Sustainable design

Environmentally sustainable design and water sensitive urban design are essential for all types of development. We assess these as part of the planning process to ensure positive outcomes for all new developments in Port Phillip.

I want to

Introducing Green Factor! Demonstrate the green infrastructure credentials of your proposed development using the free online Green Factor tool.

Available for all planning applicants in the City of Port Phillip to use. Green Factor can create a site-specific assessment for submission with your planning application. Submitting a Green Factor assessment will also earn you credit under the Innovation category of BESS.

Contact sustainabledesign@portphillip.vic.gov.au for more information.

Environmentally Sustainable Design (ESD) overview

Every building provides an opportunity to improve and reduce impacts on the natural environment. Our Environmentally Sustainable Development (ESD) Strategy 2024 includes standards for both council-led development and private development.

The built environment contributes significantly to global greenhouse gas emissions and consumption of resources. The Port Phillip Planning Scheme requires development to incorporate environmentally sustainable design (ESD) principles, which include incorporation of sustainable building practices and Water Sensitive Urban Design (WSUD), to reduce these environmental impacts.

Developments with good ESD credentials both improve occupant comfort and reduce building running costs.

Process to follow

Ensure all relevant ESD requirements have been integrated into the development’s design.
Request a pre-application meeting with Statutory Planning and request input from the Sustainable Design Planner.
Prepare ESD documentation relevant to your application, please refer to section ‘Application requirements’.
An issued planning permit will include a condition requiring an ESD As-Built Report to be submitted at the end of the build, documenting inclusion of the proposed ESD measures.

Application requirements

Your application submission will include the required ESD report, ESD Tool Assessment report and plans showing the ESD features.

Residential

Single dwelling

A stormwater management assessment using STORM (or other methods) for:

Extensions to an existing dwelling that are 50sqm in gross floor area or greater

A new dwelling

Multi-dwellings

A Sustainable Design Assessment (including an assessment using BESS, STORM or other methods) for:

2- 9 dwellings
A building used for accommodation (other than dwellings) with a gross floor area between 50sqm and 1000sqm

A Sustainability Management Plan (including an assessment using BESS/Green star, STORM/MUSIC or other methods) and a Green Travel Plan for:

10 or more dwellings
A building used for accommodation (other than dwellings) with a gross floor area of more than 1000sqm

Non-residential

A Sustainable Design Assessment (including an assessment using BESS and STORM/MUSIC or other methods) for:

A non-residential building with a gross floor area of 50 sqm to 1000 sqm

A Sustainability Management Plan (including an assessment using BESS/Green star, STORM/MUSIC or other methods) and a Green Travel Plan for:

A non-residential building with a gross floor area of more than 1000 sqm.

Mixed use (combined residential and non-residential)

Submission of applicable assessments for both the residential and non-residential components of the development, as outlined for the various typologies above.

Meaning of terms

Environmentally Sustainable Design (ESD) report – This contains details as to how the development addresses key ESD considerations. Usually called a Sustainable Design Assessment (SDA) or a Sustainability Management Plan (SMP).

Water Sensitive Urban Design (WSUD) report – This contains details as to how the development addresses WSUD stormwater harvesting and re-use. The objective being to reduce stormwater volume entering the drainage system and ultimately Port Philip Bay.

BESS – Built Environment Sustainability Scorecard - The Built Environment Sustainability Scorecard (BESS) is an online ESD assessment tool purpose-built for the planning application stage. It is suitable for almost all development types including single dwellings, dwelling extensions, multi-dwellings, non-residential and mixed use. A BESS score of 50 per cent indicates a 'Pass', while a score of 70 per cent or greater indicates 'Excellence'.

STORM - STORM assesses stormwater quality outcomes for small to medium-scale developments, as part of a WSUD Response. It's available online for free and managed by Melbourne Water. A minimum score of 100 per cent is required to demonstrate best practice stormwater management.

Water Sensitive Urban Design

What to submit

Stormwater catchment plan
STORM / MUSIC report
Maintenance manual for rainwater tank/ raingarden/ porous paving as applicable
Connection details of any rainwater tank for stormwater re-use
A stormwater site management plan – Refer to “Keeping our Stormwater Clean – A Builder’s Guide”

The development plans should also reflect the water sensitive urban design measures as per the stormwater catchment plan. For example, if a 2000L rainwater tank is to be connected to toilets for stormwater reuse, and located near the western boundary, this should be consistent on ground floor plan as well.

More detailed information about how to provide a good WSUD response can be found in this Compliance Guidelines for Stormwater Management document.

Key ESD considerations

A summary of the current ESD Best Practice Standards is available here.

The following links to online Sustainable Design Fact Sheets provide an overview of key ESD considerations:

Upcoming changes to ESD policy – Elevated ESD Targets Planning Scheme Amendment

The City of Port Phillip is seeking an elevation of ESD targets, whereby the proposed ESD policy elevates ESD outcomes by introducing additional design standards, which include, but not limited to:

Achieving net zero emissions development
Reducing embodied emissions of materials
Increasing the importance of vegetation

The proposed standards can be viewed online.

Call for Case Studies – Industry Partnership Program

Applicants with projects aiming for exemplary ESD outcomes are invited to demonstrate the proposed Elevating ESD Targets standards are achievable and help to set a new benchmark for sustainable development. If your development incorporates exemplary ESD in one or more ESD categories, and has approved plans and documentation, please contact council’s Sustainable Design Planner for more information. This program is an initiative of the Council Alliance for a Sustainable Built Environment (CASBE).