Ridley Reserve West Sports Club Facility – Elizabeth, SA
SUHO recently partnered with SMFA to deliver a Cool Suburbs Assessment for the upcoming Sports Club Facility at Ridley Reserve West, Elizabeth, achieving an impressive 5-Star rating.
Currently in the concept and design development phase, the project is setting a strong foundation for climate-responsive design. From the outset, the team has drawn heavily on the Cool Buildings category within the Cool Suburbs framework - ensuring each design decision aligns with best-practice principles in urban resilience, thermal comfort, and ecological sustainability. The goal is to maintain this high-performing rating as the design evolves through to delivery.
The Cool Suburbs Assessment is an innovative, science-based tool that helps developers, architects, and local governments create cooler, more heat-resilient communities. Developed by the Western Sydney Regional Organisation of Councils (WSROC) in collaboration with leading researchers, it translates complex climate data into clear, actionable design strategies - bridging the gap between theory and practical implementation.
Through a credit-based system, projects earn points for incorporating measures that mitigate heat impacts; from increasing canopy cover and using reflective or permeable materials to optimising building orientation, shading, and water-sensitive design. These strategies are grouped under categories such as Urban Design, Cool Streets, Cool Parks, and Cool Homes, recognising the multiple scales at which design shapes local microclimates.
The result is a Cool Suburbs Star Rating (1 to 5 Stars) that reflects the project’s performance in enhancing comfort, resilience, and liveability. While the assessment is voluntary, it provides a powerful framework for embedding sustainable design thinking into urban development, helping to deliver communities that thrive, even in a warming climate.
At Ridley Reserve West, SUHO’s assessment has supported a design that doesn’t just respond to heat, it embraces sustainability as a driver of quality and longevity, ensuring the facility will remain comfortable, efficient, and connected to its environment for years to come.
