D13/163300
SDAPP – Sustainable Design Assessment in
the Planning Process A guide for applicants
Sustainable Design also known as Environmentally
Sustainable Design (ESD) is the use of design principles
and strategies that help reduce the environmental impact of
buildings, a key part of Moreland becoming a sustainable
city. ESD protects our environment, secures today’s living
standards and helps to protect our community against rising
utility costs.
Moreland City Council, along with other local governments
in Victoria, has developed a consistent and transparent ESD
assessment process, known as Sustainable Design Assessment in the Planning
Process (SDAPP).
This fact sheets explains what SDAPP is, how to prepare your SDAPP submission,
and what resources and assistance are available.
What is SDAPP?
For further information:
SDAPP refers to the consistent inclusion of key
environmental performance considerations into the
planning permit approvals process in order to
achieve more sustainable outcomes for the longterm benefit of the wider community.
Online
Visit our website:
www.moreland.vic.gov.au/building-andplanning/environmentally-sustainable-design.html
This process offers a high level of planning certainty
relevant to ESD, and ensures that ESD has been
considered during the early project planning phase,
when it achieves the greatest benefits at the lowest
costs.
Telephone
Speak to Council’s ESD Unit
9240 1138 (8:30am – 5:00pm, Monday to Friday)
Make an appointment and come in to discuss your
application.
Sustainable design is critical to any building projectbe it minor alternations or a large new development.
In person
Visit the Statutory Planning counter
Moreland Civic Centre, 90 Bell Street Coburg
Disclaimer: This publication is produced by Moreland City Council
and is intended for information and communication purposes only.
Although the publication may be of assistance to you Moreland
City Council does not guarantee that it is without flaw or is wholly
appropriate for your particular purposes. It and its employees do
not accept any responsibility, and indeed expressly disclaim any
liability, for any loss or damage, whether direct or inconsequential,
suffered by any person as the result of or arising from reliance on
any information contained in the publication.
There are sustainable design fact sheets and
information sheets covering a range of issues, such
as the planning permit application process, lodging
an application, objecting to an application, fast track
applications, ESD guidelines and useful checklists
for different types of applications.
Submitting ESD Information
To make sure your project
realises its full potential, we
encourage you to discuss your
design approach and
environmental targets with our
Statutory Planning staff or
Council’s ESD staff. To prepare
your ESD submission:


Determine which category
your development falls
within.
Prepare an SMP or
Sustainable Design
Statement, as determined
by your category. For large
developments you are
encouraged to engage a
qualified ESD professional.

Make sure all relevant ESD
initiatives are annotated on
your drawings.

