Design Life

[matthewtrigg]

I am currently compiling an information pack on ‘design life’ for the City of Port Phillip (Melbourne, Australia) and would like to hear your thoughts on the issue.

As part of the town planning permit application process we now ask for applicants to state the ‘intended design life’ of their proposal. However it has been found that many individuals, designers and engineers do not fully comprehend what this entails.

The intention is for the design life to place all other decisions in context by determining how, over time, they will contribute to the building and the wider natural environment over time.

The design life is not enforced like other aspects of the permit; rather it is the first step towards full life-cycle assessment of developments.

So, at this point in time, design life simply refers to the length of time a development is intended to remain without any significant changes, with it opening the door to future discussions of the full life-cycle implications of specific design decisions.

So far those who have provided us with this information have not had to substantiate their claims, however it is expected that as knowledge of sustainable design becomes more mainstream this will not be the case.


What do you think about this approach?

Are there any particular points that you feel should be included in discussions regarding design life?



For more information on Sustainability Assessment in the Planning Process visit: Urban & Sustainable Design


Regards,

Matthew

[Corey]

Originally Posted by matthewtrigg

I am currently compiling an information pack on ‘design life’ for the City of Port Phillip (Melbourne, Australia) and would like to hear your thoughts on the issue.

As part of the town planning permit application process we now ask for applicants to state the ‘intended design life’ of their proposal. However it has been found that many individuals, designers and engineers do not fully comprehend what this entails.

The intention is for the design life to place all other decisions in context by determining how, over time, they will contribute to the building and the wider natural environment over time.

The design life is not enforced like other aspects of the permit; rather it is the first step towards full life-cycle assessment of developments.

So, at this point in time, design life simply refers to the length of time a development is intended to remain without any significant changes, with it opening the door to future discussions of the full life-cycle implications of specific design decisions.

So far those who have provided us with this information have not had to substantiate their claims, however it is expected that as knowledge of sustainable design becomes more mainstream this will not be the case.


What do you think about this approach?

Are there any particular points that you feel should be included in discussions regarding design life?



For more information on Sustainability Assessment in the Planning Process visit: Urban & Sustainable Design


Regards,

Matthew

buildings and infrastructure needs to be modular in that the next owner will need minimal change in order to make the building function for them thus More generic as far as businesses go. It seems here in the USA it has become common practice for businesses to only inhabit a building for a year or two then abandon it for out of business or poor location thus if the building is specialized it will have heavy re renovations to rip out relativity new structures that have only been present for a year or two thus extreme wast of building material that is new.......