On this 1.5-hectare parcel of land, Western Australian Government land development agency DevelopmentWA is delivering a new way of living for future generations.
A partnership between DevelopmentWA, Power Ledger and Curtin University through the Australian Government’s Smart Cities and Suburbs initiative will see a shared 670kWh battery reduce the development’s energy consumption during the construction process, before playing a key role as an ongoing facility for households at East Village.
Residents will participate in trials of innovative energy-sharing technology and be able to sell their excess solar energy to the battery and purchase energy from the battery when required. For example when the sun isn’t shining or when their energy needs exceed the capacity of their solar panels.
Town homes at East Village will be powered by 100 per cent renewable energy, using individual PV solar systems, a micro grid and stored surplus energy from the shared battery, with any additional energy requirements sourced from renewable suppliers.
The commitment to leading-edge sustainability continues with a waterwise approach to development, with initiatives including rainwater harvesting and non-potable water systems plumbed to hot water systems, toilets and washing machines, cutting the need to draw on mains water supply.
East Village also features a sustainable approach to transport, with the provision of an on-site electric vehicle share car funded by the Fremantle Smart Cities and Suburbs project, the inclusion of individual electric vehicle chargers in each home and a strata-owned fast-charge station for community and visitor use.
Importantly, the learning from this development – and others delivered by DevelopmentWA – will be shared through a partnership with Curtin University, the Legacy Living Laboratory. This on-site facility will be the location of the national iHUB project, a network of national research collaboration for smarter urban planning, design and management.
The research conducted by DevelopmentWA into precinct-scale sustainability initiatives will help to inform best practice design for future housing developments – unlocking a new way of living for Australians, and creating new opportunities for industry in the decades to come.
Abstract from ICTC 2019 Conference
Author: Frank Marra, CEO, DevelopmentWA