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Sanctuary in the city? Urban displacement and vulnerability in the Gaza Strip
Posted on: 2 January 2013
By: mackene
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Filed under: News
This report illuminates the consequences of upheaval generated by the Israeli-Palestinian conflict for the citizens of Gaza. Based on hundreds of interviews with the enclave’s residents, and those tasked with assisting them, the research demonstrates that the military tactics deployed in ‘Operation Pillar of Defence’ are just one of many factors that generate the displacement, loss of shelter, livelihoods and life that are all too frequently the price paid by civilians caught up in conflict. The authors offer a series of recommendations to national entities; international governments and donors; international humanitarian and development organisations.
Recast of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive
Posted on: 2 January 2013
By: mackene
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The Energy Performance of Buildings Directive is an EU measure designed to tackle climate change by reducing the amount of carbon produced by buildings. The requirements of the Directive were implemented on a phased basis by the Energy Performance of Buildings (Certificates and Inspections) (England and Wales) Regulations 2007. Key requirements were: energy performance certificate to be produced on the sale, rent or construction of a building; display energy certificate to be produced and displayed in large public buildings; and air conditioning equipment above a certain size to be inspected regularly. Changes have been made to the regulations, to transpose the requirements of a recast of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive in England and Wales. The main requirements were introduced on 9 January 2013.
Demographic change and local development: Shrinkage, regeneration and social dynamics
Posted on: 2 January 2013
By: mackene
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This report highlights the issues faced by local areas against the backdrop of policies or planning models that have directed local development in the past decades.
Housing in later life: Planning ahead for specialist housing for older people
Posted on: 2 January 2013
By: mackene
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A consortium of housing providers has launched a toolkit to help local authorities plan for housing an ageing population. It is designed to highlight the benefits of specialist housing for older people and to encourage planners to join up housing, planning and social care policies.
Community Infrastructure Levy: guidance
Posted on: 2 January 2013
By: mackene
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This guidance sets out the main procedures local authorities need to follow when introducing and operating the Community Infrastructure Levy.
Responding to a changing sustainable development research and policy landscape. London, 29 November 2012
Posted on: 2 January 2013
By: mackene
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Governments and society face multiple large and long-term challenges such as the economy and fiscal environment, developing resource pressures and climate change. These challenges are reflected in the cross-cutting government policy priorities including delivering economic growth, wellbeing and sustainable development. The Sustainable Development Research Network Annual Conference brought together high-level speakers and delegates from the policy and research community to explore these issues and the role of evidence in addressing these challenges. Presentations are available online.
Water regulation: Understanding the opportunities of innovation and change. London, 15 November 2012
Posted on: 2 January 2013
By: mackene
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The aim of this conference was to provide an overview of the current issues driving water regulation and exploring the implications for practitioners for planning and practice in relation to the current price review and future project delivery. Presentations are available online.
Retrofit insights: perspectives for an emerging industry
Posted on: 14 December 2012
By: mackene
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Between May 2011 and July 2012, the UCL Energy Institute (UCL-Energy), working in partnership with the Institute for Sustainability, undertook a post-occupancy evaluation study on a sample of the projects funded by the Technology Strategy Board’s Retrofit for the Future (Rt4F) programme in London. The core aim of the programme was to reduce the carbon emissions of existing homes by a minimum of 80% while providing affordable warmth for the occupants. The intention of this report is to use learning and insights from this analysis to help small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the construction industry to prepare for emerging business opportunities in retrofit.
Based on a series of interviews and feedback sessions with project teams, the Retrofit project team perspectives summary guides identify lessons learned during projects covering: These include:
mechanical and electrical systems integration
The Occupant-centred retrofit: engagement and communication guide summarises the findings from the post occupancy evaluation interviews with retrofit occupants. Detailed analyses will also be made available on the Institute’s website. A separate guide, Best practice guidance for successful SME engagement, also released by the Institute for Sustainability and Action Sustainability, in association with Lend Lease, provides best practice guidance for large organisations looking to diversify their supply chain by engaging with SMEs.
Finally, the Institute’s updated Buildings opportunities for business: Low carbon domestic retrofit guides, reflecting the latest developments on Government incentive schemes including the Green Deal, are also being made available here. The guides, written by leading academic and industry experts, provide practical and commercially focused advice and best practice to both trades and professions.
Towering ambitions: transforming high rise housing into sustainable homes
Posted on: 14 December 2012
By: mackene
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The Green Alliance has published a report which examines how sustainable living in high rise housing can be realised. It concludes that people who live in tower blocks are missing out on the chance to make energy savings and live greener lifestyles. Green policies, like those encouraging energy and water saving, more sustainable transport and recycling, are mostly designed with individual, street level properties in mind, so high rise residents can’t take full advantage of them. To address this, the report makes recommendations for what various actors, from national and local government to landlords and residents themselves, can do to make the most of existing policy to enable tower block living to become more sustainable. Alongside the report the Green Alliance has published a toolkit, A better place to live: a toolkit for high rise green living, which aims to help high rise residents take actions to make their homes better, greener places to live. Additional resources, as well as tips for residents on how to bring people together and how to use meetings to come up with a plan of action, can be found here.
Exploring construction industrialization in China: The status quo and the challenges
Posted on: 14 December 2012
By: mackene
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Construction industrialization is considered as a feasible tool to support the Chinese construction industry to achieve sustainable development in the current process of rapid urbanization. However, few studies have investigated whether large-scale construction industrialization is possible and what are the obstacles. This report therefore aims to review the historical development and status quo of construction industrialization in China. Content analysis was adopted to examine relevant governmental documents, as well as researches on construction industrialization, prefabrication and off-site production in China. It is found that construction industrialization once developed rapidly from 1950s to 1990s while it remains at a relatively low level as compared to traditional building construction approach at present. Although the research project focuses on China, the research methods and conclusions would be a good reference for similar studies in other countries and regions.
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