Entries for April 2008

“We are pushing as much as possible for greener homes and greener communities. That is our intention, and it is a key policy… Britain could lead the world, and I believe that the incentive provided by public investment in this sector can help Britain to lead the world in innovative and green products, which we can subsequently export, “Iain Wright, Communities minister, DCLG question time, Hansard, 1 April

A professor at the MIT who designed computer interfaces once told me that people take in five to seven bits of information into short term memory which they can act on.

Around 10 million tonnes of waste wood is sent to landfill in the UK every year, but this has potential to be used as biomass, which would reduce methane emissions from landfill and also reducing demand for fossil fuels in heating and power generation.

St Edward Homes, a jv between Prupim and Berkeley, has won outline planning permission to build a ‘sustainable community’ of 750 homes near Reading known as Green Park Village.

A 305 home project aiming for Code Level 4 has gained detailed planning consent.
Crest Nicholson and Greenwich Peninsula Regeneration will use a Combined Heat and Power system for the London scheme.

‘The summer 2007 floods in England and Wales – a hydrological appraisal’, attempts to put the floods into context and whether it will be a long term trend.

Yorkon, has completed construction of one of the UK’s most sustainable modular school buildings for Worcestershire County Council.

“We are pushing as much as possible for greener homes and greener communities. That is our intention, and it is a key policy… Britain could lead the world, and I believe that the incentive provided by public investment in this sector can help Britain to lead the world in innovative and green products, which we can subsequently export, “Iain Wright, Communities minister, DCLG question time, Hansard, 1 April

A professor at the MIT who designed computer interfaces once told me that people take in five to seven bits of information into short term memory which they can act on. So having thirty or so speakers at the Low Carbon World conference on subjects as diverse as spirituality, waste, transport, energy, capital flows and town planning, puts that into sharp focus.

DWCL are to act as client advisor for Bracknell Forrest Borough Council during the regeneration of the town centre. They will be advising on sustainable energy solutions and the implementation of the Council’s CHP scheme, as well as looking at new accomodation requirements in terms of environmental sustainability, and working with the Council in relation to energy efficiency and efficiency of energy supply.

The Alumasc Group has announced the acquisition of Blackdown Horticultural Consultants Limited, a UK supplier of green roofs, for cash consideration of £2m.

The Energy Saving Trust has awarded Bryson Charitable the contract to manage a sustainable energy network aimed at promoting low carbon lifestyles in Northern Ireland. The network and advice centre’s intention is to trigger action by promoting environmentally aware behaviour, and to increase the rate at which carbon saving measures are being adopted and to create ‘low carbon citizens’ who consciously choose sustainable options when buying products or making travel plans.

The RIBA Competitions Office is launching an Invited Design Competition on behalf of the University of Warwick, to seek suitable and innovative solutions for the design of new student residences to accommodate 1000 students. as part of a broader strategy to accommodate undergraduate and graduates on the University campus. 

Daikin UK and Wolseley have entered into a new three year contract to supply local authorities and housing associations with the latest renewable heating technologies.

The Scottish Building Standards Agency (SBSA) has entered into a protocol with BRE Scotland for the issue of Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) for existing buildings in Scotland.