Book a consultation

Please complete the form below to request a consultation. We encourage you to send any concept plans to assist in a productive conversation. 

We require a minimum 7 days notice so our Green Design Advisors can complete a preliminary review of your property and any concept plans. 

We will contact you confirm your booking within 2 business days of receiving your request.

Green design advisors

Our Green Design Advisors are from the City's Design Review Panel and can provide free, independent, expert advice on how to make your new home design or renovation more environmentally friendly.

They can come to your home, your building site or your designer’s office. You can also visit them at the City’s Offices at 244 Vincent Street, Leederville.

 Advice is available for homeowners, home designers, builders and industry professionals. 

Benefits

Our Green Design Advisors are advocates for creating healthier buildings, improving energy, water and material use, minimising waste, and reducing the environmental impact of buildings.

They will help you:

• design a warm, dry, healthy and efficient home.
• reduce your environmental impact.
• save money on energy bills.
• increase your home's resale value.
• understand your options and how to ask for what you want.

To find out more, call 9273 6000 or email [email protected]. 

Eligible development

To be eligible for a prioritised assessment and reduced development application fees through GreenTrack, your application must include one of the following:

1. Submit a Life Cyle Report

All new Single Houses, Grouped Dwellings, and Multiple Dwellings assessed under Part C of the Residential Design Codes, including alterations and additions, are eligible for prioritised assessment where a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) report is submitted demonstrating the application of ESD principles.

2. Retain a Significant Tree

All Single Houses, Grouped Dwellings, Multiple Dwellings, Commercial, and Mixed-Use developments, including additions with a construction cost greater than $50,000, are eligible for reduced development application fees if they retain a significant tree on site.

A significant tree is one that meets the following criteria:

• Is a healthy specimen with ongoing viability; and

• A species not listed on a National, State, or local weed register; and

• Has a height of at least 4 metres; and/or
  (Note: Xanthorrhoea species from 1.2 metres and Banksia species from 3 metres are considered significant)

• Has a trunk diameter of at least 160 millimetres, measured 1 metre above ground; and/or

• Has an average canopy diameter of at least 4 metres; and/or

• Any other species likely to be a remnant or regrowth local native tree with a height or canopy width deemed significant by the City; and/or

• Is an established tree significant from an Aboriginal Heritage perspective. These can include Nuytsia floribunda (Western Australian Christmas Tree); and/or

• a mature specimens that provide habitat or food for local fauna.
  (e.g. Banksia and Hakea, known food sources for Carnaby’s Black Cockatoo)

Development Assessment Panel applications are not eligible for the GreenTrack pathway. 

What is a life cycle assessment?

LCA measures the environmental performance of a building over its entire life. It helps you understand how your design choices reduce environmental impacts - right from the start.

Using an LCA is one of the easiest ways to reduce your carbon footprint and improve the sustainability of your home.

An LCA can help you:

• Design a warm, dry, healthy, and energy-efficient home

• Reduce your impact on the environment

• Lower your energy and water bills

• Increase the resale value of your home

What does the City require?

To be accepted by the City, your LCA must:

• Demonstrate compliance with the ESD Local Housing Objectives in the City’s Built Form Policy

• Be prepared by someone with the appropriate skills and knowledge of LCA methodologies

Your LCA report must include:

• The lifetime savings in global warming potential and net freshwater use

• A description of the preferred strategies used to achieve these savings
  (e.g. solar PV, solar hot water, energy-efficient appliances)

• Quantification of the environmental impacts of each preferred strategy

• A list of reserve strategies that will be used if any preferred strategy cannot be delivered during final design

A list LCA assessors can be found in our Information Sheet  or you can contact the Australian Life Cycle Assessment Society (ALCAS).

Need help with an LCA?

You can find a list of LCA assessors in our Information Sheet here or visit the Australian Life Cycle Assessment Society (ALCAS) for more information.

Receive a free assessment

The City offers free access to LCA for eligible proposals.

To receive a free LCA all you need to do is:

1. Before lodging your development application, obtain a LCA that has been prepared in accordance with standards specified in the City’s Built Form Policy. The easiest way to do this is to use Cerclos's RapidLCA for $60.00.
2. Lodge your development application with your LCA and copy of your proof of purchase for receiving your LCA.
3. We will reduce your development application fee by amount it cost you to receive your LCA (up to a maximum of $200).

Lodging a GreenTrack application

Before lodging your development application, we recommend booking a pre-lodgement meeting with one of our Urban Planners to discuss your proposal and confirm your eligibility for the GreenTrack pathway.

