Tim writes for 2degrees

Tim's article on "Behavioural change or societal change?" has recently been published on the 2degrees website: http://www.2degreesnetwork.com/groups/managing-sustainability/resources/behavioural-change-or-societal-change/.

UWE awarded the Carbon Trust Standard

UWE has been officially recertified and awarded the Carbon Trust Standard which shows we have taken real action on climate change by reducing our carbon emissions by 3.9% relatively since the footprint year.  This is a great recognition of our achievements in carbon reduction and demonstrates our commitment to reducing carbon emissions year on year.

 

The Carbon Trust Standard indicates which organisations can be trusted to have genuinely acted on climate change and committed to ongoing emission reductions.  It also shows that we are taking personal responsibility as a University to reducing the carbon emissions that we are directly responsible for rather than just paying to off-set our emissions.

Some of the projects that have enabled us to get the Carbon Trust Standard include investment in LED street lighting, improved insulation, motion sensitive lighting and lighting improvements, air handling unit optimisation, the Student Switch Off campaign and many more.

The Carbon Trust Standard requires us to recertify every two years, which means we will continue to keep working to cut our carbon emissions.

View our Sustainability pages to learn more about how UWE is tackling climate change and reducing our environmental impact.

Dube Aerotropolis site visit

Dr Enda Hayes and Rose Bailey, from the AQMRC, and their colleague in the Department for Geography and Environmental Management, Dr Chad Staddon, are visiting the site of the Dube Aerotropolis near Durban this week. AQMRC has been appointed to assist Dube Tradeport and Tongaat Hulett Developments to prepare a Framework for Sustainability to input into the preparation of the Dube Aerotropolis Regional Development Strategy. This initial site visit will enable the team to see for themselves the scope of the project and allow them to initiate baseline calculations to assist in creating this major new low-carbon development.

AQMRC chosen to provide support to Dube Aerotropolis, Durban, South Africa in developing a Framework for Sustainability

AQMRC has been appointed to assist Dube Tradeport and Tongaat Hulett Developments to prepare a Framework for Sustainability as input into the preparation of the Dube Aerotropolis Regional Development Strategy. This exciting multi-disciplinary project brings together many Faculty of Environment and Technology colleagues including Dr Enda Hayes (Project Manager), Prof Jim Longhurst, Dr Tim Chatterton, Ms Jo Barnes and Ms Rose Bailey from AQMRC, other ISHE colleagues including Dr Sarah Hills, Dr Ian Smith, Dr Chad Staddon and Dr Nevil Quinn and external expertise from Visiting Research Fellow Dr Mark Everard. The project team will advise on sustainable development guidelines for the land use and infrastructural framework in the vicinity of the King Shaka International Airport, while supporting the client’s vision of working towards carbon and water neutrality for the area. The Dube Aerotropolis covers a radius of approximately 15 km around the recently opened King Shaka International Airport within the KwaDukuza Municipality north of the city of Durban. AQMRC will provide specialist advice on carbon emissions and management in the Aerotropolis area. This project builds on AQMRC experience in air and carbon management in Africa, including the Low Carbon Consensus Panel study for the Academy of Science of South Africa and the National Framework for Air Quality for the South African Government.

Launch of the Institute for Sustainability, Health and Environment

The University of the West of England celebrates the launch of a new Research and Knowledge Exchange Institute, the Institute for Sustainability, Health and Environment (ISHE), that brings together the research expertise from three distinct areas of expertise for which UWE has become renowned.

The new Institute will work with over 100 organisations and agencies in its Sustainability, Health and Environment work and will be able to draw upon expertise from 32 Research Centres and over 600 programmes of study offered by UWE. The new Institute's expertise will cover public and environmental health; spatial and transport planning; leisure, tourism and society; sustainable and healthy communities; governance and democracy; air quality management; low carbon technology and management; environmental science; environmental justice; plant science; biomedicine, clinical and health services. ISHE will be Co-directed by Professor Jim Longhurst (Associate Dean in the Faculty of Environment and Technology, and Director of the Air Quality Management Resource Centre) and Judy Orme (Reader and Director of the Centre for Public Health Research in the Faculty of Health and Life Sciences).

Professor Jim Longhurst explains, “We have noticed an increasing synergy in projects that blend health and the environment. The new Institute will enable us to strengthen our international reputation in these key research areas. These areas are critically important to society as we all strive towards a lower carbon lifestyle in the future.

Focusing on health and wellbeing in later life, a conference entitled 'Sustainable Futures in an Ageing World' will be held at UWE in September. For more details of the Institute visit http://www.uwe.ac.uk/research/ishe.

Rose attends Bristol: Fit for the Future? Panel Discussion

To mark World Environment Day on 5th June, city leaders and environmental experts came together to discuss publicly what further action Bristol could take to respond to the environmental challenges of the 21st century. The discussion considered what government, business, the public and voluntary sectors, architects, developers and planners are doing and can do to help Bristol cope with climate change, tackle transport issues and congestion and create truly sustainable homes and communities. Rose attended the debate, along with representatives from local government, universities, businesses, community groups and the public. More information on the evening can be found here:
http://www.bristol.gov.uk/ccm/content/press-releases/2008/jun/green-capital-debate.en and the debate can also be viewed online as a webcast here: http://www.bristol.public-i.tv/site/index.php?l=en_GB

Rose Facilitates Table Discussion at Bristol Hothouse

Rose attended the Bristol Hothouse on 3rd June, and facilitated a discussion on sustainable waste management options for the city. The event, organised by Bristol City Council and supported by the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment and E.ON UK, brought together professionals, designers and civic leaders to debate Bristol's ambition to be a sustainable city.