The Australian built environment : current challenges and innovative responses

The exploratory research presented in this discussion paper was undertaken as input to a major research grant application for the Australian Research Council. The research looks at the contribution of the Australian built environment to meet social and environmental needs. The paper examines the following research questions: What are the main challenges facing the Australian built environment? What types of building innovations might address those challenges? The research questions were addressed through desk-top research, involving an international review of (1) relevant academic literature in top-tier construction management and general management journals, and (2) high profile industry reports published internationally. Future research will involve assessing the diffusion of the identified building innovations and gauging their impact on social and environmental goals.

Impact fees and new housing cost: A comparative analysis of the empirical models

Developers and policy makers are consistently at odds over the debate as to whether impact fees increase house prices. This debate continues despite the extensive body of theoretical and empirical international literature that discusses the passing on to home buyers of impact fees, and the corresponding increase to housing prices. In attempting to quantify this impact, over a dozen empirical studies have been carried out in the US and Canada since the 1980’s. However the methodologies used vary greatly, as do the results. Despite similar infrastructure funding policies in numerous developed countries, no such empirical works exist outside of the US/Canada. The purpose of this research is to analyse the existing econometric models in order to identify, compare and contrast the theoretical bases, methodologies, key assumptions and findings of each. This research will assist in identifying if further model development is required and/or whether any of these models have external validity and are readily transferable outside of the US. The findings conclude that there is very little explicit rationale behind the various model selections and that significant model deficiencies appear still to exist.

Mobility and active ageing in suburban environments : findings from in-depth interviews and person-based GPS tracking

Background. Governments face a significant challenge to ensure that community environments meet the mobility needs of an ageing population. Therefore, it is critical to investigate the effect of suburban environments on the choice of transportation and its relation to participation and active ageing. Objective. This research explores if and how suburban environments impact older people’s mobility and their use of different modes of transport. Methods. Data derived from GPS tracking, travel diaries, brief questionnaires, and semistructured interviews were gathered from thirteen people aged from 56 to 87 years, living in low-density suburban environments in Brisbane, Australia. Results. The suburban environment influenced the choice of transportation and out-of-home mobility. Both walkability and public transportation (access and usability) impact older people’s transportation choices. Impracticality of active and public transportation within suburban environments creates car dependency in older age. Conclusion. Suburban environments often create barriers to mobility, which impedes older people’s engagement in their wider community and ability to actively age in place. Further research is needed to develop approaches towards age-friendly suburban environments which will encourage older people to remain active and engaged in older age.

Application of Resilience concept for enhanced management of water supply systems

This paper presents an approach to developing indicators for expressing resilience of a generic water supply system. The system is contextualised as a meta-system consisting of three subsystems to represent the water catchment and reservoir, treatment plant and the distribution system supplying the end-users. The level of final service delivery to end-users is considered as a surrogate measure of systemic resilience. A set of modelled relationships are used to explore relationships between system components when placed under simulated stress. Conceptual system behaviour of specific types of simulated pressure is created for illustration of parameters for indicator development. The approach is based on the hypothesis that an in-depth knowledge of resilience would enable development of decision support system capability which in turn will contribute towards enhanced management of a water supply system. In contrast to conventional water supply system management approaches, a resilience approach facilitates improvement in system efficiency by emphasising awareness of points-of-intervention where system managers can adjust operational control measures across the meta-system (and within subsystems) rather than expansion of the system in entirety in the form of new infrastructure development.

A home-based progressive resistance exercise programme for patients with venous leg ulcers : a feasibility study

This study aimed to assess the feasibility of a home-based exercise program and examine the effects on the healing rates of venous leg ulcers. A 12 –week randomised controlled trial was conducted investigating the effects of an exercise intervention compared to a usual care group. Participants in both groups (n = 13) had active venous ulceration and were treated in a metropolitan hospital outpatients clinic in Australia. Data were collected on recruitment from medical records, clinical assessment and questionnaires. Follow-up data on progress in healing and treatments were collected fortnightly for 12 weeks. Calf muscle pump function data were collected at baseline and 12 weeks from recruitment. Range of ankle motion data were collected at baseline, 6 and 12 weeks from recruitment. This pilot study indicated that the intervention was feasible. Clinical significance was observed in the intervention group with a 32% greater decrease in ulcer size (p=0.34) than the control group, and a 10% (p=0.74) improvement in the number of participants healed in the intervention group compared to the control group. Significant differences between groups over time were observed in calf muscle pump function parameters; (ejection fraction [p = 0.05]; residual volume fraction [p = 0.04]) and range of ankle motion (p = 0.01). This pilot study is one of the first studies to examine and measure clinical healing rates for participants involved in a home-based progressive resistance exercise program. Further research is warranted with a larger multi-site study.

