Fragments and Loading Docks: Examining the Relationship Between Urban Climate Change Policy and Design Tools in a Hotter, Dryer Climate of Melbourne, Australia

This chapter traces the evolution of recent climate policy related to heat in the inner city of Melbourne, Australia. The review highlights where institutional responses, aided by the rise of digital tools, have shifted from risk assessment towards collaborative planning models, followed by design guidelines and tools. The study also reveals the institutional layers of misalignment between government structures, policy, planning and design practice. The effect of this fragmentation in Australian climate planning and design and the privilege of science in policy development has contributed to persistent implementation gaps between research priorities, policy-led ambitions, and design in the competitive built environment industry.