Category Archives: links

a smart eco house that daydreams?

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Following recent communication with Adam Somlai-Fischer at Zuiprezi, who I hope can get to talk at the be2camp event in October, I took a look at the Reconfigurable House, a concept environment developed by Adam constructed from thousands of low tech components that can be “rewired” by visitors.

So far so good, but reconfigurations can be made endlessly as people change their minds, so that the House can take on completely new behaviours.

Smart homes actually aren’t very smart simply because they are pre-wired according to algorithms and decisions made by designers of the systems, rather than the people who occupy the houses.

so the user gets to configure the usability level, excellent, but:

if the House is left alone for too long, it gets bored, daydreams and reconfigures itself….

The Reconfigurable House is open source, registered through Creative Commons which seems to allow you to download the code and create your very own reconfigurable home, or upload your own configurable devices into the house suite.

Arguments as to who has control of the remote may take on a whole new dimension.

from brightgreen: how to use environmental leaders

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Last Friday Bright Green Talent posted this excellent five point guide:

Dreadlocks, demonstrations and duck ponds – What does today’s environmentalist look like?

What are the characteristics of these environmental leaders and how can you use them to drive your business forward?

1. Big minds: Environmental leaders have a history of excellence in everything they do. Graduating from the top universities, they are aspirational, yet practical. They are naturally drawn to complex problems that span science, economics and society.

2. Learners, not cogs: Don’t expect an environmental leader to become another cog in an organisational machine. They are here to learn and to make a difference. They flourish in small organisations, visionary
consultancies and larger organisations with a big mandate for change.

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the alchemy between digital and build

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Jeff Jarvis writing in the Guardian yesterdayCoelho finds the perfect alchemy of print and digital describes how digital web 2 approaches such as blogs and twitter can enhance the core business,  through engaging with readers (customers?), giving away freebies and getting ideas and inputs from fans for the next project.  All this contributes to Coelho being number two best selling author in the world, with over 100m sales.

Now this has got me thinking – what are the similarities in the built environment world of design, support, build and maintain?  Certainly we can twitter for new ideas on the next project, give away freebie designs and management tools, blog about successes, projects and problems, collaborate with strangers on the other side of the globe.   The technology is there, but …. where is that key to make it come alive, where or what is that alchemy between digital and build?

In the support I provide to organisations as an introduction to the world of web 2, moving them away from searching for to having important leads and information delivered, using igoogle and RSS, I am amazed how many still see the web as a time consuming one way search device and an email machine.  (Contact me for more on this, email, twitter or leave comment below)

do you know a sustainable star?

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Is your project, are you, or do you know a sustainable star in Pennine Lancashire?

We are running a competition to discover the green heroes of the region and we are aiming to support every aspect of sustainability; from eco houses to schools, community project to construction.

If you know of, or are involved in a sustainable project in the Pennine Lancashire region then we want to hear from you. There are 13 categories to choose from across a broad range of themes, and entry is completely free. It doesn’t matter if your project is up and running or if it is still in the conception and development stages – we are interested in promoting the sustainable practices and awareness of sustainability across Pennine Lancashire towns, whatever level of completion.

Check out the sustainable stars website and nominate or enter.

The 13 categories range from major projects to community gardens:

Sustainable design / planning

a project that has used sustainable design methodology and planning in its inception, which demonstrates good design practice and has used the principles of the Elevate Design Handbook. This can include projects at design and concept stage, as well as completed projects. It also includes design related policy and guidance documents and best practice.

Community project

a project that has involved the local community in sustainability; through employment, environmental objectives, planning, etc.

Use of a natural material

a project that has included natural products like straw bale, lime render, cob, rammed earth, sheep wool, hemp and recycled paper insulation, etc.

Use of renewable / sustainable technology

a project that has used renewable technology or a sustainable form of energy in its development. This category can also include research and development.

Renovation project

a project that has used sustainable design in the renovation of a building, and / or it will be used to promote an environmental / sustainability programme.