Hospital and home : strange bedfellows or new partners?

This paper addresses the hospital/community interface as an emerging context of health care practice. As a consequence of industry reforms health service managers are looking to the community space as a location for delivery of acute health care. This focus on the community is sharpened by the promise of cost savings and enhanced by the seemingly limitless potential of biomedical technology. The paper argues that the interface of hospital and community is a conceptual space where two different types of health services meet, bringing with them different cultural practices and expectations. The ‘hospital in the home’ programs that structure health care at this interface provide the delivery of acute nursing and medical care and the accoutrements of this care in the community, the neighbourhood, the home. Consequently, the home is becoming the new site for high technology ‘hospital’ care. This domestication of illness technology is contrasted with the notion of home as a place of sanctuary, familiarity and belonging.

Retirement villages : time for a change?

In retirement, many Australians relocate to a less onerous form of home occupation. Some downsize their house, or move to a strata title complex. Others, attracted by lifestyle perceptions, move into a retirement village. However, research shows Retirement Village documentation is complex and more analogous to commercial leasing than home ownership. The most recent government review by New South Wales, confirms the need for change. This paper identifies the current retirement village tenure models generally available in Australia. By comparing the various State/Territory systems the authors draw conclusions regarding the adoption of standardised documentation and uniform Australian Retirement Village legislation.

Transportation : implications for accessibility for older people

Objective: This research investigates older people’s use of transportation to develop strategies for age-friendly transportation within the community. Methods: Data for this study was derived from Global Positioning System (GPS) tracking of thirteen people aged 55 years and older, together with self-report information recorded in travel diaries about daily activities undertaken outside the home over a period of seven days. Semi-structured interviews were aided by individual maps to investigate engagement in out-of-home activities and verify the recorded GPS data. Results: Overall, participants were highly reliant on the car for daily commuting. Walking, biking and public transport options were unattractive due to environmental conditions, accessibility and usability. Conclusion: Participation within the community and access to services is facilitated by private and public transportation. It is therefore critical to address accessibility and usability issues faced by older people to enable them to maintain their mobility, and ensure access to services, especially when driving ceases.

Treating skin tears in nursing home residents : a pilot study comparing four types of dressings

A pilot study was conducted to compare four types of dressings used to treat skin tears in nursing home residents. Wounds treated with a non-occlusive dressing healed more quickly than those dressed with occlusive dressings. The results suggest that ease of use and product wastage are important considerations when treating skin tears. The pilot study also highlights the need for further research into skin tear management and the need for ongoing education for nurses regarding skin integrity risk assessment and product information.

Existential place-making : the dialogical realms of design for dwelling with disability

The world of disability is often neglected or taken for granted in able-bodied society. Apart from the challenge that disability is a social construct (Linton, 1998, 2006; Longmore, 2003; Thompson, 1997) there is an impact on the people with disability that they either feel left out or they don’t belong in the larger community. The able-bodied community is also left with very little knowledge or no sensitivity towards people with disability. These internal whirlpools do not contribute to any community only to create larger gaps and higher differences between the groups of people. Peace (2010) claims that disability is something imposed on to a person on top of a physical impairment. Nord (2008) advocates that while environmental barriers and social attitudes are crucial aspects of a person’s experience, they can indeed disable a person. The study reported high-lights what is home for people with disability and their family members. The way the person with disability and family members without disability share the same home and nurture personal relationships with each other demands greater attention. This research sheds light on the intricate relationships that exists between the family members including person with disability and their built environment. These existential connections provide a holistic viewpoint and the glimpse into the lived experiences of homes for people with disability and their care-givers. Concepts of universal design or barrier free design have not been successful (Connell and Sanford, 1999) in revealing in-depth the nature of place-making for people with disability and their care-givers. Such studies fail to incorporate the holistic needs of individuals with disability and their family members in terms of their bodily, visceral, emotional, social, psycho-social, intuitive, spiritual and temporal needs, to name a few (Franz, Bitner, 2010). This paper reports on some preliminary findings on phenomena of dwelling for people with different kinds of disability and their care-givers sharing the same home from an interior design perspective.