RP2018: Empowering Broadway - Phase 1 Report

The Empowering Broadway research project’s purpose is to enable low carbon energy and water transitions for existing urban communities in Australia’s growing cities. If we are going to enable a low carbon future it will be critical that we learn how to transition existing urban systems ageing water and power infrastructure to flexible, resilient and sustainable networks. Emerging research and global best practice is demonstrating that empowering communities to form precincts, develop local water and energy solutions is both lowering utility costs and carbon reduction. Emergent technologies and business models in the energy and water sector along with the managing a changing climate will drive a step change in how these services are configured and consumed. We are undertaking research to better understand existing precincts, create business cases and implement the technologies and governance models required to
transition to a low carbon community. This research seeks to empower stakeholders within communities to drive transitions to low carbon energy and water use, by providing them with the data and processes they need
for change. The following highlights, barriers, opportunities and next steps are identified through the research.