About the Cool Suburbs Assessment

How to use the assessment

A step-by-step guide to the different stages of the assessment and what each one includes.

A quick guide to using the Cool Suburbs Assessment

The Cool Suburbs Assessment uses a five step process to determine the urban heat resilience performance of a project:

Step 1: Project description

The user enters the following information about the project. These project details and settings will determine which categories and credits are used to rate the project in Step 2.

The Climate Zone selected will determine the Default Credit Points and Impact Scores for each credit selected in Step 2.

The Land use mix selected is used to apply adjustment factors to the Default Credit Points and Default Impact Scores.

You can find detailed information on these defaults and adjustments in the Science Rationale in the resources page.

• Location: Suburb and Local Government Area
• Climate: NCC Climate Zone
• Development Type / Scale:
  • Master planned Community / Large Precinct (>1000 Lots)
  • Medium Precinct (101-1000 Lots)
  • Small Precinct (21-100 Lots)
  • Local Residential (2-20 Lots)
  • Local Commercial / Industrial / Institutional (2-20 Lots)
  • Local Mixed Use (2-20 Lots)
  • Single Lot (Residential)
  • Single Lot (Non-Residential)
  • Local Street
  • Local Park
• Land Use Mix (% of Gross Development Area)*:
  • Street reserves
  • Parks (all other than regional)
  • Residential buildings (all classes)
  • Non-residential buildings
• Planning Stage:
  • Development control
  • Development application and assessment

Step 2: Project assessment

In this step the user completes a self-assessment of compliance with the relevant credits. To claim a credit you will need to have the evidence and /or documentation required for the credit.

Refer to the Science Rationale Document in the Resources section for more information on each credit.

Step 3: Project Cool Suburbs star rating

Based on based on information entered in Steps 1 and 2 the assessment provides a Cool Suburbs Star Rating. This is calculated on a scale between 1 to 5 stars ranging from 1 star for projects that meets relevant Mandatory Credits only and 5 stars representing a project that satisfies all applicable Credits. Star bands are linearly distributed within that range.

Step 4: Cool Suburbs heat impact scores 

This step calculates heat mitigation performance scores at neighbour and local scales based on information entered in Steps 1 and 2.

The assessment calculates the project's Heat Impact performance relative to performance for a development of the same type that satisfies all relevant credits - a heat impact score of 85% means the project achieves 85% of the heat mitigation benefit if it were to meet all relevant credits for that type of development. The CST calculates heat impact performance for the following:

• Day / Night Neighbourhood Air Temperature
• Day / Night Local Air Temperature
• Day / Night Local Human Thermal Comfort

The CST uses Default Heat Impact Scores from based on the project's applicable Credits and Climate Zone. As with the calculation for the Cool Suburbs Star Rating in Step 3, the same adjustment factors are applied to the Heat Impact Scores from on the basis of land use mix selected for the project.

Step 5: Cool Suburbs heat resilience checklist

This step provides guidance on additional urban heat resilience measures to be considered as a response to residual extreme heat risk. This covers key elements of what to include in a development to ensure that the residual risk from acute urban heat events is managed appropriately, particularly in relation to vulnerable communities.

Refer to the Science Rationale in the resources section for more information on these resilience measures.