Water-Sensitive Urban Design and the Benefits of Implementing It

November 9, 2022

Most materials that are used and are being used in construction projects often come from the environment. Hence, it would be great for project owners, contractors, and other involved parties to heavily consider the impact of their projects on the environment.

One great way of ensuring that the environment will be protected from damage is to incorporate sustainable designs. One of these designs is water-sensitive urban design.

The Principles of Water-Sensitive Urban Design

Water-sensitive urban design or WSUD is an approach that incorporates water cycle management in urban planning and design. Mostly implemented in urban environments, WSUD ensures that the water cycle in communities would still function naturally, reducing the impact of the buildings and structures on the said natural process and the environment.

One aspect of this approach has to deal with the proper integration and design of stormwater, groundwater supply, and wastewater management. The main purpose of integrating these elements is to protect natural features and ecological processes, preserve the water quality of groundwaters and the surface, and minimise harmful wastewater discharges to the environment. Proper integration and design also aim to maintain the behaviour of catchments, cut demand on the reticulated water supply system, and integrate water into the landscape.

Major Benefits of Water-Sensitive Urban Design

The implementation of WSUD brings tons of benefits to property owners and their communities.

For one, this design approach can cut the volume of stormwater that enters the waterways. Stormwater is a product of the water cycle. And while it is natural for stormwater to accumulate on land areas, a huge volume of this water must not enter the waterways. WSUD, fortunately, reduces its volume, ensuring that the environment will not be affected negatively.

Another benefit of WSUD is it can mitigate floods. Intercepting the flow of stormwater through smart WSUD-related elements can ensure that instances of flooding can be reduced if not prevented, which protects property owners from obtaining damages to their structures. And since WSUD also helps improve stormwater quality, it can effectively enhance the water quality in rivers, bays, and other water bodies, which can then lead to improved biodiversity.

Other benefits of WSUD include minimised dependence on drinking water to irrigate green areas, decreased urban heat island effect, and improved levels of soil moisture.

Water-Sensitive Urban Design Main Applications

Various types of WSUD can be integrated into properties. Some of them include rain gardens, constructed wetlands, porous pavement, swales, rainwater and stormwater harvesting, green infrastructure, and infiltration trenches. 

Now, to ensure that properties will be sustainable, they must acquire regular WSUD assessments. These assessments are required by councils as part of town planning development approval. They are also needed for conditions documents. Generally, they involve the review of the proposed development for hard-stand area site coverage, opportunities for direct ground infiltration, water collection, stormwater diversion, and on-site water filtration.

If you require this assessment, you can contact us at Empire Thermal Group. 

Our passionate, smart, and helpful team can recommend WSUD advice that is backed up by STORM or MUSIC modelling tools and guidelines. We ensure to deliver intelligent sustainable solutions for your property to meet council requirements.

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