Case Study:
BrisUrban - A Long-Term Solution for Brisbane's Planning Challenges
What Challenges led Brisbane to Adopt UrbanSim as a SaaS Urban Model System?
In the face of climate-induced challenges, the upcoming hosting of the Summer Olympics, and persistent housing affordability issues, Brisbane City Council (BCC) required a sophisticated system to enhance urban planning and meet state mandated planning requirements. Responding to these challenges, BCC engaged UrbanSim Inc. to implement a SaaS urban model system capable of addressing the intricate and evolving planning needs of Australia's largest local government area by population.
Brisbane City Council (BCC) manages an area that is home to more than 1.25 million people in Australia, covering an area of 1,342.7 square kilometres, and employes over 8,000 employees with an annual budget of more than $5.0 billion. BCC has tremendous opportunities ahead to showcase the city to the world, having been selected as the host city for the 2032 Summer Olympics. While this affords the city with a great opportunity for investment, tourism and a spotlight on the global stage, it also presents a wide array of planning and infrastructure challenges. BrisUrban will support this opportunity with the long-term projection of urban development and infrastructure, assisting Brisbane planners to ensure that facilities, housing, and transportation will be timely prepared to handle the influx of athletes, media, and visitors during this major international event, and plan the event in such a way that it leaves a legacy behind for the growth and prosperity of the city.
Brisbane, a city grappling with the recurring and growing risk of floods exacerbated by climate change, needed robust planning tools to mitigate risks and anticipate future scenarios. Climate challenges necessitated an urban model capable of simulating the risk and impact of flooding on various land use planning options (scenarios) and devising strategies to alleviate potential damages.
BCC also recognized the critical challenge of housing supply, diversity and affordability. Through the BrisUrban platform, BCC aimed to model housing and floor area demand and supply dynamics under multiple scenarios, enabling informed policy decisions to keep housing, employment, and supporting services within reach for its diverse population.
“In a time where most cities are grappling with growth challenges, Urbansim has delivered a tool of exceptional value to policy makers that has become the gold standard and envy across Australia.”
— Andre Brits, former Principal Research Officer and Project Lead at Brisbane City Council.
How is Brisbane Using BrisUrban?
BrisUrban, UrbanSim's targeted solution for BCC, was meticulously designed to accommodate the needs of Brisbane and the broader South East Queensland (SEQ) region. BrisUrban provided a comprehensive medium for integrating land-use planning with infrastructure analysis, addressing state planning policy and legislative requirements and the practical challenges unique to Brisbane's landscape.
UrbanSim's innovative model incorporated multiple layers of data and models, allowing for robust, data-driven analysis of alternative scenarios and forecasts to produce robust planning assumptions. These projections facilitate the strategic positioning of community infrastructure, careful planning for the Olympics, inclusive housing policies, and resilience against frequent floods.
Planning assumptions in Brisbane are not just projections — they are a point of convergence to support integrated land use planning and infrastructure investment that shape the city. Once adopted, they become part of the city’s planning scheme and long-term infrastructure plan. They carry the weight of billions of dollars in investment capital spanning thousands of projects across every facet of civic infrastructure and public service. From transportation, water, and sewer networks to community facilities and parks, these assumptions guide strategic decisions, ensuring efficient and equitable allocation of resources. The forecasting brought by these assumptions paves the way for a city that understands its trajectory and the considerable capital it abstracts into concerted action.
UrbanSim's scenario modeling tool equipped Brisbane with a dynamic system to evaluate various scenarios, including those emphasizing resilience against climate-related flooding and achieving equitable housing affordability, fully integrating these priorities into urban growth strategies. The model also interfaces with the regional transport model to accounts for cross border movement between Brisbane and its adjoining cities.
UrbanSim’s housing analysis capabilities provided the city with the means to test affordability strategies, simulating the ripple effects of land use policy changes on real estate markets across the city. This key functionality is instrumental in safeguarding Brisbane's commitment to maintaining a city that grows not just in size but in inclusivity and accessibility for all its residents.
Buildings in the Brisbane Core by height
What are the Impacts of Using UrbanSim?
With UrbanSim, Brisbane can now anticipate and weave resilient and sustainable strategies into its urban fabric, ensuring that the city not only meets the immediate demands of a major sporting event but also thrives long beyond it.
UrbanSim Inc.'s solution reflects the transformational potential of advanced urban modeling and design. The BrisUrban case demonstrates the profound impact specialized software systems can have in paving the way for cities like Brisbane to navigate through challenges, achieve sustainability, and provide a high quality of life for future generations.