Heritage

a project that has used specific heritage skills or approaches to building conservation in its renovation, conversion or construction. This category also includes projects and proposals that celebrate the social heritage of places.

New Build

commercial or private dwellings built using sustainable methods of construction, adhering to the Code for Sustainable Homes criteria, BREEAM, Elevate KPI’s or equivalent. This can include any school / education new builds.

Biodiversity

a project that has increased the biodiversity of an area, either generally or through a targeted species.

Waste recycling / resource efficiency

a business or project that promotes sustainable waste management and resource efficiency. This can include on-site waste management and stand alone recycling operations.

Sustainable skills

an example of sustainability used within a business; i.e. local employment quota, sustainable procurement, staff training and education, innovative techniques, etc.

New business start up

a business that has been trading no earlier than Jan 2007; that is encouraging sustainable methods of supply, production and employment; that promotes sustainability in any explicit manner.

College / school project

a project promoting sustainability in any form within a school or college environment, including construction skills, technology research and training, modelling, etc.

Private project (garden, eco renovation)

any project undertaken by a member of the public that has sustainability principles. This can include insulating a house, putting a green roof on a garden shed, creating a wildlife garden, building a eco-house, etc.

local authority in peak oil tranisition

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Last week, Somerset County Council voted unanimously to endorse a motion that they become the UK’s first ‘Transition Local Authority’ reported the Transition Culture blog yesterday

What this means is that SCC will take a more integrated approach to its planning processes, putting peak oil, sustainable communities and climate change at the heart of its forward planning, which would/should/will include its construction and maintenance procurement and management.

Is this the start of local authorities adopting a wider and longer term view of sustainability?  It will be very interesting now to see the PQQ (preliminary qualification questionnaire) issues the county ask of its bidders, the selection criteria used in procurement and the performance indicators.  One big impact should be the real focus on local labour, local materials and construction miles.

Just as the built environment sector is (slowly) getting to grips with answering basic environmental questions with in bidding documents, this may not only move the goal posts but put them on a different playing field.  Try addressing a PQQ question along the lines  “What steps have you taken to address peak oil”

At last we may have some real effort in addressing the impact we in the built environment have on the environment and climate change.

As the Transition Culture blog states: Something Wonderful Just Happened in Somerset

The proposal put before the Council ran as follows;

That this Council

  1. Acknowledges the work done by communities in Somerset on Transition Towns and that the independence of the Transition Movement is key to its grass roots appeal.
  2. As demonstrated in its Climate Change Strategy, fully endorses the Transition Town Movement and subscribes to the principles and ethos of the organisation’s goals to reduce dependence on fuel oil and create more sustainable communities.
  3. Commits to providing support and assistance to all towns in Somerset that wish to join this initiative to help them achieve the goals they set for themselves as local communities, as demonstrated under the ‘Community Initiatives’ section of the Climate Change Strategy.
  4. Therefore, requests the Scrutiny and Executive Committees to consider through the council’s strategic planning process; allocating funds to assist in achieving the outcomes of the Transition Towns Movement in Somerset and requiring all directorates to engage with and provide support for Transition Initiatives in Somerset

Through the work outlined above, seeks to become the first Transition Authority in the UK. Agrees to undertake a review of its budgets and services to achieve a reduction in dependence on fuel oil and produce an energy descent action plan in line with the principles of the Transition Initiative.

your top three environmental books

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What are the top three books you’ve read on environmental issues that you would recommend?   Why are they great reads,important or influential?

Join the discussion underway on the Linkedin Sustainability Questions page and learn what others feel are important environmental books. I will summarise all the recommendations here soon.

Not a member of Linkedin? contact me to get an invite.

carbon trust standard

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The Carbon Trust new certification acknowledges organisations that reduce their greenhouse gas emissions without using offsets.

The Carbon Trust Standard certifies that an organisation has genuinely reduced its carbon footprint and is committed to making further reductions year on year.

