Sustainable Futures Conference: Architecture and urbanism in the global South. Kampala, Uganda, 25-30 June 2012

Posted on: 21 September 2012
By: mackene
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This conference aimed to address the practice and principles of sustainability in the context of architecture and urbanism in the global South. Papers are available online for the following themes: Sustainability and urbanism; Design for sustainability; Education for sustainability.

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Design and Sustainability Business Plan 2012/13

Posted on: 12 September 2012
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The Homes and Communities Agency’s Design and Sustainability Advisory Group was set up in 2009 to help the Agency deliver its statutory objectives around improving design and embedding sustainability in development. The small group, drawn from industry and design professions, provides advice to the HCA Board on how the Agency performs against these objectives. This Business Plan sets key priorities for the Advisory Group in 2012/13, with a particular focus on working with the HCA to develop its role in promoting good practice and providing design support and placemaking advice to partners, as well as developing a longer-term vision for achieving the HCA’s design and sustainability objectives.

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Sustainable transitions: Navigating theories and challenging realities. Copenhagen, 29-31 August 2012

Posted on: 30 August 2012
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The aim of this event was to offer a space for the change of experiences with a broad range of empirical investigations and interventions in the field of transition studies. These include studies of the contribution from firms, industries, organisations, social practices, consumption, civil society and social movements. It also included studies of the territorial and spatial distribution of transition processes and the implications of transitions in the context of developing countries. Full papers are available online.

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International Sustainability Conference 2012. Basel, 29-31 August 2012

Posted on: 30 August 2012
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Under the title of Strategies for sustainability: Institutional and organisational challenges, this event provided a platform for social scientists, economists as well as representatives from civil society working with interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary approaches in the field of sustainable development. A volume of proceedings is available online.

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Student attitudes towards and skills for sustainable development

Posted on: 28 August 2012
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Research into student attitudes towards, and skills for sustainable development (SD) was conducted in 2011 as a two-phase study in order to continue research first conducted in 2010 by: understanding trends in demands and expectations from first-year students new to university; and longitudinal tracking of demands and expectations from second-year students as they progress their university career. The current research findings reinforce the conclusions of the 2010 research.

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Knowledge brokerage in action in European Cities: Key insights from five successful knowledge brokerage initiatives

Posted on: 22 August 2012
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The Informed Cities Initiative applied the theory of knowledge brokerage to the field of urban sustainability, in a research project funded by the European Commission under the 7th Framework Programme. This brochure is one of the project’s outputs; it reports the findings from five European case studies, using data collected via structured questionnaires and follow-up telephone interviews with key figures in the brokerage process in the case study cities.

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European frameworks for local sustainability: the role of researchers, policy-makers and European institutions in shaping local commitment

Posted on: 22 August 2012
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This publication explore the usefulness of European schemes, such as the Covenant of Mayors or the Aalborg Commitments, in supporting the local sustainability process and presenting recommendations on the role of researchers in shaping local processes.

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Reference Framework for Sustainable European Cities

Posted on: 22 August 2012
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The Reference Framework is an on-line toolkit to assist actors of urban management and development to improve dialogue and action on sustainability. It offers a multi-purpose decision-making and communication tool for promoting sustainable urban development. It is not place-specific and can be adapted to suit local priorities and different circumstances. The tool shows and explains step-by-step what actions are possible or necessary to organise the process in a city or municipality, that is to say to help the city develop in an integrated manner. The users are guided through a series of questions to explore their city’s approach to sustainability and provide them with tools for improving this.

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3rd International Urban Research Symposium ICLEI World Congress 2012. Belo Horizonte, Brazil, 14-17 June 2012

Posted on: 17 August 2012
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This conference focused on urban sustainability, sustainable cities, eco-cities and sustainable communities with the aim of linking research and practice. Presentations are available online.

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Urban patterns for a green economy

Posted on: 15 August 2012
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UN Habitat has issued a series of four guides under the heading “Urban Patterns for a Green Economy”:

Working with nature 

This guide focuses on the effect of unplanned, rapid growth of cities on the functioning of a city-region’s natural systems. It outlines how guided development can maximise the ability of ecosystems to support sustainable human and natural processes. It offers a perspective on how to work with nature and the ecological processes in regions, and looks at the need to work across scales; to understand regional systems; and develop principles and measures that can be applied at the regional, city and local scales.

Leveraging density

This guide explores the compact city and its benefits within the developed and developing world’s contexts. The guide illustrates how the compact city concept and planned (versus unplanned) urban extension can support sustainable urban patterns that benefit the functioning of developed as well as developing world cities. Properly managed, compaction can positively enhance the life of the city dweller and support related strategies aimed at promoting a green economy and sustainable urban settlements.

Optimizing infrastructure

This guide proposes that cities can act as agents for change that allow their large populations to live less wastefully. It considers how infrastructure systems can be viewed as an opportunity to shift cities onto a more sustainable path by paying close attention to the resources that pass through them, and the manner in which they support the activities of the city. Each city context differs, based on stage of development, pace of growth and available resources.

Clustering for competitiveness

This guide argues that strategic investment in physical infrastructure with the diversification of economies allows cities to play a specialised role in polycentric urban development. Furthermore, it suggests that green economic development can be achieved through the development of green clusters and green jobs. Finally, this guide argues that a number of green economy outcomes may be reached through efficiencies and shared infrastructure, rather than duplication.

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