NIWA developed an integrated framework that would enable urban planners in New Zealand to quantitatively incorporate air quality, traffic emissions and energy use as evaluation parameters to develop and implement growth strategies. They called it TOTUS (towards sustainable urban forms). The researchers intended that a tool incorporating environmental, health and energy related parameters into the decision-making process would support better urban development management practices.
During the next phase of research, they focused on demonstrating the features of the system, and working towards wider availability of the service, via a series of projects.
Researcher
- Gustavo Olivares