“Our research shows that not only do consumers currently mistrust business’ climate change claims, but that business thinks existing carbon award schemes are confusing and lack credibility,” said Carbon Trust Chief Executive Tom Delay. “What business and consumers both share is a desire for one, credible way to prove an organisation has not only measured, but actually reduced their carbon emissions year-on-year without the use of offsetting.”

The 12 case study organisations who have acheived the standard are Abbey Corrugated, B&Q, Crown Prosecution Service, Dept. of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Dept. for International Development, DSM Nutritional Products – Dairy production site Scotland, King’s College London, London Fire Brigade, Morrisons, Thames Water, Trinity Mirror and University of Central Lancashire.

free ceequal manual

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I see that manual for CEEQUAL, the civils sustainability scheme is available as a free download

Its objective is to encourage the attainment of environmental excellence in civil engineering, and thus to deliver improved environmental and social performance in project specification, design and construction.

ecotowns – small steps in the right direction and stop …

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There may be one or two things as important for humanity’s future, but nothing is more important than ecocities.

a great, insight, article by Richard Register on Eco Cities, which here in the UK may give another view on eco towns, from both sides, ie both those planning and those opposing:

But what is most often missed is the design and layout of our built environment of cities, towns and villages. Could we build cities that actually enrich soils, promote biodiversity and stabilize climate while creating a more beautiful human environment than ever seen before and one harmonious with the natural world as well?

I’ve seen people move small steps in the right direction and stop, satisfied that they have arrived. They, for example, might recycle better and buy an energy saving automobile, but they still live a long way from work and their friends and drive anyway.

I’ve seen them freeze up the city, opposing any new “density” in already existing neighborhoods or resist adding diversity of services and jobs to a neighborhood, clinging to the segregating single uses of zoning that helped the car scatter the city of car dependent and cheap energy dependent distances.

and Richards conclusion:

We need to be thorough. We need to see all the parts connected and understand that to have a…

…. read the article at Eco Cities,

isite radar and roundup monday 23rd june

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Last week was a busy one so not too much posting here, but below are a few of the items that caught my eye

Bristol is to become the first cycle city with 11 others – York, Stoke, Blackpool, Cambridge, Chester, Colchester, Leighton Buzzard, Southend, Shrewsbury, Southport and Woking – named as demonstration areas for the scheme. They will be added to the current six demonstration areas – Aylesbury, Brighton, Darlington, Derby, Exeter and Lancaster.

Last Saturday I led a benchmarkwalks walk in the English Lake District for a group of Facilities Management people. Great discussions over usability, eco towns, fm sustainability, fm in Cape Town shanty towns and the future of fm.  An emerging topic from the conference earlier in the week, and continued on the walk – the need for Aggressive Facilities Management

On blogs, Mel’s excellent article over at Elemental on Global air conditioning while Phil at ZeroChampion has an interesting post on Should we carbonize interest rates? and Pam over at Public Works talks from the trenches on investing in infrastruture in the face of credit crunch.

The Guardians articles that ‘revealed‘ the UK Governments blue print plans for a tougher approach to climate change. Many of which involved housing or buildings. Now why was this not included within the UK Government Strategy for Sustainable Construction. Joined up thinking, just in time thinking?

On a similar line a German town forces homes to fix solar tiles

Eco towns seem to be never out of the news with google alerts working overtime – has the opposition changed, from ‘we cant build zero carbon’, to ‘nimbyism’ to what now seems to be the ‘tescopolising’ of eco-towns. Next weeks headline? Eco towns ate my cat.  But today the Guardian reports on the forthcoming report that criticizes eco town proposals:

The choice of sites put on a shortlist to be England’s first ecotowns has been strongly criticised for their lack of adequate public transport links and other shortcomings by a government advisory panel.

George Monbiot on coal – We must leave the fossil century behind to reach the golden age of renewable energy, Mr Brown – making the important comment that its not what we do but what we stop doing

And finally, for now, much blogging and twittering of the planned be2camp event in London in October. here here and here