SUE Research Dialogues

Hi there! This post couldn’t be written any better! Reading through this post reminds me of my previous roommate! He always kept talking about this. I will send this post to him. Pretty sure he’s going to have
a very good read. Many thanks for sharing!

The ITRC research programme (UK Infrastructure Transitions Research Consortium) is searching for a Programme Manager.

Details of the post can be found here (ignore the closing date):
http://www.ukcip.org.uk/about-ukcip/jobs/

Further information about the ITRC can be found here:
http://www.itrc.org.uk/

Expressions of interest should be sent to Professor Jim Hall, University of Oxford, jim.hall@eci.ox.ac.uk

Please circulate as appropriate.

University of Birmingham appointments listed below are now live on the University HR website and should appear on Jobs.ac.uk shortly. The closing date for all posts is Wednesday 10th August In view of the close deadline for applications your help in publicizing the posts would be very much appreciated.

Lecturer in Human Geography (Urban Adaptation & Resilience) 47367

Click to access 47367.pdf

Lecturer/Senior Lecturer In Water Sciences (Surface water environments and processes) 14586

Click to access 14586.pdf

Lecturer/Senior Lecturer in Basin Analysis 38160

Click to access 38160.pdf

Lecturer/Senior Lecturer in Radioactive Waste Disposal and Remediation 47282

http://www.download.bham.ac.uk/vacancies/jd/47282.pdf (the closing date is missing from the FPs but HR is correcting this)
Lecturer/Senior Lecturer in Water Sciences (Physical Hydrogeology) 15407

Click to access 15407.pdf

Helping communities to be more resilient in recovering from the recession

Peter will address the problems communities are facing in terms of food and energy cost inflation, public spending cuts, shortage of jobs and the need to tackle climate change. He will outline an approach to community transformation through neighbourhood planning in which an integrated approach is taken to energy, water and waste efficiencies and cost reduction, combined with improved public spaces, walking and cycling and information systems. He will describe how private capital could be drawn in to drive the transformation, what the delivery process would be and how it might be kicked off in demonstration towns. Peter will emphasise the need for urban-rural resource integration and new ways of modelling and delivering this through a new charity he has set up.

About Peter Head CBE

Peter is a champion for developing global practice that demonstrates that the way we invest public and private money in the built environment could be made very much more effective if the public and private sector adopted sustainable development principles.

He is a civil and structural engineer who has become a recognised world leader in major bridges (he received an OBE for successfully delivering the Second Severn Crossing as Government Agent), advanced composite technology and now in sustainable development in cities. He has won many awards for his work including the Award of Merit of IABSE, the Royal Academy of Engineering’s Silver Medal and the Prince Philip Award for Polymers in the Service of Mankind.

Peter joined Arup in 2004 to create and lead their planning and integrated urbanism team which has now doubled in size. He was appointed in 2002 by the Mayor of London as an independent Commissioner on the London Sustainable Development Commission and led the planning and development sub-group of the Commission.Peter is a judge for the Prince Philip Designers’ Prize , the Holcim Awards and the Earth Awards.

Peter is an expert adviser to the Singapore Government on Green Buildings and Infrastructure and he is on the advisory panel for the World Future Council.In July 2008 he was awarded an honorary doctorate in engineering at Bristol University, where he is a visiting Professor in Systems Engineering.

In 2009 Peter was awarded the Sir Frank Whittle medal of the Royal Academy of Engineering for a lifetime contribution to the well-being of the Nation through environmental innovation.
He was cited by Time magazine in 2008 as one of 30 global eco-heroes and has been one of CNN’s Principle Voices.

In 2011 Peter was awarded the CBE in the New Year’s Honours List for services to Civil Engineering and the Environment.

Date: Monday 20th June 2011
Time: 6.30pm
Venue: MADE@Newhall Square, Birmingham B3 1RY
Cost: £25 (inc VAT)

To buy/reserve your tickets: http://www.made.org.uk/events/view/urban_design_summer_school_keynote_event_-_peter_head_cbe_freng_frsa_direct/

The new report “Climate Resilient Infrastructure: Preparing for a Changing Climate” has been published by defra at http://www.defra.gov.uk/publications/2011/05/09/climate-resilient-infrastructure/

Sponge Consultation Event
Proposed Mandatory Reporting of Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Wed 29th June 2011, 6-9.30pm, London

The Climate Change Act 2008 states that Government is to make regulations by April 2012 requiring the directors’ report of a company to include information about their greenhouse gas emissions (or explain to Parliament why not). A consultation has therefore been launched seeking your views on mandatory reporting

The application of GHG reporting to the built environment sector is relevant both in terms of regulatory impact and existing experience quantifying emissions.

