The feasibility of environmental limits legislation

Posted on: 25 July 2011
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Partly inspired by the Climate Change Act 2008, which the Sustainable Development Commission has described as a “robust and world-leading approach [which] needs to be extended as a matter of urgency to other environmental limits”, this discussion paper considers that option in more detail, and makes recommendations for how this matter might be taken forward, with a view to the UK systematically considering how the decisions we make now will affect future generations across a range of environmental media.

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Climate science explained

Posted on: 25 July 2011
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This briefing was produced by Green Alliance, in partnership with the Grantham Institute at Imperial College London, aiming to provide a concise, accessible explanation of the science of climate change as an aid to communicating the issue.

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An Action Plan to promote the growth of self-build housing

Posted on: 22 July 2011
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Councils should gauge the demand for self-build in their area and account for this in their planning strategies, a report commissioned by housing minister Grant Shapps has said. The new action plan, from the the Self Build Government-Industry Working Group, sets out 15 proposals for action to help self builders, including that more land be made available for self-builders. It calls for Government to ask councils to gauge the demand for self build in their area and account for this in their planning strategies. The plan adds that the self build industry itself needs to provide clearer independent information to would-be self builders. A new online self build ‘portal’ is proposed to be set up to enable more people to get a project underway.

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For a rainy day

Posted on: 22 July 2011
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This report by the London Assembly’s Environment Committee says London is at risk of serious flood damage in the event of extreme rainfall. The Committee makes a number of recommendations for the Mayor’s attention.

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Game on: Mega-event infrastructure opportunities

Posted on: 20 July 2011
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From the perspective of investment in infrastructure, this study considers the factors that  create a lasting legacy for a mega-event host city or country.

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Understanding the risks, empowering communities, building resilience: National flood and coastal erosion risk management strategy for England: Summary strategy

Posted on: 20 July 2011
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This is a summary of the national flood and coastal erosion risk management strategy. It has been published to provide an overview of what the strategy will deliver and what it means for different organisations and the public.

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Delivering mixed use development in a new neighbourhood

Posted on: 20 July 2011
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Following the publication of the Barriers to mixed use development research for Scottish Government by Douglas Wheeler Associates, Architecture and Design Scotland have been hosting a series of workshops to look at how the barriers can be overcome at a range of scales. Two workshops have been carried out so far, focusing on the street/block and the neighbourhood. These workshops have brought professionals in finance, property development, design, planning, regeneration, transport and law together, focusing on sites in Glasgow to discuss how mixed use could be delivered, what the key priorities might be. Learning points from the workshops are available online.

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BREEAM New Construction: Non domestic buildings

Posted on: 20 July 2011
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This technical guide is the BREEAM Scheme Document for New Construction (SD5073). It describes an environmental performance standard against which new, non-domestic buildings in the UK can be assessed, rated and certified. “New construction” is defined as development that results in a new standalone structure, or new extension to an existing structure, which will come into operation/use for the first time upon completion of the works. BREEAM (Building Research Establishment’s Environmental Assessment Method) is the world’s leading and most widely used environmental assessment method for buildings.

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Equality and diversity: good practice for the construction sector

Posted on: 20 July 2011
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This qualitative research, commissioned by the Equalities and Human Right Commission, examines good diversity and equality practice in the construction industry. It explores the benefits of implementing good diversity and equality practice in relation to race, gender, disability and age and presents a framework for action.

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Averting Crisis in Heritage: A CLA Report on Reforming a Crumbling System

Posted on: 19 July 2011
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The Country Land and Business Association has launched a new vision for England’s heritage system. The Association, whose members manage more than a quarter of heritage in England and Wales, launched its report with both criticism of the current “dysfunctional” system, and of official attempts at reform. The report argues that local authorities do not have the skilled conservation staff that the existing heritage system demands but the Government and English Heritage seem to be in denial about the extent of the problem. The CLA’s recommendations set out to increase, rather than reduce, heritage protection. They aim to create a heritage system which works with the resources available, focusing them where they are most effective, and improving heritage policy to make desirable change easier and undesirable change harder.

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