Sustainability Management Plan (SMP)

If you're planning a large development in Victoria, sustainability should be a top priority. But how exactly can you ensure your project promotes environmentally sustainable design?

Enter the Sustainability Management Plan.

What is it?

A Sustainability Management Plan (SMP) is a comprehensive sustainability assessment, typically required by councils with an ESD local planning policy for developments of 10 or more dwellings or more than 1,000 sqm of non-residential floor area.

So what does the SMP entail? And how can it help you meet sustainability goals? This guide has you covered.

First, the SMP demonstrates that your design achieves two key objectives:

• Integrates impactful green building initiatives
• Shows a holistic sustainable design review across the key sustainable design categories

By identifying targets and outlining how they'll be met, the SMP maps out your sustainability roadmap. For larger projects, it's an opportunity to make a real environmental impact through resource savings.

Councils assess SMPs using BESS (Built Environment Sustainability Scorecard). The current version, BESS-9 (BESS Release 2, currently in beta) covers eight categories: Management, Integrated Water Management (which combines the earlier Water and Stormwater categories), Operational Energy, Indoor Environment Quality (IEQ), Transport, Waste, Urban Ecology and Innovation. The original SDAPP framework grouped these into 10 key sustainable design categories:

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In addition, all ESD features must be annotated on the drawings. The SMP language should definitively convey sustainability commitments.

When is an SMP Required?

In councils with an ESD local planning policy, an SMP is generally required at the town planning stage for developments of 10 or more dwellings or more than 1,000 sqm of non-residential floor area. Smaller developments usually need a Sustainable Design Assessment (SDA) instead.

What Information Do You Need?

Along with drawings, an SMP generally requires:

• BESS report to benchmark your project
• Stormwater treatment assessment using Melbourne Water's BlueFactor tool (which replaced STORM) or MUSIC modelling
• Water Sensitive Urban Design (WSUD) details (see our water design services)
• Anticipated minimum energy efficiency rating of major appliances for heating, cooling and hot water (energy labelling) 
• Anticipated minimum water efficiency of taps and fittings (WELS ratings)
• Anticipated light fittings
• On-site renewable energy devices (if applicable)

Of Note:

Residential-only developments will also need a: 

• NatHERS (e.g. FirstRate) report or anticipated minimum standard 

Non-residential-only developments may also need the following: 

• Preliminary NCC Section J assessment
• Daylight assessment 
• NABERS Commitment Agreement (some commercial projects)

The specific requirements vary based on project scale and type.

But an SMP generally needs:

• Details on how the development has achieved minimum expectations for sustainable design performance – can use BESS tool
• A written sustainability statement
• Details on proposed sustainability measures
• Environmental objectives and Council standards

How Can Makao Help with Sustainability Management Plans (SMP)?

An SMP sets the minimum; we help you go further where it adds value.

Our team identifies opportunities to exceed targets through thoughtful solutions.

Need an SMP for your next development? Get in touch — we reply within one business day.

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