About VEIL
About VEIL
The Victorian Eco-Innovation Lab (VEIL) seeks to identify and promote emerging technical, social and organisational innovations that could form part of future sustainable systems.
VEIL creates conditions to:
research, envision, innovate, create and test,
ideas and concepts for sustainable, desirable and realisable products, services, built environments and lifestyles.
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Program Director Prof. Chris Ryan ph 03 8344 9175 |
Chris has worked for over 30 years across various areas of science, technology, environmental policy and design, in projects that span the community sector, academia, government, international agencies and business. He is now Professor and Director of VEIL as a research unit within the Faculty of Architecture, Building and Planning, University of Melbourne. >>Read more about Chris Ryan |
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Deputy Director Dr. Michael Trudgeon ph 03 9035 5464 |
Michael has taught from 1982 at RMIT University, Monash University, Swinburne and Melbourne University. He is an Adjunct Professor at the UTS School of Design in Sydney. Michael is the Design Director and a co-founder of Crowd Productions, founded in 1983 as a trans-disciplinary design practice. Michael teaches VEIL design studios at the University of Melbourne. |
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Policy Challenges Research Manager Kirsten Larsen ph 03 8344 9189 |
Kirsten's work focuses on increasing understanding and awareness of innovations to develop more sustainable and resilient food systems. This includes undertaking and publishing research on food supply and planning. With a background in strategic foresight and experience in the Victorian Government, Kirsten is a founding director of Eaterprises Australia and a board member of Cultivating Community and Transition Darebin. |
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Research Officer: Distributed Systems and Climate Adaptation Che Biggs ph 03 8344 0626 |
Che's work focuses on the development of strategies and tools that build society's resilience to long-term sustainability challenges, in particular the need for new provision systems (for food, energy and water) that strengthen community capacity to adapt to resource scarcity and climate change while enhancing, rather than degrading natural capital. Che's background is in environmental science, management and policy. |
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Project Officer & Communications Kate Archdeacon ph 03 8344 9268 |
Kate works on a range of projects, co-designing workshops, publications, and exhibitions, and sharing ideas with design students at Melbourne Uni and RMIT throughout the semester. Kate manages the VEIL websites including the sustainability blogs, and gives presentations to community groups projects around the world that inspire a shift to sustainable living. Kate is currently undertaking an MPhil in urban agriculture at the University of Melbourne. |
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Websites Administrator Robert Eales ph 03 8344 9268
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Rob maintains and develops all of the VEIL websites, which are the primary communication vector for the VEIL ideas and projects. The sites include Victorian Eco Innovation Lab, Sustainable Melbourne and Sustainable Cities and form an information network to convey the message of positive engagement in a low-carbon, low-fossil fuel future. Rob is currently completing a Research Masters of Industrial Design on the development of low carbon, sustainable, local manufacturing. |
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Project Facilitator Jessica Bird ph 03 8344 9174 |
Jessica conducts research and contributes to the design studios, getting involved with councils and communities, delivering exhibitions, and supporting the work of the VEIL team. Jessica's design education has influenced the way she works, often using systems and service design thinking when approaching projects, and working collaboratively to effect change. |
VEIL Research Fellows, Research Associates and Former Staff
Senior Research Fellow
Dr. David Turnbull
>>Prof. Turnbull's publications are available for download here.
Visiting Fellow
Dr. Kes McCormick
Kes is an Associate Professor at the International Institute for Industrial Environmental Economics, Lund University, Sweden. With a background in political science and environmental science, he engages in a combination of research, education, communication and innovation activities. Broadly speaking, Kes works in the fields of sustainability and governance. Specifically, he concentrates on how to accelerate the implementation of renewable energy (and energy efficiency), catalyse sustainable urban transformation, and promote education for sustainability. See: http://se.linkedin.com/in/kesmccormick
Kes is a visiting scholar at VEIL from July 2012 to July 2013.
Research and Project Assistant, VEIL & MSSI, 2012.
Dr. Kate Luckins
Kate’s work has revolved around innovative solutions to mainstream consumptive lifestyles in Australia. This is demonstrated through the success and ongoing growth of ‘The Clothing Exchange’. In 2011, she completed her PhD investigating young Australians sustainable lifestyles which led to the development of Project Otherwise. In 2012, she undertook research into transformative social change at the Victorian Eco Innovation Laboratory and contributed to the Post Carbon Pathways project at the Melbourne Sustainable Society Institute. Additionally, Kate has a well-established history as a design and theory lecturer within the RMIT Industrial Design program.
Research Associates (University of Melbourne)
Planning
Dr Carolyn Whitzman Key Research / Collaboration Interests: Planning for healthy and socially inclusive communities (Place, Health and Wellbeing partnership with state government departments of Health, Human Services, Planning and Parks; Policy enablers to increase children’s independent mobility and active travel (Children’s Active Travel, Connectness and Health - ARC Linkage and Discovery grants 2010-2013)
Sustainability
Dr Kate Shaw Key Research / Collaboration Interests: Currently working on a Discovery Project, Planning the ‘creative city': reconciling global strategies with local subcultures (2009-2012). Research interests include cultural diversity, social equity, housing markets, gentrification, urban policy and planning regulatory systems.
Prof John Wiseman Current Research Focus: Social, economic and political transformations needed to reduce the risks of runaway climate change and achieve a just and sustainable post carbon future.
Ms Taegen Edwards Current Research Focus: As a research fellow at the Melbourne Sustainable Society Institute, Taegen currently contributes to a number of projects under the Climate Transformations initiative, which is broadly concerned with the social impacts of climate change and enabling positive, transformative responses that are consistent with just and sustainable communities.
