Come and meet us
Opening times
Visit the School
Six ways that thoughtful community planning can help fight climate change
Posted on: 5 June 2014
By: mackene
No Comments »
Filed under: News
This blog considers how community planning can help fight climate change with examples from the USA.
Africa’s Urban Revolution, part 1: the second-generation policies our cities need
Posted on: 5 June 2014
By: mackene
No Comments »
Filed under: News
In this first instalment of a two-part review of Africa’s Urban Revolution, a new series of essays from the African Centre for Cities (ACC), Kerwin Datu learns how policies surrounding issues such as decentralisation, food security and armed conflict must now adapt to the maturing of Africa’s urbanisation experience. The second part considers a provocative new theory that urbanisation is driven by demographic transition, not by economic growth, and that even rural development initiatives will directly cause increased urban populations regardless of where and whether economic opportunities even exist. This can be viewed here.
How much energy does your building use?
Posted on: 5 June 2014
By: mackene
No Comments »
Filed under: News
There is not enough investment put into FMs at a level appropriate to the complexity of the building and systems they manage, says a report to be published this week. How Much Energy Does Your Building Use, published by the non-profit National Energy Foundation (NEF), states that this oversight goes on to hinder the energy performance of buildings.
European Transaction-based Index
Posted on: 5 June 2014
By: mackene
No Comments »
Filed under: News
DTZ Research has issued the first transaction based index (TBI) for Europe. The index measures the price performance of commercial property across Europe based on actual paired sales. This report shows the European results Q1 2014, including a UK focus as well as a discussion on how the TBI is constructed.
Growth with depth: 2014 African Transformation Report
Posted on: 5 June 2014
By: mackene
No Comments »
Filed under: News
The 2014 African Transformation Report draws on the African Center for Economic Transformation’s research program of country, sector, and thematic studies to look systematically at transformation as a broad framework for economic growth and development. The report introduces the African Transformation Index to help African policymakers see how their countries are transforming and where they stand in relation to their neighbors. Videos of speakers from the launch event, held on 28 May 2014, are available here.
Design for climate change
Posted on: 3 June 2014
By: mackene
No Comments »
Filed under: News
Bill Gething, an independent architecture and sustainability consultant who specialises in climate change adaptation and thermally upgrading existing buildings, discusses his most recent book, ‘Design for Climate Change’, co-authored with Katie Puckett.
Introduction and Proposed Goals and Targets on Sustainable Development for the Post2015 Development Agenda
Posted on: 3 June 2014
By: mackene
No Comments »
Filed under: News
One of the main outcomes of the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20), held in Rio de Janeiro in June 2012, was the agreement by Member States to launch a process to develop a set of sustainable development goals (SDGs). Rio+20 did not elaborate specific goals but stated that the SDGs should be limited in number, aspirational and easy to communicate. The goals should address in a balanced way all three dimensions of sustainable development and be coherent with and integrated into the UN development agenda beyond 2015. A 30-member Open Working Group (OWG) of the General Assembly, established on 22 January 2013, is tasked with preparing a proposal on the SDGs. A draft document has now been produced on proposed goals and targets on sustainable development.
Case studies of biodiversity offsetting
Posted on: 3 June 2014
By: mackene
No Comments »
Filed under: News
A contentious new policy being pursued by the UK Government will lead to a loss of biodiversity and local natural areas for communities according to a consortium of environment groups. Biodiversity offsetting promises to make good the damage done to nature by creating equivalent nature elsewhere, but in doing so, it masks the loss of important natural spaces for communities. The groups margue that biodiversity offsetting is a dangerous distraction from the need to do more to protect nature and have a more environmentally sustainable economy. In these case studies, communities speak out about what offsetting is allowing on the ground.
Why our high streets still matter
Posted on: 3 June 2014
By: mackene
No Comments »
Filed under: News
Retail expert Mary Portas has published a “think piece” which questions the effectiveness of the town centre first policy, and claims that efforts to pilot the recommendations included in her review of high streets were marred initially by ‘vague supporting processes’ and ‘insufficient guidance’ by the government.
EEA Signals 2014: Well-being and the environment
Posted on: 3 June 2014
By: mackene
No Comments »
Filed under: News
How do we create a performing economy that creates jobs and ensures our well-being, yet respects the limits of our planet? This question is considered in the latest edition of Signals, an annual publication from the European Environment Agency.
What’s new
What’s new and Events presentations archive
- December 2014
- November 2014
- October 2014
- September 2014
- August 2014
- July 2014
- June 2014
- May 2014
- April 2014
- March 2014
- February 2014
- January 2014
- December 2013
- November 2013
- October 2013
- September 2013
- August 2013
- July 2013
- June 2013
- May 2013
- April 2013
- March 2013
- February 2013
- January 2013
- December 2012
- November 2012
- October 2012
- September 2012
- August 2012
- July 2012
- June 2012
- May 2012
- April 2012
- March 2012
- February 2012
- January 2012
- December 2011
- November 2011
- October 2011
- September 2011
- August 2011
- July 2011