At LID Consulting our experienced ESD consultants produce smart, easy to understand and easy to implement environmentally sustainable design (ESD) reports including:
- Sustainable Management Plans (SMPs), for larger developments
- Sustainable Design Assessments (SDAs), for smaller developments
- and the Built Environment Sustainability Scorecard BESS.
LID Consulting are Environmentally Sustainable Development (ESD) consultants with a decade of expertise. We are a diverse team with diverse backgrounds who can devise personalised plans with more background context than most. We know what Councils want and we are invested in the long-term. We will collaborate with you to raise the bar with smart sustainable design and waste solutions, to create buildings that work with the planet.
Two thirds of Melbourne councils and an increasing number of regional councils now require Environmentally Sustainable (ESD) reports for new developments prior to approval. Generally these are Sustainable Design Assessments (SDA) for smaller developments and Sustainable Management Plans (SMP) for larger developments. Both types of reports include the BESS (Built Environment Sustainability Scorecard) tool amongst other tools and considerations. Our consultants have established networks in many local council areas and can clarify your requirements or liaise with council to clarify their requests. Talk to us to get the scope and price right for your development size.
We recommend practical and easy to implement solutions. Our team is passionate, smart, and easy to deal with. Our ESD reports, are designed to stand out with easy to understand graphics and layouts. We have experience with all local councils requiring SMP/SDA type ESD reports and we undertake hundreds of them each year. We are fast, insightful and provide clear and quantifiable recommendations.
Please contact us if you would like to discuss the process or require a quote. We will generally turn around quotes within 24 hours, and reports within 1-2 weeks or to meet your timelines.
Sample ESD report from LID Consulting
Sample of quantifiable benefits shown using LID consulting proprietary icons
Sample of an ESD report executive summary using LID consulting proprietary icons
delivering better developments
Sustainability Management Plans
Sustainable Management Plans (SMPs) are sometimes also known as ESD Management Plans. Required for larger developments of 10 or more residential dwellings or non-residential spaces of more than 1000m2. The majority of Melbourne councils now require these or similar environmentally sustainable design (ESD) reports for developments of this size. Our consultants can advise on your local council’s requirements.
Sustainability Management Plans detail the Ecological or Environmentally Sustainable Design (ESD) elements that are to be included in a particular development. They address different categories of sustainability such as: Energy Efficiency, Internal Environment Quality, Water Sensitive Urban Design, Potable Water Demand Reduction, Transport, Waste, Materials selection, Urban Ecology, Management, and Community and Maintenance initiatives.
Feel free to call us if you need an ESD report for your large development project. Quotes are generally provided within 24 hours.
smart, sustainable solutions
Sustainability Design Assessments (SDAs) for smaller developments
Sustainable Design Assessments (SDAs) are also known as Sustainable Design Statements or Sustainable Design/Development Statements.
SDAs are required for smaller developments of 2-9 dwellings or non-residential developments under 1000m2. Sustainable Design Assessments (SDA) or Sustainable Design Statement (SDS) are a simpler version of the Sustainability Management Plan (SMP). At LID consulting we have significant experience working with the increasing number of councils who require SDAs and SDAs and our reports are well respected.
With Sustainable Design Assessments / Statements the base reports used are the council developed BESS tool, although these assessment tools are expanded upon in our reports.
See the following councils’ Sustainable Design Assessment in the Planning Processes (SDAPP) explanations for further details:
Please contact us if you would like a quote for your smaller development project. We will generally turn around quotes within 24 hours, and reports within 1-2 weeks or to meet your timelines.
Sample of an ESD report executive summary using LID consulting proprietary icons
Sample BESS report summary showing a 70% overall score
Summary of environmental category performance in a BESS report
BESS framework assesses across nine categories
cap your footprint
The Built Environment Sustainability Scorecard (BESS)
The Built Environment Sustainability Scorecard (BESS) is a building sustainability tool developed by the Victorian Council Alliance for a Sustainable Built Environment (CASBE). Used in the planning permit stage, it is used to evaluate the energy and water efficiency, thermal comfort and overall environmental sustainability performance of developments against a set of benchmarks. LID Consulting are well placed to identify sustainability focussed options and manage development submissions using the BESS tool having played a significant part in its development in 2015.
The BESS framework was created to inspire improved outcomes, however our ESD consultants are in a position to suggest easy-to-implement changes that will go above and beyond to achieve a much higher BESS score of your development if desired. With significant experience in best practice stormwater management we are also experts in the MUSIC and STORM tools that are required as an input to address the stormwater section of the BESS framework.
Depending on the development size and type, different options and points are available in each of the following categories in BESS:
- Management
- Water
- Energy
- Stormwater
- Indoor Environment Equality (IEQ) (daylight and ventilation)
- Transport
- Waste
- Urban ecology
- Innovation
While a 50% score is required overall for a pass, water, energy, stormwater and IEQ also need to be passed to have a complying BESS assessment.
The water category can be passed with the inclusion of efficient fixtures and rainwater tanks connected to toilets.
The energy category may require preliminary energy ratings and/or Section J assessments to identify that the design can readily achieve the required 6 star residential (or 10% improvement) or Section J non-residential standards. This is useful feedback to designers earlier than would otherwise occur if energy ratings or Section J assessments are only undertaken at the building permit stage.
To pass the stormwater category, it is beneficial to have rainwater tanks connected to toilets. In this scenario, rainwater falling on the site is properly treated through the sewer system instead of entering the stormwater system. The inclusion of rainwater tanks is also a local Victorian Building Code variation compliance option for class 1 dwellings (the alternatives are solar hot water or heat pump hot water units) so it is a smart inclusion as this one element can tick a number of requirements.
The indoor environment quality category typically requires consideration of daylight in developments other than townhouses.
Please contact us if you would like to discuss the process or require a quote. We will generally turn around quotes within 24 hours, and reports within 1-2 weeks or to meet your timelines.
