A summary of the opportunities, benefits and design considerations of developing or retrofitting water sensitive carparks.
Design Scale: Street
Carparks are necessary urban infrastructure and provide a significant opportunity for the creation of multifunctional urban space.
Carparks and roads have a significant impact on localised warming known as the Urban Heat Island Effect. The dark coloured surfaces absorb the suns heat resulting in increased surface and ambient temperatures. On hot days, these areas can be several degrees hotter than their surrounds. Carparks also produce pollutants from car exhausts, oils and degrading bitumen.
Increased tree canopy coverage, raingardens, swales, tree pits, pervious paving, infiltration systems and other water sensitive urban design (WSUD) measures reduce heat, reduce pollutant mobilisation through onsite treatment, reduce stormwater runoff volumes and velocities, and increase groundwater recharge.
These WSUD measures also reduce construction and maintenance costs through reduced infrastructure costs, reduced replacement costs and extending lifespan of shaded bitumen.
Our focus areas
Supporting community wellbeing and healthy environments within resilient and sustainable places throughout Western Australia.
