From Michael at Building and Think08
Occupiers willing to meet costs for sustainable buildings
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08 thoughts from think 08
I attended Think08 yesterday afternoon, visiting some of the free seminars and chatting to a good number of exhibitors. It was also good to meet up with fellow bloggers Phil, Mel, Paul, Rob and Casey for an early evening drink.
My impressions from the afternoon was that it didn’t quite have the buzz of last year but again a very worthwhile event to attend, pushing the boundaries of sustainability … but …
Resilience is the new sustainability
The biggest impression was that sustainability as a green label has run its course – has it been highjacked to mean sustainable business as usual, sustainabily? Someone at another online event recently planted this idea – sustainability is so 1990’s. We need a new describer – resilience. (A link to a post in draft)
I captured my key thoughts during the afternoon which coincidently numbered eight:
- its the way we use buildings, operate them and manage energy use that will have the biggest initial impact on energy performance – not necessarily new green ‘kit’
- focus on existing building stock not new build however ‘green’
- like wise focus on make existing communities sustainable – not new build eco towns and try to make them sustainable
- all this reinforces my view that sustainability in the built environment is a facilities management issue not a construction one – but when the fm sector will wake up to this is another post.
- among the exhibitors there were more planners / developers / investment organisations than noticed before, and encouragingly more colleges and universities
- does this lead to promoting services and competing on green issues – and the danger of greenwash though? – “choose use, we are the greenest with the best green credentials” and have been doing it for years
- why is nearly everyones sustainability concept, strategy or objectives a pastel coloured wheel?
- not as much focus on going zero – was that last years thing?
And Highlights for me – for being different:
Footpint friends– giving young people a voice on climate change and global warming.
Verveproperties and the Paintworks
I picked up far too much information which I will plough through – of note though was the information, papers and articles from the Town and Country Planning stand – informed views on sustainable communities and eco-towns.
Think08 reviews and posts
On route to Think08 today so watch this space for live twitters and blog posts, so if you are attending and see me – please say hi !
Comments, reviews and posts from Think08 will also be carried by the group of UK bloggers who are meeting up later today at Think08, including:
… on what makes a building green
Build the best product, cause no unnecessary harm, use business to inspire and
implement solutions to the environmental crisis.
Patagonia’s Mission Statement
I have mentioned Patagonia the outdoor clothing organisation a few times before on this blog, and recently searching for a model CSR policy or statement for a Masters course I am in part delivering, went back to their web site and Yvon Chouinard’s – Let My People Go Surfing book.
More on Patagonia’s approach to building here and Patagonia’s environmental, CSR, approach here. And if you like environmentalism mixed with the great outdoors, mountains, clothing innovation and quality, along with a sprinkling of built environment comments – then check out the blog from staff, customers and friends at The Clean Line
new online construction carbon calculator
A pre-design carbon calculator has been launched in a bid to boost the green credentials of the construction industry. The free online tool will allow the industry to evaluate sustainable options at the earliest stages of construction and covers various building sectors. Developed by Faithful+Gould, the tool will ensure costs associated with carbon saving techniques are properly budgeted for at the very start of a project.
There is also a more detailed Excel version for download
more information at Faithful+Gould,
isite will use and review shortly.
ecological cities
Now the Eco City World Summit 2008 has concluded there is a rich source of live blog reports, reviews and videos over at the Eco City blog. Go view and mine the collective source of global views on the future of cities
If you take away one thing from the summit : the ecological city message is summed up in the BBC Interview on the World service with Richard Register.
Other recommendations:
worldchanging ecocity highlights
Holly Pearson live blogged: An incredible assemblage of the world’s brightest minds that are working to build greener cities and towns gathered for three and a half days of presentations, discussions, city tours, arts & culture, and celebration. As an urban planner for whom the sustainable cities movement is not only a passion but also a raison d’etre, professionally speaking, I found the conference to be nothing short of mind-blowing.
A Convenient Truth: Urban Solutions from Curitiba, Brazil
documentary focusing on innovations in transportation, recycling, social benefits including affordable housing, seasonal parks, and the processes that transformed Curitiba into one of the most livable cities in the world.
Brent Toderian – City of Vancouver’s Director of City Planning, many projects related to the 2010 Winter Olympics, and visioning/CityPlans, including the new “EcoDensity” – the most livable city in the world, removing car facilities from the city, through a travel plan than favours walking.
new CSR blog
Welcome to a new blog from Fabian Pattberg: CorporateResponsibility.Net
Its purpose is to provide the reader with a selection of news items that are informative and useful without the corporate spin of a normal press release. I have signed up to a lot of news services and website newsletters and will select the news items I feel are useful and provide an added value for the Corporate Responsibility interested reader.
and there is an RSS feed too!
bloggers greenwash kit
Thanks to Mel over at Elemental for pointing out the Greenwash Guide (pdf) at Futerra – very timely as I prepare for a workshop today.
Three even easier steps for
communications agenci
Now we have the 10 signs of greenwash, Six Steps to avoid Greenwash, a Greenwash Healthcheck and 3 even easier steps for communication agencies, the original six greenwash sins, and greenwash misleading adverts regulations.
resource efficiency could save construction industry millions
The latest report from the EA (The Environment Agency Science Report – The economic and environmental benefits of resource efficiency in construction ) calls for better resource management in construction. For this to happen, the report recommends Continue reading
interseasonal heat transfer
Pams second post on snow and ice clearance over at Public Works blog, reminded me of two items I had collected into my google notebook for future isite posts.
Reported in the Guardian Friday last Under Road heaters may beat snow and ice , the Highways Agency plans to install pipes underneath a section of road to gather solar energy in summer and recirculate it in winter. Experts hope the scheme could be a way to treat the roads which are the first to freeze.
The scheme, known as interseasonal heat transfer, or IHT, will lay a network of plastic pipes filled with water just below the road surface. In summer, when road temperatures can reach 40C, the water is warmed and pumped to pipes insulated with polystyrene. In winter, when sensors detect the temperature at 2C, warm water is pumped back under the road to heat the ground and prevent ice forming.
Also a Guardian mp3 audio item to download Which discusses the technology and approach to using IHT on UK roads.
Too cool for schools – featuring a pièce de résistance of the building as the construction of the world’s first IHT system underneath the playground. IHT will take heat from the sunshine that falls on the tarmac playground, then stores it and releases it in the winter to heat the school.
Fairsnape 