Alkimos Central is set to achieve exemplar sustainability outcomes for locals, visitors and the environment.

The Climate Council of Australia defines net zero as achieving an “overall balance between greenhouse gas emissions produced and greenhouse gas emissions taken out of the atmosphere” in any given year.

As the State Government’s central development agency, DevelopmentWA has a key role in supporting the transition of new communities to net zero under the Western Australian State Climate Policy (2020). This Policy will guide WA to net zero emissions by 2050.

Alkimos Central has a significant opportunity to be one of the first masterplan communities to achieve net zero emissions in WA and Australia.

DevelopmentWA is currently in the process of planning Alkimos Central as a net zero precinct. As part of our planning, we are having a strong focus on reducing emissions from emissions sources within the precinct.

We are looking to implement a number of initiatives, including;

• building using lower embodied carbon;
• improving the energy efficiency of residential and non-residential buildings across the project;
• reducing the provision of fossil fuels to buildings and transitioning to electrification, with renewable energy generation and storage options;
• waste and water initiatives.

These initiatives will be supported by the METRONET Yanchep rail extension and good urban design that promotes active transport (pedestrian, cyclists and e-rideables), that will work to reduce car dependency, and therefore transport emissions.

DevelopmentWA is aiming to achieve a 6 Star Green Star rating for Alkimos Central.

This internationally recognised certification is the highest rating available under the Green Building Council of Australia’s national Green Star – Communities rating tool.

The Green Star – Communities rating tool is an independent, transparent and holistic rating that assesses the planning, design and construction of a community across five key categories. 100 points are available across Governance, Liveability, Economic Prosperity and Environment with Innovation accounting for an additional 10 available points.

A key objective for Alkimos Central is to deliver a cool, shaded urban retreat from the coast. To achieve this, the Alkimos Central Precinct Plan (Draft) includes an ambitious tree planting target of 20,000 trees across the project area.

‘20,000 trees’ is based on one tree for every 10m, or one tree every 100sqm of land area.

The 20,000 trees will provide shade, green links, wayfinding and a sense of place. They will also assist with negating the heat island effect* on the development, significantly cooling the outdoor and indoor temperatures and reducing the need for air-conditioning.

* The ‘heat island effect’ occurs when an urban or metropolitan area is significantly warmer than its surrounding rural areas due to human activities. Structures such as buildings, roads, and other infrastructure absorb and re-emit the sun’s heat more than natural landscapes, causing the heat island effect.”

As part of this initiative, hundreds of Balgas (grasstrees) will be salvaged and transplanted throughout the site, keeping the endemic plants local to the area.

We are committed to working with Aboriginal People, businesses and communities towards reconciliation and closing the gap between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people. 

The Alkimos Central Elder Reference Group, first formed in 2020, has worked with the project team to identify elements of cultural significance to celebrate the local cultural history of the Alkimos area.

Alkimos Central is on Whadjuk Noongar boodjar, however is close to the border between Yued and Whadjuk communities. Consultation during master planning and detailed design phases has included both Yued and Whadjuk Elders.

A key theme that has emerged in discussion with the Elders, and listed as a management practice, has been to include Noongar nomenclature. Most notably, street names and precinct themes drawing from Noongar culture will be included in the project’s future stages.

Other heritage management and celebration practices are being applied to the site, including cultural burning and Balga salvaging, to ensure traditional practices are recognised, continued, and taught to future generations.

Alkimos Central aims to leverage its public spaces to create a future-proof precinct through the use of technology. Our Smart City Strategy, developed in collaboration with the City of Wanneroo and supported by NBN Co., will guide future investments to enhance community connectivity, environmental sustainability, and overall liveability.

The first stage of the city centre already features a backbone of smart infrastructure, capable of supporting CCTV, environmental monitoring, public WiFi, and other future programs. These technologies will benefit the city centre through:

• Efficient delivery of civic services and resources;
• Increased safety and connectivity of users;
• Providing space for innovation, activity and collaboration by visitors;
• Supporting and monitoring local environmental conditions for landscaped areas (e.g. managing water usage); and
• Providing opportunity and flexibility for the installation of future technologies.