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FutureFit Final Report Part 2. An insight into the retrofit challenge for social housing
Posted on: 25 July 2013
By: mackene
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Leading affordable housing association Affinity Sutton has launched the final findings of FutureFit, its pioneering retrofit project. FutureFit is helping Affinity Sutton develop an informed, well-formulated policy on energy efficiency in existing homes, to reduce fuel poverty and inform the wider debate on carbon targets. The first FutureFit report showed us how difficult it can be to engage people on energy efficiency and the higher than anticipated costs to install works. It also showed us how well positioned the social housing sector could be to deliver wide-scale retrofit. This second stage report highlights similar pitfalls and benefits with retrofit. On the one hand it confirms the unpredictability of an individual household’s energy consumption and the challenge in tracking how much energy anyone actually uses from one year to the next. It also flags the potentially serious consequences of using the Standard Assessment Procedure (SAP) as a modelling tool for retrofit in existing homes. The study also considers the implications for financing retrofit measures via Green Deal for Affinity Sutton housing stock.
Towards a green economy in Europe: EU environmental policy targets and objectives 2010-2050
Posted on: 25 July 2013
By: mackene
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European Union legislation has established more than 130 separate environmental targets and objectives to be met between 2010 and 2050. Together, these can provide useful milestones supporting Europe’s transition towards a ‘green economy’, according to a report published by the European Environment Agency.
Spotlight on…cycle safety
Posted on: 25 July 2013
By: mackene
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The Considerate Constructors Scheme has launched its new ‘Spotlight on…’ initiative which aims to look at different areas associated with improving the image of construction, and hopes to raise awareness among registered sites and companies on how they can help with the issue. Each area highlighted in ‘Spotlight on…’ will feature facts on the topic, as well as information on what the UK, and more specifically the construction industry, is doing to help tackle the issue. Also included are examples of best practice that have been witnessed by the Scheme’s Monitors when visiting registered sites and companies. The Scheme’s website now features the new ‘Spotlight on…’ section (found under CCS) where it is hoped that the industry will use it as the first place to look to access more information about various issues currently affecting the industry. The first area the Scheme’s shining a spotlight on is the issue of cycle safety and how the UK, and the industry, is promoting cycle safety.
Innovation in practice: delivering rural housing
Posted on: 24 July 2013
By: mackene
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A report from the Hastoe Group, a rural housing association, argues that there is an overwhelming need for more affordable housing in rural areas. It identifies 30 schemes which are successfully delivering affordable housing in rural areas.
Government Construction Strategy: trial projects
Posted on: 24 July 2013
By: mackene
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Constructing Excellence is working with the Cabinet Office to monitor and report on a number of trial projects that are testing three new procurement models (Cost Led Procurement; Integrated Project Insurance; Two Stage Open Book) that were proposed by industry, and developed by a joint task group. The three new procurement routes perform a central role in delivering the Government Construction Strategy’s sustainable 15-20% reduction in costs. The case study reports are an output of monitoring the progress and outcomes of the trial projects. Early findings from the government’s trial projects programme already indicate that smarter procurement focusing on earlier supply chain involvement is delivering 10-20% improvements in value for money. For more information, please see the individual case studies: Environment Agency: Rye Harbour (cost led procurement) ; Ministry of Justice: Cookham Wood Prison (two stage open book) ; Surrey County Council: Project Horizon: highways maintenance (two stage open book); Hackney / Haringey: SCMG: social housing refurbishment (two stage open book).
Mainstreaming climate change resilience into development planning in Kenya
Posted on: 24 July 2013
By: mackene
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Between November 2011 and October 2012, government staff from diverse backgrounds came together at a course facilitated by the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED) at the International Centre for Climate Change and Development (ICCCAD) with support from CDKN to share and reflect on their countries’ experience and needs around integrating climate change into development planning. Based on these discussions, they identified three building blocks for successful mainstreaming: an enabling environment, policies and planning, and projects and programmes. This paper, authored by Vincent Mutie Nzau, reflects Kenya’s experience against this building blocks framework.
Putting a spotlight on gender in climate risk assessments
Posted on: 24 July 2013
By: mackene
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This article discusses how a climate risk assessment approach piloted in Central Asia is shedding light on the gender dimension of climate change.
Rural communities
Posted on: 24 July 2013
By: mackene
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In June 2010, the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, announced that the Commission for Rural Communities would be abolished and that Defra Ministers would lead rural policy from within the Department. An enhanced Rural Communities Policy Unit (RCPU) would operate as a centre of rural expertise, supporting and co-ordinating activity within and beyond DEFRA. This inquiry focused on the work of the RCPU, its ability to act as rural champion in the heart of government, and its effectiveness in delivering rural development. The House of Commons Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Select Committee has published the findings of this inquiry.
The way forward for renewable energy in Central America
Posted on: 24 July 2013
By: mackene
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This study, made possible with support from the Climate and Development Knowledge Network (CDKN) and the Energy and Environment Partnership with Central America (EEP), assesses the status of renewable energy technologies in Central America and analyzes the conditions for their advancement in the future. It identifies important knowledge and information gaps, evaluates key finance and policy barriers, and makes suggestions for how to overcome both in a number of high-impact areas. The study scopes the improvements needed to facilitate the transition to a sustainable energy system and establishes the necessary methodology and groundwork for comprehensive regional and national energy strategies.
Property owners & Business Improvement Districts: Formalising the role of property owners, who are not ratepayers, in Business Improvement District Schemes
Posted on: 24 July 2013
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Currently, property owners can make voluntary contributions towards a ratepayer business improvement district and some do. However, others choose not to make a contribution but still benefit from the success of a business improvement district. Mary Portas, in her independent report into the future of high streets, recommended that the government should legislate to allow landlords to become high street investors by contributing to their business improvement district. The government recognises the views of the business improvement district community and Mary Portas, that property owner business improvement districts could strengthen the part that landlords play in the future of the high street and in promoting growth, and committed to look at formalising the role of owners in response to a Portas Review recommendation. This consultation seeks views on a framework for allowing such schemes. Comments are requested by 17 September 2013.
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