Integrated resource flow modelling of urban neighbourhoods: project SUNtool

Environmental  masterplanning  is  an  increasingly vibrant area of research and development activity. Design tools to support  environmental masterplanning can be loosely categorised as simulating (i)  microclimate,  (ii)  resource availability, and (iii) resource flows. Much progress has been made in respect of (i) and (ii) but the latter category – simulating resource flows within the urban neighbourhood – is at an embryonic stage. There is also a dearth of guidance for designing and managing sustainable urban neighbourhoods. This paper describes a new EC funded research project that  was  conceived  to fill  this  important  niche: Project SUNtool.