Sustainability

Taking a big picture view of sustainability

We feel strongly that sustainability has to be about more than just energy efficient light bulbs, so we've designed Auranga to balance social, economic, environmental and cultural needs through a number of approaches:

• The village centre will be the heart and soul of the Auranga community  providing plenty of opportunities to shop, socialise and share cultures.

• Walking is super important in Auranga, which has been designed so that 75 percent of residents live within 500 metres (five or six minutes’ walk) of local shops.

• Parks next to waterways will have about 7km of walking paths so people can get fit, enjoy the fresh air and experience nature up close.

• All the streets have footpaths providing health benefits and the opportunity for chance encounters.

• Special attention has been paid to providing safe cycle paths with garages and driveways facing private lanes at the back of properties so routes are unencumbered by vehicle crossings.

• The interconnected street network offers greater efficiency and will reduce vehicle kilometres travelled per household by 30 percent. This means better air quality and a healthier environment.

• House lots and streets have been oriented so homes and private spaces get lots of sun. It is estimated that this will result in a 20 percent reduction in home cooling and heating requirements.

• Many homes will have a wide, covered front verandah at the right height so people can enjoy interacting with passers-by.

• With the expansion of employment nodes in Auckland’s south, employment levels could be more than 100 percent self-sufficiency meaning more local jobs than anywhere else in urban Auckland.

• For people wanting to work outside the area, the proposed new rail services and electrification of the existing rail line will provide car-free connections north and south.