number of people traveling daily towards the city for jobs. There are many sustainable techniques that contributes in lowering the energy consumption. So, use of floor tiles that convert the kinetic force from a footstep to light up the city is one of them. Installation of such tiles in the main city core where attraction of crowd is more likely can be beneficial. Same ideas can be incorporated in the playgrounds and park where children play.
• West free gateway is the busiest urban freeway in Melbourne where around 200,000 vehicles passes each day. Installation of specially designed slabs with energy capture device under West gate bridge that converts the vehicle force into electricity to light up the road will reduce dependency on the electrical grids.
• Melbourne has a booming economy and population that loves being physically fit. The trend and need of leading a healthy life style influenced huge numbers of Melbournians to join fitness center. So, it is of no surprise that there are numbers of gymnasium in Melbourne. Even though the conversion of moving wheels of exercise bikes to energy couldn’t be justified in the past due to its high costing. Mass production of such motors and increase in demand may result in the price reduction and may change the scenario in a coming decade.

Objective

• Laying the ground work for creating Melbourne city’s sustainable energy future
• Implementing daily activities to convert kinetic force into electricity
• To reduce the load of electricity on distribution companies
• To feed the grids with electrical system rather than depending on it
• Reduction of energy bill
• To encourage the mass production of energy capturing devices making it affordable for the consumers.

Success Criteria

Prioritizing sustainability goals towards area where you can make the most meaningful impact and generate the biggest results.

• .The accumulated electrical energy can be used to power the services within the same building, area or routed to a new location.
• Cost effectiveness of the energy capturing devices
• Switching to energy efficient lighting levels in accordance with your production schedule will reduce long term electrical costs.
• Highlighting project initiatives to the public will help to attract a whole base of customers, resulting in increase in sales.
• Innovation of new technology that holds benefits for the community

Assumptions and Constraints

Assumption:

• Installation costs are high but considering the long run benefit the project becomes feasible.
• Reduction on the price of devices will attract more eyes towards this technique resulting in the success of the project
• Similar techniques to be adopted for other activities in future.

Constraints:

• If the installation cost for the motor/generator (energy capturing devices) that is used in the exercise bike doesn’t descend, energy output from this technology will have to wait a decade to recover the money that has been invested.
• Initiation of the project is possible only if the sponsors agree to invest.
• Lack of support from the community

High level Project description

A sustainable solution has always been a topic of interest and has been given priority because of its positive and healthy results. Therefore, proper study and justification of the project is to be submitted in order to collect funds form the sponsors (Victorian Government, private organizations)

High level risks

• Energy output from the motor(devices) will have to wait a decade to regain the money invested on this technology if the installation cost for motors/generators in the exercise bikes doesn’t descends.
• Will have to face a huge loss if the people does not support the idea of this technique.

Summary milestone

A greener city that lights up with the energy created by its urban residents. Over a decade or so, we might dream of a city that feeds the grid rather than depending on it leading the city to better and brighter future.

Deliverables

The main deliverables of this project are the installation of motors and generator of electricity which gets charged by the human and vehicular force in the area with maximum occupancy of people and vehicles. The main target area for this project would be the main CBD of Melbourne, Playgrounds, West gate bridge and fitness centers in Melbourne.

Summary budget

Sustainability fund distribution by the Victorian government can be one of the option for collecting budget for the project. The government is investing funds in sustainability projects to improve resource efficiency in Victorian community. So, this would be the opportunity to introduce strategic initiatives to receive investment through funds distributed by the government.

Stakeholder list

Electricity distribution companies

Government of Victoria

Residents of Melbourne

Fitness centers

Department of transport and main roads (Victoria)

West gate freeway

West gate bridge

Sponsors

Approval requirements

• Approval from the Victorian government
• Approval from the sponsors
• To be further investigated

PM authority on staffing, technical, decision, conflict, resolution, budget management

• To be investigated

Sponsor

• Victorian government
• Private organizations
• To be further investigated