Event Proposal
Sponge propose a consultation event to explore the four options presented by the consultation paper below, through sharing members’ current experience and views in this field.

Perspectives will be presented by Sarah Cary, Sustainable Developments Executive, British Land & Dave Worthington, Director, Camco. The 4 options the consultation asks to consider:

Enhanced voluntary reporting
Mandating reporting for all large companies?
Mandating reporting for all quoted companies?
Mandating reporting for all companies whose electricity consumption exceeds a threshold?
Additional Questions:
Should companies have to report on their direct emissions & indirect emissions
Is internal verification of greenhouse gas emissions sufficient, or should external assurance be sought?
Agenda

6:00pm: Registration
6:30pm: Introduction & Consultation Overview
6:45pm: Perspectives: Sarah Cary, Sustainable Developments Executive, British Land & Dave Worthington, Director, Camco
7:30pm: Group discussions
8:45pm: Feedback of main points
9:00pm: End of formal event. Chat, drinks and nibbles
9.30pm: Close

We will write up and feedback to government comments made

When: Wed 29th June 2011, 6pm – 9.00pm
Where: 211 Old Street, London, EC1V 9NR
How much: £5 payable on the door
How to book: events@spongenet.org

Invitation to the conference “Cultural Policies Towards Economic and Social Urban Sustainability”, organized by the Embassy of Switzerland in the UK.

The conference aims at fostering an exchange between Switzerland and the UK on issues relating to sustainable development, and is part of the ongoing Swiss-UK Dialogue Series.

Speakers:
· Cllr Martin Vollenwyder, Deputy Mayor of Zürich, and Cllr Peter John, Leader of Southwark Council will discuss policies, experiences and lessons learned in Zürich and Southwark.
· Charles Landry, Director of Comedia and Author of “The Creative City” and “The Art of City Making” will explore the dynamics of urban civic creativity.
· Prof Timon Beyes (Leuphana University Lüneburg) and Artist Prof Simeon Nelson (University of Hertfordshire) will discuss the politics of urban cultural interventions;
· Hubertus Adam, Artistic Director of the Swiss Architecture Museum, will address the role of urban design as both the canvas for cultural reflections and a physical space for social inclusion.

Date: 7 July 2011, 12.45-17.30, followed by reception
Venue: Glaziers Hall, Court Room, 9 Montague Close, London Bridge, London SE1 9DD

Registration or for further information: lon.urban@eda.admin.ch

The conference is free of charge. Places are limited and will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. Please confirm your name and if you will be staying for the reception.

Lancaster University Urban Density Survey

The aim of this ten-minute survey is to obtain the views of informed practitioners, policy-makers and academics on aspects of density and decision-making in the urban environment. ‘Informed’ refers to anyone who considers and/or makes decisions about density in their job, either operationally or strategically. These individual views will provide a collective understanding of how density is considered by key stakeholders in the urban design and development process as well as of the variety of density issues facing decision-makers today. This feedback also will contribute to improved understanding of how density influences the efficient use, management and maintenance of urban environments for liveability, wellbeing and sustainability. The research currently being undertaken with government as part of the Urban Futures research project seeks to provide support and guidance to stakeholders about density and decision-making. Further information about the Urban Futures project can be found on the project website (www.urban-futures.org).

The density survey may be found online (http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/urbanfutures). It is available in alternative formats, such as large print, and the researchers can provide assistance in survey completion if needed.

Please contact Christopher Boyko (c.boyko@lancaster.ac.uk) for further information.

Two books recommended by Keith Clarke, Chief Exec of Atkins during his excellent Clark Lecture, University of Birmingham, 31 May 2011:

1. David MacKay, Sustainable Energy Without the Hot Air (free to download at http://www.withouthotair.com/)

2. John Galbraith, The Great Crash

The long-awaited SUE Research Dialogues report is now available to download from this website at:

Reports