Climate Adapted People Shelters (CAPS) in Australia

The CAPS project aimed to reimagine Sydney’s bus shelters as Climate Adapted People Shelters through an open innovation design competition. The project involved transport users, local councils, planning and transport authorities, and the community at specific high-traffic locations in Western Sydney.

The CAPS competition was run by the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) in collaboration with local and state government, and sought designs to maximise thermal performance and user comfort, as well as building in technology to aid commuters. Eight possible locations across Western Sydney were identified in high-traffic, high-heat areas. Teams were able to pick one or more of the sites to inspire the design of their climate adapted people shelter.

Why look at bus shelters?

Over the past 100 years, heatwaves have caused more deaths in Australia than any other natural hazard. By 2030, Western Sydney is projected to experience up to 7 additional days above 35°C per year placing exposed communities at heightened risk, including Sydney’s bus users. The elderly, the mobility, vision and hearing impaired, as well as the very young are often most heavily dependent on public transport and among the most vulnerable to the effects of urban heat.

The CAPS project addresses the complex challenges of public exposure to urban heat and the need for smarter public transport infrastructure to improve liveability of cities.