Career opportunities constructing & managing energy efficient buildings

March 19th, 2012 by Vicky Kenrick

Overall energy prices, boosted by tensions in the Middle East, jumped 2.6% in January 2012.

Concerns about supply disruptions resulting from any possible military confrontation between Iran and the West have also pushed up prices recently.

This is one of many developments that have lead to a call for business to be more decisive and pro-active in their effort to take control of the energy use within their buildings.

A recent report, Refurbishing Europe, by the University of East Anglia (UEA) calls for a new EU target of a 40% reduction in primary energy demand by 2050 (the current target is 20% by 2020).

The UEA claim that the EU are currently on target to achieve half of their current 20% target and that it is not sufficient to meet the necessary levels of energy efficiency required.

The report shares a view long held by Allen & York, that economic growth is consistent with a reduction in energy demand and a more sustainable approach to urban design. Continue reading

OECD recommends green growth to avoid costly consequences

March 16th, 2012 by Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development

(click on report cover to go to OECD report web page)

As countries struggle with the immediate challenges of stretched public finances and high unemployment, they must not neglect the longer term.

Action needs to be taken now to prevent irreversible damage to the environment.

“Greener sources of growth can help governments today as they tackle these pressing challenges.

Greening agriculture, water and energy supply and manufacturing will be critical by 2050 to meet the needs of over 9 billion people,” said OECD Secretary-General Angel Gurría. Continue reading

Centre for Global Eco-Innovation to be led by Lancaster University and University of Liverpool scientists

March 10th, 2012 by Lancaster University

Scientists and knowledge exchange experts at Lancaster University and the University of Liverpool are set to lead a new global eco-innovation centre which will bolster the region’s economy in key export markets and drive forward improvements in green technology and services.

The £9.8m Centre for Global Eco-Innovation (CGE), led by Lancaster University in partnership with the University of Liverpool, is to receive £4.9 million of funds from the European Regional Development Fund’s North West operational programme to provide research and development expertise to hundreds of the region’s companies which are working to find solutions to environmental problems. Continue reading

Leeds Metropolitan University launching Sustainability Institute

March 7th, 2012 by Leeds Metropolitan University

The Leeds Metropolitan University Sustainability Institute will be based at Broadcasting Place (click image to expand - ©Leeds Met Press Office)

Leeds Metropolitan University is launching a centre that will promote environmental improvements and undertake research into reducing the impact of the built environment.

The Leeds Sustainability Institute will tackle the challenges of creating more sustainable places, communities and economies to enable society and its infrastructure to become sustainable.

Jonathon Porritt, the former Director of Friends of the Earth and founder of Forum for the Future, the UK’s leading sustainability development charity will be speaking at the Continue reading

Guernsey’s Energy Policy Advisor speaks with Sustainable Guernsey

March 7th, 2012 by Richard Lord

Steve Morris, former Engineering Director at Guernsey Electricity, has been appointed as Guernsey's Energy Policy Advisor (click image to expand - ©RLLord)

Steve Morris, former Engineering Director at Guernsey Electricity Ltd., begins his role as States of Guernsey Energy Policy Advisor on 26 March 2012.

Steve Morris discusses below some of the energy issues facing the island during an informal conversation on 5 March.

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“One of the things that needs to be done is to start getting islanders to understand ‘energy’ more than they currently do because if they don’t understand it, how can they take control of their usage of it, which is a big part of turning down Guernsey’s carbon footprint.”

Continue reading

The Channel Islands Co-operative Society’s support for Fairtrade

March 7th, 2012 by The Channel Islands Co-operative Society Limited

The Channel Islands Co-operative Society has furthered its commitment to Fairtrade products and has pledged to stock only Fairtrade certified bananas in its Jersey and Guernsey stores from this month.

“The Society is well known for its strong commitment to retailing Fairtrade products,” said Jim Plumley, Chief Commercial Officer for The Channel Islands Co-operative Society. “As the retailer which introduced Fairtrade bananas to consumers in the Channel Islands, we are delighted to commit to ensuring that all of our bananas come from registered Fairtrade organisations from this month onwards.” Continue reading

Lovingly handmade sustainability

February 23rd, 2012 by Martine Ellis of iMake

Sock yarn blanket (click image to expand - ©iMake)

Sustainability has been ‘on my radar’ for a few years, but it’s only recently that I have realised what a big part of my life it plays, particularly in relation to my love of handmade crafts.

Understanding what sustainability is about helped me make the connection. Continue reading

Awareness of water and energy use saves money and resources

February 21st, 2012 by Energy Saving Trust

The Energy Saving Trust shows how small changes in everyday behaviour can greatly reduce water and energy use and lower bills. Behavioural change is the quickest and least costly way of saving energy and water in a resource constrained world.

UNEP 2012 Year Book highlights loss of soil and nuclear power plant decommissioning as key issues

February 19th, 2012 by United Nations Environment Programme

(click report cover to go to download page)

Unsustainable landuse

Dramatic improvements in the way the world manages its precious soils will be key to food, water and climate security in the 21st century.

According to the United Nations Environment Programme’s (UNEP) Year Book 2012, 24% of the global land area has already suffered declines in health and productivity over the past quarter century as a result of unsustainable land-use. Continue reading

UK government’s futures think tank to identify actions that could reduce the impacts of disasters

February 10th, 2012 by UK Department for Business Innovation and Skills

The UK Government’s Chief Scientific Adviser, Professor Sir John Beddington, has announced that Foresight, the UK government’s futures think tank, has started a project to investigate how to improve anticipation of and resilience to disasters.

Professor Sir John Beddington, Chief Scientific Adviser to HM Government (click image to expand - image courtesy of UK Department for Business Innovation & Skills)

The project ‘Improving Future Disaster Anticipation and Resilience’ will identify actions that could be taken within the next ten years to reduce the impacts of disasters arising from hazards up to the year 2040. Continue reading