Low Impact Urban Design and Development (LIUDD)

Abstract

This research aims to study environmental planning approach -- the Low Impact Urban Design and Development: LIUDD -- which has been widely applied in New Zealand, and to suggest guidelines for reducing environmental impacts from urban development. The study emphasizes the physical, economic, social and environmental aspects of sustainable urban design and planning in order to increase biodiversity and to protect the integrity of land and water ecosystems.

The results show that the LIUDD principle should be promoted and applied in urban areas in order to mitigate environmental issues resulting from urban expansion. The proposed approaches to urban environmental planning for this study include promoting alternative forms of urban development that preserve, restore, or create natural areas, enhancing the efficiency of infrastructure in catchment context, managing water, soil and organic cycles at sources to maintain natural processes,  integrating three waters management – stormwater, wastewater, and water supply within catchment areas, reducing and retaining contaminants at sources, restoring and protecting indigenous, terrestrial and aquatic biodiversity, reducing demand for transport, and minimizing energy consumption.