Submit with your planning
permit application
Once your information is
submitted, it will be assessed by
Council’s ESD staff.
Your approved SMP or
Sustainable Design Statement is
endorsed if and when your
application receives a planning
permit, thereby making it a
statutory requirement to
implement the items listed (at a
minimum).
It’s best to consider ESD as
early as possible in the design of
your new building, when you can
maximise the benefits at the
lowest cost.
Sustainable Management Plan
(SMP)
Sustainable Design Assessment
(SDA)
When is an SMP required?
When is an SDA requested?
A Sustainable Management Plan
(SMP) is required for large scale
residential developments
comprising 15 or more dwellings
or 4 or more storeys, and any
significant non-residential
development.
An SDA is recommended for all
small developments that do not
meet the large-scale criteria.
What is an SMP?
An SMP is a detailed and holistic
sustainability assessment of a
proposed design at the planning
stage, and addresses the Key
Sustainable Building Categories.
Large developments are
expected to achieve best
practice in each of the Key
Sustainable Building Categories
and overall by addressing the
principles of ESD from the
design stage through to
construction and operation.
An SMP details the design
initiatives already incorporated
into the design and verifies that
a holistic ESD review has been
undertaken during a project’s
early design stages. It identifies
beneficial, easy to implement
and best practice initiatives.
An SMP should identify the
responsibilities and a schedule
for implementation and ongoing
management of incorporated
and proposed sustainability
design initiatives.
Refer to the SMP guidelines and
example SMP on our website for
further information.
What is an SDA?
An SDA is a simple sustainability
assessment of a proposed
design at the planning stage.
The SDA will support your
planning application by showing
how your development
addresses the relevant Key
Sustainable Building Categories
and meets Council’s ESD
requirements for small
developments.
By using free web-based tools,
such as STEPS and SDS (see
next page), you can easily
demonstrate that your project
goes beyond minimum
environmental standards.
An SDA for can be submitted by
enclosing the printout of
a STEPS or SDS report with
your planning application.
Generally, an SDA can be
prepared by applicants
themselves – it should not be
necessary to engage a
sustainability consultant.
Please refer to the SDA
guidelines & example SDA on
our website for further
information.
Determining your SDAPP Category
LARGE
SMALL
Residential
Developments of 15 or
more dwellings OR 4 or
more storeys
Non-residential
ALL
All developments that do
not meet the large-scale
criteria
Any significant nonresidential development
RECOMMENDED TOOLS
STEPS & SDS
STEPS
A free, comprehensive tool to
assess the environmental
performance of small residential
developments. Rate your home’s
performance and see where
your design can be improved.
Sustainable Design Scorecard
A free, comprehensive tool to
assess the environmental
performance of non-residential
developments.
Both STEPS and SDS are
available from
www.sustainablesteps.com.au
Pre application: obtain
Council’s ESD advice
Prepare
SMP
Submit with your planning
application
Consider obtaining Council’s
ESD advice
SDA
(STEPS/SDS)
Prepare
Consider and submit with your
planning application
ESD assessment by Council
Other relevant referrals
(e.g. Heritage, Urban Design,
Engineering, external authorities)
Discussion
of referral
responses
Council decision on your planning
application
First Rate
Building rating tool under the
Nationwide House Energy
Rating Scheme (NatHERS)
FirstRate assesses your home’s
future energy demands for
heating and cooling, considering
your building’s orientation and
fabric. A NatHERS rating is
required for a residential building
permit but it is recommended
that you confirm your rating in
advance to ensure compliance
with both planning and building
standards, and to help you with
energy efficient design from the
earliest opportunity.
http://www.makeyourhomegreen.vic
.gov.au.
Green Star
Green building rating tools
from the Green Building
Council of Australia (GBCA)
These tools for large building
projects evaluate the design and
achievements of buildings in all
sustainable design categories.
www.gbca.org.au
THE 10 KEY SUSTAINABLE BUILDING CATEGORIES:
1. Indoor Environment
Quality
Objective: to achieve a healthy
indoor environment quality for
the wellbeing of building
occupants.
Examples of design decisions:
 Natural light & ventilation
 External views
 Thermal comfort
 Acoustics
2. Energy Efficiency
Objective: to ensure the
efficient use of energy; to reduce
total operating greenhouse
emissions; and to reduce energy
peak demand.
Examples of design decisions:
 Efficient shading
 Energy rating above minimum
BCA requirements
 Renewable energy generation
 Efficient heating & cooling
services
3. Water Efficiency
Objective: to ensure the
efficient use of water; to reduce
total operating potable water
use; and to encourage the
appropriate use of alternative
water sources.
Examples of design decisions:
 Efficient fixtures and fittings
 Fit-for-purpose water use (e.g.
avoid potable water for
landscape irrigation and toilet
flushing)
 Re-use (e.g. greywater)
4. Stormwater Management
Objective: to reduce the impact
of stormwater run-off; to improve
the water quality of stormwater
run-off; to achieve best practice
stormwater quality outcomes;
and to incorporate the use of
water sensitive urban design,
including stormwater re-use.
Examples of design decisions:
 Rainwater tanks
 Raingardens
 Minimise impervious areas
operational stages of a
development.
Examples of design decisions:
 Construction Waste
Management Plan
 Operation Waste Management
Plan
 Storage space for recycling
and green waste
8. Urban Ecology
5. Building Materials
Objective: to minimise the
environmental impacts of
materials used by encouraging
the use of materials with
favourable life cycle impacts.
Examples of design decisions:
 Re-use of materials on-site
 Materials with recycled content
 Low embodied energy
materials
 Sustainable timber
6. Transport
Objective: to minimise car
dependency and to ensure that
the built environment is designed
to promote the use of public
transport, walking and cycling.
Examples of design decisions:
 Convenient & secure bike
storage
 End of trip facilities (showers &
change rooms) for
employees
 Car sharing facilities
 Green Travel Plan for
residents, visitors & staff
7. Waste Management
Objective: to ensure waste
avoidance, re-use and recycling
during the construction and
Objective: to protect and
enhance biodiversity and to
encourage the planting of
indigenous vegetation.
Examples of design decisions:
 On-site topsoil retention
 Maintaining/enhancing
ecological value
9. Innovation
Objective: to encourage
innovation technology, design
and processes in all
development, so as to positively
influence the sustainability of
buildings.
Examples of design decisions:
 Significant enhancements of
best practice ESD standards
 New technologies or design
approaches
10. Construction & Building
Management
Objective: to encourage a
holistic and integrated design
and construction process and
ongoing high performance.
Examples of design decisions:
 Building User’s Guide
 Operation Environmental
Management Plan
 Tuning of building systems