The Melbourne Newsroom

Efforts to reduce livestock methane emissions in Australia received a major boost with the launch of a new research cluster led by the University of Melbourne and drawing on expertise from five other Australian universities, researchers in Canada and the CSIRO’s Sustainable Agriculture Flagship.

Architecture graduate Angela Darby from the University of Melbourne has a passion for sustainability and design and hopes to bring these two disciplines together through her studies at Oxford University.

University of Melbourne researchers have launched a new iPhone app that factors in local rainfall information and plant type to help gardeners remember how much to water and when.

While Australian cities are highly regarded for their livability, they face significant challenges with urban planning and infrastructure in the future.

Modern buildings are characterised by the use of glazed Multi-Skin Façade (MSF) that are aesthetically appealing; consider the re-development of the former CUB site, Swanston Street Melbourne. However, leading researchers in the School of Engineering, University of Melbourne have found that buildings with glazed façade systems could consume energy for heating and cooling up to 60-70% of operational costs. The challenge is to have energy efficient buildings that still look impressive.

Dr Patrick Hearps talks about future transport and sustainability.

The University of Melbourne has welcomed the new IBM Research and Development - Australia, which will help the community better prepare for and better cope with major natural disasters and lead to a more sustainable future.

Will Australia ever take up water recycling and consider the idea of ‘Toilet to Tap’?

Australia must do - and more importantly, be seen to do - its bit to reduce greenhouse gas emissions caused by transport, says Professor Nicholas Low, Director of the University of Melbourne-based Australasian Centre for the Governance and Management of Urban Transport (GAMUT).

Speaking ahead of an international conference organised by GAMUT on "Sustainable Transport in the Asia-Indo-Pacific", Professor Low says Australia needs to work harder to move transport planning in the right direction.

Australian businesses will need to engage in sustainability reporting in the future to remain competitive, according to a new report.