Living Carlton (Stages 4, 6, 7, 8 and 9)

Project Overview

The Living Carlton precinct stands as a benchmark urban renewal initiative, delivered as part of the Victorian Government’s strategic plan to significantly increase the supply of high-quality public, affordable, and private housing. At the time of its inception, this masterplanned redevelopment was the largest public/private housing partnership in Victoria’s history.

Following the completion of the precinct’s initial phases, Co-Perform was appointed to deliver comprehensive ESD (Ecologically Sustainable Development) consultancy services across all subsequent stages—encompassing Stages 4, 6, 7, 8, and 9. In total, Co-Perform oversaw the environmental and thermal performance frameworks for approximately 300 diverse residential dwellings.

Strategic ESD Consultancy & Compliance

Co-Perform worked in close collaboration with the joint venture developers, Frasers Property Australia and Citta Property Group, to navigate the stringent sustainability benchmarks mandated for the precinct. A primary objective of the engagement was ensuring strict alignment with the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Development Brief.

The DHHS framework demanded elevated environmental performance, long-term lifecycle efficiencies, and strict healthy-housing metrics across both the social and private housing assets. Co-Perform integrated these requirements into the architectural and services engineering workflows, establishing an enduring sustainability model for the multi-stage rollout.

Performance Solutions & Cost Optimisation

Navigating the complex regulatory intersection of statutory compliance, strict government briefs, and commercial viability required highly flexible engineering methodologies. Where Deemed-to-Satisfy (DTS) provisions under the National Construction Code (NCC) conflicted with project design or budgetary constraints, Co-Perform engineered tailored Performance Solutions.

These specialised engineering assessments utilised advanced thermal modelling and microclimate simulations to prove that alternative design interventions met or exceeded the performance requirements of the building code. This technical approach achieved a dual benefit: safeguarding the project’s ambitious sustainability goals while simultaneously meeting the developer’s commercial cost objectives.

Legacy and Impact

Through sustained involvement across five consecutive stages, Co-Perform ensured continuity of ESD principles throughout the Carlton precinct. Now fully completed, the resulting buildings deliver lowered operational running costs for residents, reduced strain on municipal infrastructure, and a verified model for high-density, socially integrated sustainable development in inner-city Melbourne.