Regional cities beware – fast rail might lead to disadvantaged dormitories, not booming economies

17 July 2019

Governments are looking to fast rail services to regional cities to relieve population pressures in major cities, but will subsidising metropolitan workers to live in cheaper regional towns have a positive economic effect?

From hospital to homeless: Victoria’s mental health system fails the most vulnerable

11 July 2019

People experiencing homelessness and poor mental health are among Australia’s most vulnerable citizens. Without secure housing and an accessible mental healthcare system, recovery from mental illness is seriously compromised.

Walking and cycling to work makes commuters happier and more productive

04 July 2019

In Australia, more than 9 million people commute to work every weekday. The distance they travel and how they get there – car, public transport, cycling or walking – can influence their well-being and performance at work.

Australia’s social housing policy needs stronger leadership and an investment overhaul

03 July 2019

Australia will need another 730,000 social housing dwellings in 20 years if it is to tackle homelessness and housing stress among low-income renters.

Meet Claire Boulange: Expert in urban analytics for healthy cities

20 June 2019

Can video games like SimCity help smart city design? Dr Claire Boulange explains how planning can be playful to build healthy liveable cities for all.

Public housing program risks reducing homes for vulnerable groups: report

29 May 2019

A new report evaluating the Victorian Government’s program to redevelop inner suburban public housing estates says the plan may reduce the amount of homes available for vulnerable households.

Creating built environments to support active living

28 May 2019

More than 75% of the population of Australia’s largest cities continue to live in suburbs. The implications include reduced opportunities for physical activity, social interaction, access to public transport & high motor vehicle dependency.

What’s your favourite animal? Researchers want to know

As part of efforts to bring back nature into our cities, researchers are asking people across the globe about their favourite animals to determine which creature is ahead of the pack.

Willum Warrain Gathering Place: Connecting Country, culture and community

27 May 2019

A new RMIT project celebrates the powerful story of an Indigenous gathering place and how it connects cultures, communities and Country.

Meet Mittul Vahanvati: Expert in housing and community resilience

23 May 2019

The homes we live in, and the homes we’re building, are not what we need in a changing climate. Dr Mittul Vahanvati explains what this means and what we need to change to support climate resilience in Australia.

Landmark liveability research wins at national planning awards

17 May 2019

Pioneering RMIT research that delivered the first true measurement of liveability in Australia’s capital cities has been recognised with a top planning award.

How should I vote if I care about preventing the extinction of nature?

Some voters heading to the polls this weekend may be casting their ballot with biodiversity in mind, after a major UN report released last week highlighted the global extinction crisis facing more than a million species.

Of all the problems our cities need to fix, lack of car parking isn’t one of them

Parking is a fiery issue in Australian cities. That’s because cars dominate our cities, supported by decades of unbalanced planning decisions favouring space for cars over other land uses or forms of transport

Crowded trains? Planning focus on cars misses new apartment impacts

12 May 2019

Wondering why you can’t get a seat on the train? Perhaps it’s because we don’t actually know how many extra people will use public transport when new building developments are planned.

Liveable urban environments: An opportunity or threat to reducing health inequities?

10 May 2019

Creating ‘liveable’ urban environments is seen as an important way of improving the health and wellbeing of the residents in our towns and cities.

Seven ways climate change affects key Federal Election issues

06 May 2019

Climate action is rated as a top priority among voters in the lead up to this year’s Federal Election. How does it affect other key campaign issues?

Indonesia isn’t the only country planning new cities. Why not Australia?

02 May 2019

The announcement that President Joko Widodo’s government will move Indonesia’s capital to another location, due to the severity of human-induced degradation in Jakarta, highlights a key tension for cities today.

Want to get people walking? Make train stations about more than transport

29 April 2019

Train station precincts with more shops and apartment blocks are key to getting residents walking, a new report has found, with stations in Melbourne’s north and south-east ripe for redevelopment.

Mapping our urban forests

05 April 2019

How do we ensure we have thriving and extensive urban vegetation as our cities develop, consolidate and grow? This is one of the key urban challenges of Australian cities.

Social and spatial characteristics of the future urban vehicle fleet

Innovative data use and modelling is helping uncover important questions around social justice in our urban vehicle fleets.

An ‘Airbnb’ for energy could help homes share spare power

21 March 2019

Could the future of energy lie in the sharing economy? Research shows energy sharing platforms may be key to supporting our transition to new tech and cleaner power, while delivering for consumers.

Assessing the evolution of Victoria’s environment portfolio

20 March 2019

A new report by Dr Brian Coffey contributes to a better understanding of Victoria’s environment portfolio, how it has evolved, and how it might be improved.

The terror of climate change is transforming young people’s identity

15 March 2019

Today, thousands of Australian students will join children from over 82 countries who are walking out of school to protest climate change inaction.

A sustainable future is in our hands

14 March 2019

From climate science to agricultural upcycling, and food packaging to urban farming, meet four researchers from around the world working towards a sustainable future.