Mr Juan Blanco, PhD candidate Current Research Focus: How sustainable buildings can be rationalised and what the future roles of design disciplines are in the delivery of a more sustainable built environment.
Design
Dr Dominique Hes Key Research / Collaboration Interests: Optimal Clustering - research towards understanding the best clustering of population for linking services/food production/social and governance requirements; and Regenerative Development -can cities and development become positive contributors?
Dr Peter Raisbeck Key Research / Collaboration Interests: Points of convergence between global finance, construction management and architectural design and practice. He believes that architects must grow their profession by understanding that research, practice and theory are inextricably linked together. His current research interests include Strategic Management of Design; Design Management and Research, Design Innovation; and Design Procurement
Mr Ian Woodcock Key Research / Collaboration Interests: Urban intensification and place-identity:the fundamental conundrum in low-density cities like those of Australia - how to manage the imperative for more compact cities while protecting, preserving and enhancing the quality of life they offer; methods for scenario planning in urban design and architecture for resilient, sustainable urban futures; understanding and changing stakeholder attitudes towards urban change. ARC Linkage Projects: 'The character of Urban Intensification: protecting and creating place-identity in activity centres' (2007-2010) and 'Intensifying Places: transit-oriented urban design for resilient Australian cities' (2010-2013)
Mr Ammon Beyerle Key Research / Collaboration Interests: Researcher, practitioner and teacher with a background in architecture. In 2009 co-developed Urban Village Melbourne, a multidisciplinary social enterprise interested in arts, design, research, community development and sustainability in public space. Has 5 years experience working between France, Germany, Japan - in the management of public architectural and structural design projects. Since 2010 a founding director at here studio - a registered architectural company, that focuses on events, participatory design and accessible everyday architecture. Research at The University of Melbourne includes an ARC Linkage Project 'The character of Urban Intensification: protecting and creating place-identity in activity centres' (CI: Kim Dovey), and International Network for Urban Research and Action (INURA) (CI: Kate Shaw). Currently undertaking a PhD: Agonism in Architecture and Participation: A design practice based investigation of the performances, potentials and processes of participatory design in little urban ecologies. Has taught two 2032 VEIL eco-innovation studios: "Mess: Everyday Babylon" for Rowville (2009) and Broadmeadows (2010).
Dr Natalia Radywyl Key Research / Collaboration Interests: Currently working with Project for Public Spaces in New York City, designing and undertaking field studies into the impact of architecture on public places, and developing digital place assessment tools to assist with promoting sustainable architecture. Natalia specialises in ethnographic approaches to understanding user experience and facilitating public engagement, with particular interest in urbanism, architecture, policy and communications. She has completed a PhD, a study of museum visitor interaction with screen-based media, and has since undertaken a number of studies into user experience, including social cohesion and sustainable urban design, social media integration with public broadcasting, and viewer engagement with urban screens in public space. Natalia regularly works with nonprofits dedicated to social innovation and community-oriented urban design, and recently published a book about global sustainability and scientific innovation.
External Communications Associate
Michael Falk Creative Strategist, Inframe Media Key research/collaboration interests: New platforms are emerging for communities to engage with traditional knowledge and power brokers, but this shift requires rapid reorganisation of institutions and industries. Michael works with highly inventive – and disruptive – entrants in media, publishing, technology and the arts, to uncover new ways of creating and communicating value.
Former VEIL Staff
Project Co-ordinator (2007-2010) Dianne Moy
Sustainable Cities Officer (2007-2009) Ferne Edwards
VEIL was established by the Victorian government in Australia through the Victorian Sustainability Fund, as part of the government's Sustainability Action Statement, 2006. VEIL was first a project of the Australian Centre for Science Innovation and Society at the University of Melbourne. University partners include: Monash University, School of Design; RMIT University, School of Architecture and Design; Melbourne University, Faculty of Architecture, Building and Planning and the School of Land and Environment. Collaborating research groups include: Swinburne University Faculty of Design; LaTrobe University (Centre for Sustainable Regional Communities, Bendigo).
it depends ultimately on our ability to change direction.
We are in the early stages of a sustainability revolution. Climate change is forging a new global dialogue that may prove to be unlike anything before it in human history. That dialogue has already shifted from a focus on the scientific evidence of global warming to the need for urgent action.
What will be tested in the years to come is our ability to change direction.
Mitigating climate change (and adapting to a rise in global temperatures) points to an historic shift in the past trajectory of development. The transition to a sustainable economy, to a low carbon (and for Australia, a low water) economy, represents an unparalleled challenge to our systems of social and technical innovation. Incremental improvement – doing more efficiently what we currently do – will not be enough. We have only decades to transform the 'carbon' basis of our economy; the best current modelling suggests we will need a global reduction in annual CO2 production of between 60-80% (compared to current levels) by 2050. With such targets, we are not talking just about the re-construction of our world, but about its re-invention.
If ever we needed the spirit of entrepreneurial action, of creative destruction, it is now.
VEIL involves an evolving 'think-tank' referred to as 'the Hub'. At its core the Hub has design academics seconded from the design schools of Victorian Universities. Researchers from various academic and other institutions, representatives from industry, from government and environment and community groups, contribute to the deliberations of the Hub through a variety of structured processes.
The work of the Hub combines research, analysis, design speculation and evaluation, resulting in visions, concepts, reports and papers, identifying fruitful long-term (typically 25 year) scenarios for sustainable solutions (products, services, systems, life-styles, built environments and infrastructure). These long-term visions and eco-innovation ideas are also formulated as 'design studio' topics for the university design schools (and as student and design competitions). Through these design studios, ideas and visions are further researched and tested by hundreds of (final year) design students as part of their academic programs. (Diagram 2 below)
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