Aligned Organisation & Research
Nature Based Cities
Urban greening, biodiversity, green infrastructure and urban heat island research and partnerships
Ark Resources & Nature Based Cities
Nature Based Cities (NBC) is an Australian initiative dedicated to embedding nature-based solutions into urban planning, policy, and the built environment. NBC brings together researchers, practitioners, and government stakeholders to develop the evidence base and frameworks needed to make cities greener, cooler, and more resilient.
Ark Resources has been a contributing partner to NBC since its inception. Our founder and Director, Jan Talacko, sits on the NBC Advisory Council, providing strategic guidance on how sustainability frameworks, building rating tools, and planning policy can better incorporate nature-based approaches.
Through this partnership, Ark Resources has authored and contributed to multiple research reports examining how green infrastructure can be scaled up across Australian cities, from individual building projects through to precinct-wide and city-level interventions.
About NBC
Nature Based Cities is a national platform for advancing nature-based solutions in Australian urban environments. Through research, advocacy, and collaboration, NBC supports planners, developers, and policy makers to design cities that work with nature.
Visit naturebasedcities.org.auNature Based Cities Design Guidelines & Scorecard
To promote, encourage and commend the inclusion of nature.
The Nature Based Cities Design Guidelines are grounded in academic research and internationally recognised development standards, providing a practical set of principles that can be applied at the planning stage of any project to deliver stronger social, environmental, and commercial outcomes.
The NBC Scorecard is designed for developers who prioritise sustainable design and want to integrate nature-based solutions in a meaningful, structured way. It offers achievable landscape-based design goals that can serve as a working brief for architects and landscape architects, with two levels of recognition available: Commended and Exemplary.
Once schematic design is complete and submitted for approval, the scorecard is formalised against actual project outcomes. Submitting the required supporting documentation then secures the formal Nature Based Cities rating.
Download the Nature Based Cities scorecard to benchmark your project prior to applying for formal accreditation.
Get Accredited
Exemplary projects represent the highest level of NBC recognition. Designed in full accordance with the Nature Based Cities Guidelines, these projects achieve a score of 80% or more of available points.
Commended status recognises projects that achieve a minimum score of 60–80% of available points, demonstrating a genuine and measurable commitment to nature-based design.
Reports Produced for NBC
Ark Resources has authored the following reports in collaboration with Nature Based Cities, contributing practical ESD expertise to the national conversation on green infrastructure and urban sustainability.
A review of the Nature Based City Initiative examining how nature-based solutions are being integrated into urban planning and development frameworks. The report identifies barriers to adoption, evaluates alignment with existing sustainability tools including Green Star and NABERS, and makes recommendations for scaling up green infrastructure across residential, commercial, and civic projects.
Read the Full ReportAn in-depth examination of the Urban Heat Island effect in Australian cities and the role of green infrastructure in reducing urban temperatures. The report presents evidence for the measurable cooling benefits of street trees, green roofs, living walls, and permeable surfaces, and makes the case for embedding nature-based solutions into planning policy and building assessment frameworks.
Read the Full Report
Our Representative
Jan Talacko, Director and Founder of Ark Resources, represents the firm on the Nature Based Cities Advisory Council, contributing decades of ESD expertise to the national agenda on green infrastructure.
Learn more about the Nature Based Cities initiative
Discover research, projects, and resources supporting nature-based solutions in Australian urban environments.
Visit Nature Based Cities