Built environment/wellness
Our cities, buildings and man-made environment plus issues around health and wellness
Better building regulations can drive greener buildings
Getting involved in updating building codes might seem technical and a bit boring. But, it's probably the best and most efficient, at scale solution to creating a more sustainable building industry.
Building regs backlash in Germany
German Housing Minister Klara Geywitz, Finance Minister Christian Lindner and a number of other senior cabinet members of the German coalition have expressed their concern about potential revisions to the EU Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD), which would include mandatory renovations for buildings with the worst energy performance. The
20's plenty?
The introduction of a 20 mph speed limit in built-up areas in Wales has not been without controversy. So emotive was the move that a no confidence vote in the minister who led the introduction of it, Deputy Climate Change Minister Lee Waters, was brought although was easily defeated. The
Climate change spreading the impact of infectious diseases.
Tropical diseases are coming to a community near you, even if you live in the temperate 'north'. A recent FT article highlighted this topic, which we wrote about last year (perhaps they read our blogs? ). Some health issues that will arise from climate changes and environmental degradation don&
Commercial building cooling: design playing its part
Optimising existing HVAC helps, but initial design choices can also regulate temperature passively. Cooling is a large part of a commercial building's energy footprint so an important consideration.
How much are green buildings worth?
Green buildings are cheaper to operate, more attractive to tenants, and they are future proofed, protecting the landlord against additional refurbishment spending as building standards get tougher. And, they are only slightly more expensive to build. So, if the financial markets are efficient, green commercial buildings should be worth more.
Cooling food - regular, salty and constant volume.
Modern fridges and freezers do a great job keeping food fresh but have some sustainability issues. Solutions exist now and there are some interesting early stage ones too.
Retrofitting away operational and embodied carbon
Retrofitting can save on costs and GHG emissions by improving operational efficiency.
Minimising cost over runs - part 2
Making sure the cost estimates for a project are meaningful is essential, as is verifying the expected benefits. But, equally important is how you mange complex projects - we can learn some useful lessons from architect Frank Gehry
PFAS - paints, pesticides and 'puters.
'Forever chemicals' are facing increasing scrutiny over their potentially harmful impacts on the environment and our health.
Sweden's wooden city
Wood has been used for centuries in construction but when managed appropriately could become key to making the built environment more sustainable.
Is this what transition risk looks like?
We often read about transition risk and stranded assets, but what does this really mean, and how does it get reflected in the financial statements and value of companies? The short answer is - much more slowly than you may think.