Together at home: A new strategy for housing

Posted on: 21 June 2012
By: mackene
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The Institute for Public Policy Research has published the final report of its review of housing policy.  It argues that English housing is unfit for purpose and brings together a number of policy strands to present a new and often radical strategy for housing in England. The report: makes a social argument for homeownership as a way to foster mixed, stable, integrated communities; proposes a better deal for renters in both the privately rented sector and in social housing; and advocates a new form of progressive localism in housing, through a system of affordable housing grants.

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Zoom in on your roof: Raising awareness of loft insulation

Posted on: 21 June 2012
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Using a thermographic satellite image, the city of Antwerp allows its residents to, literally, ‘zoom in on your roof’. The idea behind the project is to raise awareness of the importance of roof insulation for household energy efficiency. However, raising awareness is just the first step. The city, in partnership with the regional government, offers grants to residents interested in installing loft insulation. They also offer advice on green loans, designed to finance energy saving initiatives. Details of the scheme are set out in this 2-page case study.

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Water: How to find the information you need

Posted on: 21 June 2012
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Library staff at the Institution of Civil Engineers have produced this guide to sources of information about water supply, water resources and water management, concentrating on UK and US sources.

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The Cement Sustainability Initiative: 10 years of progress, moving on to the next decade

Posted on: 21 June 2012
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The Cement Sustainability Initiative (CSI), which operates under the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD), has launched its 2012 Progress Report during the Rio+20 Summit. The report underlines the role the cement industry has to play towards achieving a more sustainable future. Nine key issues are explored by the Initiative including: safety; climate protection; fuels and raw materials; air emissions; local impacts on land and communities; water; supply chain management; sustainability with concrete; and working with others.

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A survey of low and zero carbon technologies in new housing

Posted on: 21 June 2012
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The recently published Today’s attitudes to low and zero carbon homes: views of occupiers, house builders and housing associations highlighted the need for low and zero carbon (LZC) technologies that are reliable, perform to expectations and are capable of being used by home occupiers to achieve their design potential. To provide further guidance on these issues, this report investigates LZC technologies currently being used and likely to become dominant in the market. Through in-depth interviews with homeowners, carried out by the School of Construction Management and Engineering at the University of Reading, this research reports on their day-to-day use and attitudes towards these technologies. Additional findings from the study of occupiers living in homes fitted with low and zero carbon technologies will be presented in a report once the research is concluded later this year.

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Structural assessment of large panel system (LPS) dwelling blocks for accidental loading

Posted on: 21 June 2012
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A new handbook (£85) and accompanying digest (£22), published by theBRE, provide current research and industry best practice on the structural assessment and strengthening options for large panel system (LPS) dwelling blocks. The detailed guidance for engineers, surveyors and regulatory authorities focuses on the resistance of high-rise tower blocks to accidental loading associated with gas explosions. Drawing on previously unpublished technical information, the publications define the requirements for LPS blocks over four storeys high, setting out the basic principles of a methodology for assessing large panel buildings and options for strengthening and remedial works.

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Low carbon transitions: Relevant lessons from the 1970s crisis?

Posted on: 21 June 2012
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The purpose of this paper is to provide orientation for participants in the workshop, Low Carbon Transitions: Relevant Lessons from the 1970s Crisis? held in Manchester on 25 April 2012.

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Resilient Cities: 3rd Global Forum on Urban Resilience & Adaptation. Bonn, 12-15 May 2012

Posted on: 21 June 2012
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This event is the global platform for learning, cooperation and networking on all aspects of urban resilience and adaptation to climate change. It is convened by ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability, the City of Bonn, and the World Mayors Council on Climate Change. The main themes covered were: Urban risk; Resilient building and construction; Resilient urban logistics; Financing the resilient city. A report is scheduled for release in August 2012 on the progress that has been made in key thematic areas at Resilient Cities 2012, and on the way forward towards Resilient Cities 2013. Presentations from the event are available online.

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Networked regions and cities in times of fragmentation: developing smart, sustainable and inclusive places. Delft, The Netherlands, 13-16 May 2012

Posted on: 21 June 2012
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Regions and cities are increasingly interdependent; economically, socially and environmentally. Patterns of interactions between regions are experiencing rapid changes as a result of dramatic shifts in production and consumption patterns, advances in communication technologies and the development of transport infrastructure. These changes pose many challenges for the analysis and management of regions. At the same time, regions are becoming increasingly fragmented in many ways. Classic forms of government based on clear-cut arrangements between administrative levels, policy sectors and the public and private domain are no longer sufficient. The result is a complex pattern of overlapping governance and fuzzy boundaries, not just in a territorial sense but also in terms of the role of both public and private actors. The 2012 RSA conference provided a timely opportunity for participants to come together and reflect on the various strengths, weaknesses, challenges and opportunities of networked cities and regions within these different contexts of fragmentation. Papers presented at the conference are available online.

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Re-mixing the city: Towards sustainability and resilience. Vienna, 14-16 May 2012

Posted on: 21 June 2012
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REAL CORP conferences are held annually since 1996. About 500 experts from around the world from the fields of urban planning, transport planning, information and communication technologies, architecture, social and environmental sciences, real estate, GIS, surveying and remote sensing and more meet to discuss current tasks and topics on urban planning, regional development and information society in an international and extremely interdisciplinary conference. It is possible to research the archive of all papers presented since 1996 here.

Cities worldwide are facing rapid social, economic, environmental, technological and cultural changes such as: rapid urbanisation, aging of society, security issues, housing emergency, new solutions on mobility, integration of immigrants, food and water shortage, etc. Especially in times of economic crisis and demographic changes in cities, it is necessary to think about how to best handle what we have, and therefore “RE-MIXING THE CITY” is a challenge to manage and re-combine the elements which make our modern cities in order to better respond to change. This event offered the possibility to collectively discuss a wide range of topics in different panel groups and workshops. Questions considered included:

Can “mixed cities” be more sustainable and resilient?

Time-space patterns of the 24/7 city?

Is it the purpose of spatial planning to “sort land uses in space”?

Do the urban patterns and structure of our cities still meet the needs of the people in their everyday life?

How do urban, transport and environmental technologies and solutions shape our cities?

Does and can migration re-mix the city?

What is the role of urban planning in these processes?

A large number of presentations and papers are available online.

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