The recent speech by Tom Watson MP, Minister for Transformational Governance, Power of Information, can be found here and is a fascinating overview and history of information management – well worth a read.
The government has released today the short list for Eco Towns, and they are:
“Building brand new eco–towns outside existing settlements is really bad idea when there are 675,000 empty homes in England alone sitting empty, all ripe for refitting with green technologies. Given that demand for housing covers the whole of the UK it makes sense for every village and town to have new housing rather creating brand new settlements.”
See also Marks comments on House2.0 where Mark comments …. 3 million new homes …the case for this is no stronger than it is for a third runway at Heathrow. And no greener.
blog posted from Xda Orbit
I seem to be on a conference theme this evening so I should give a plug for two important UK events, (or Phil will be after me)
Think 08 – 7 and 8 May 2008
Think08 is a free exhibition and high level conference about thinking through and delivering sustainability in the built environment. With over 100 exhibitors and 80 free seminars, Think provides free content, networking and learning from thought leaders, alongside vibrant social events such as the Think Ball and Regatta.
(and a bloggers convention is promised)
Sustainability Now – 1 and 2 June 2008
Sustainability Now is a unique virtual event, highlighting the essential issues that matter right now for those creating a sustainable built environment.
From the 10 Downing Street Twitter feed earlier today:
DowningStreet No10 news: PM helps householders go green: The Prime Minister has said that fighting clim.. http://tinyurl.com/yugre7
and
Green Neighbourhoods initiative will give a “green makeover” to up to 100 neighbourhoods in England with an aim to reduce their carbon footprints by more than 60 per cent.
Over 13000 delegates, 100 speakers and 380 exhibitors are expected at West Coast Green, the world’s largest residential green building conference, in San José this September.
The event, that will be a green zero-waste conference, will also include live blogging, live broadcasting and plenty of pre-conference previews and profiles through the online San Fransisco Chronicle.
From the West Coast Green site:
We live in an exciting time in the green and healthy building movement. At no other time in history has the profound effect of the built environment gained so much public prominence. Now its time to discover what is emerging, envision the future and take the next bold steps.
isite has highlighted the green build movement in the USA many times, attempting to draw comparisons and lessons for the UK built environment sustainability agendas, and will follow the build up to this one and hopefully relay live blogs and webcasts during the event itself to UK isite readers.
The Eco City 2008 blog continues to profile Eco City projects and urban architects and other leading thinkers in its build up to the Eco City World Summit conference at the end of the month. The posts, links and articles make fine background reading to urban futures and the whole concept of eco, whether its eco-cities, eco-towns or eco-villages world wide.
A round up of recent coal articles and activities suggest that the writing on the wall may be becoming clearer:
Can coal live up to its clean promise? New Scientist. Seems the CCS, carbon capture schemes) may not be in favour with the world of science. Well worth a read to get an overview of the current state of CCS (A study by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology called The Future of Coal, published last year, suggests that the first commercial CCS plants won’t be on stream until 2030 at the earliest.)
E.on climb down on Kingsnorth and ask for delay in planning decision? Guardian. … Well at least until CCS is viable. Maybe they have read the NS and MIT reports. Greenpeace love it.
byoblue, the Architecture 2030 No Coal campaign grows in strength with supporters across the world, Facebook and in Second Life (If anyone is in doubt as to the relationship between buildings, their energy demand (or waste) and coal, can I suggest a visit to the excellent material on the Architecture 2030 site.)
The South Wales eco-village Lammas (covered here on isite recently) gets the Treehugger and Eco City coverage
What a world of difference between the eco-villages of the Hanham Hall type and Lammas. No doubt as to which best claims the eco tag!
SLengineer has changed its name to Grid Works with its latest issue to reflect the magazine’s goal of documenting and reporting how companies and people are using online services and tools to support and enhance their work in engineering and science related fields. Available as pdf here
in this issue:
Walking into the Map – David Rumsey shares his extensive map collection with residents of Second Life
TEEX Bridge Tour – the Texas Engineering Extension brings real life bridge maintenance training to Second Life
Cement Company LSmidth builds a virtual cement plant as an aid for real life recruitment
and how Implenia, Switzerland’s largest construction and building services provider, conceived and developed the virtual worlds communication interface (VWCI)— a tool for monitoring common building automation systems
This is an excellent communication example of how Second Life can be and is relevant to RL businesses, education and general learning / sharing improvements, and pleased that I (and isite) have been co-opted ‘on to the staff’ for future issues of the GridWorks, hopefully bringing an international, well UK view. Watch this space.
I have for a while now been exploring Second Life’s contribution to the built environment – on themes of collaboration, education and usability.
One of these ideas is to create a UK Level 6 Eco Home within second life to use as an educational device. A meeting a month or so ago with Pam Broviak (Public Works Director for the City of LaSalle, Illinois) has led to a collaborative project forming an International Eco-Code Park within Second Life. The Public Work island already contains a US Code House, demonstrating how such virtual builds can be used effectively.
Read more over on Pam’s Public Works blog
The island also contains a brilliant bridge tour built by TEEX enabling you to view all risks and hazards of concrete bridge construction. Read a review in the latest, hot of the press, copy of GridWorks
So a plot of land has been cleared, signs put in place, across the street from the US Code House to build a UK level 6 eco home. Perhaps a Dunster (level 7) home or Hanham Hall home? (Location on Public Works)
We are now seeking support from designers and SL builders to help on this exciting project. If you are a SL builder, educator or would like to fund and support this project please do get in touch. (or IM Brand Woodin or Pam Renoir from within Second Life)
When complete, or indeed even in construction, the international eco-code park will enable educational tours and visits from colleges and universities, on site workshops and discussions along with the show casing of real world eco solutions and material. It is even anticipated the homes could be used to give building code assessors more awareness and depth to training – as the existing TEEX bridge and Code house do already.
If you do not have a Second Life – join up through our dedicated Public Work registration site – you will arrive in Second Life at the Public Works Island and meet other built environment professionals there who will assist with any questions. We look forward to seeing you there.
Fairsnape 