Arup-CUSP partnership to build stronger green economy

The Curtin University Sustainability Policy (CUSP) Institute has formed a partnership with multinational services firm Arup to deliver collaborative research in the area of sustainable development.

Professor Peter Newman, CUSP Director, and Allan Mason, Principal, Perth Office Leader at Arup, will lead the three-year collaborative partnership, which aims to deliver tangible outputs in many areas of the ‘green economy’, including sustainability policy, planning for sustainability, sustainable urban infrastructure and development, rural sustainability, resilience and climate change.

Professor Newman will work closely with Arup staff across Australia on projects to overcome planning issues in urban and regional areas. Such issues are related to climate change, carbon management and improving the built environment as well as economic issues to do with more productive infrastructure and more socially acceptable urban planning.

Professor Newman said the partnership, which he described as “made in heaven”, demonstrated Arup and CUSP’s commitment to the environment and best practice urban planning.

“CUSP is one of the world’s largest sustainability research institutes, with 55 PhDs doing cutting-edge research on how we can create a more sustainable future for our cities and regions. Arup is the world’s premier consultancy on sustainability matters, with a long track record of innovative projects,” Professor Newman said.

Arup employs more than 10,000 planners, designers, engineers and consultants to contribute to major capital works projects across the globe. Such projects have included the Sydney Opera House, the Swan Bells in Perth, major new low carbon cities in China and the Beijing and London Olympics.

Mason said, “The collaborative partnership will strengthen our transition to an ecological age and we look forward to working with CUSP to explore real solutions to some of the most important challenges facing our world today and over coming decades.

“Our focus will be on leadership and enhancing our collective ability to influence change in the fields of mutual interest. Real-world projects will be tackled, providing tangible and commercial solutions.”