Once you have confirmed your eligibility for priority assessment or a fee reduction, follow the steps below:

1. Ensure you have all information needed for submission in accordance with our Single House and Grouped Dwelling Application Checklist
2. Tick the “GreenTrack Priority Assessment” box on the Application for Development Approval Form

3. Make sure you have one of the following:

   • A Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) prepared by a suitably qualified assessor, meeting the City’s Built Form Policy requirements.
     Include proof of payment of your Life Cycle Assessment. This will allow the City to reduce your development application fee to subsidise the amount you spent to obtain your Life Cycle Assessment, to a maximum of $200.00.

   • Plans showing retention of a significant tree on site. We suggest include information on how this tree meets the above significant tree criteria. 

4. Lodge your application for development approval here.
5. Pay your development application fee at a discounted rate (ordinary fee of your application minus the cost of your LCA).

How we GreenTrack your application 

In considering eligible Green Track assessments, we will prioritise your assessment by:

1. Prioritising first assessment of your application, within 10 days of a complete application being submitted;
2. Prioritising assessment of amended plans and/or additional information submitted following a Request for Further Information, within 5 days of submission.

Please note that using this service does not result in any preferential determination of a development and all proposals will require a merit assessment against the relevant planning framework.

This service does not preclude the proposal from being processed in accordance with relevant statutory requirements.

Check out design tips 

Whether you are building new or renovating, small design choices can have a big impact. These practical tips will help you save energy and water, reduce your carbon footprint, and create a more comfortable and efficient home.

🌳 Protect and Retain Trees

• Keep existing mature trees where possible – They provide natural shade, reduce heat, improve air quality, and support biodiversity

• Design around trees – Plan your layout to retain significant trees on-site, which can also make you eligible for development fee reductions

• Plant new shade trees – Especially on the northern and western sides to reduce summer heat gain

💡 Save Energy

• Use LED lighting – Lower power use and longer lifespan

• Seal gaps – Draught-proof windows and doors to reduce heating and cooling loss

• Upgrade insulation – Improve ceiling, wall and underfloor insulation to regulate indoor temperature

• Install smart thermostats and timers – Control heating and cooling efficiently

• Choose energy-efficient appliances – Look for high energy star ratings to cut running costs

🌱 Use Water Wisely

• Install low-flow fixtures – Save water without compromising performance

• Set up rainwater tanks – Reuse rainwater for gardens, toilets and laundry

• Landscape with natives – Drought-tolerant plants and mulch help reduce water use

☀️ Go Solar

• Add solar panels or solar hot water – Even small systems can cut energy bills

• Consider a solar battery – Store energy for later use

♻️ Use Eco-Friendly Materials

• Select recycled or FSC-certified timber – Reduce environmental impact in renovations

• Use low-VOC paints and finishes – Improve indoor air quality

🏡 Live Greener Every Day

• Compost food scraps – Reduce waste and enrich your soil

• Grow indoor plants – Boost air quality with low-maintenance greenery

• Add external shading – Use pergolas, awnings or trees to keep your home cooler

• Encourage cross-ventilation – Open windows on opposite sides and use ceiling fans to improve airflow

New Single Houses or Grouped Dwellings

ESD - Requirements For Single Houses & Grouped Dwellings - Information Sheet

ESD - Requirements For Single Houses & Grouped Dwellings - Application Submission Template 

New Apartments and Mixed Use Developments

ESD - Apartments & Mixed Use Developments - Information Sheet

New Commercial Developments

ESD - New Commercial Developments - Information Sheet

Part 1 - Setting the scene.

Setting the scene includes some less than favourable outcomes in suburban settings. However, the overarching message is that inspired infill is possible. The City of Vincent is one of WA’s most progressive local governments developing a suite of targets to give us the fabled win-win.

Part 2 – The WOW Factor – an exclusive viewing of local sustainable homes.

The WOW factor includes excellent examples of what is possible through ESD. We meet the owner/designer of a funky modern home and the owners of a lovely character home. There are options to improve your existing home that don’t cost the earth.

Part 3 – ESD – the framework that makes sustainable buildings and infill possible.

How to navigate the ESD process at the City of Vincent. ESD provides for a better outcome and build; we meet an architect who talks us through why its important.

Part 4 – When it’s Time to Sell – What the property market thinks of sustainable buildings.

This video provides a real estate perspective. There are clear financial benefits, as well as environmental benefits with ESD. Sustainable housing is making Vincent magnificent

Introduction - with Chris Ferreira

Town Planning Perspective - with Melinda Marshall

Architectural Perspective - with Matt Wallwork

Real Estate Perspective - with Chiara Pacifici