Advice and examples
Advice
-
Designing public space to cope with climate changeWell designed public space can alleviate the effects of climate change and adapt to future change of use.
Tags: public space, cities and towns -
Exploring community waste management Voluntary and community groups are increasingly taking the lead on reducing, reusing, recyling and composting waste.
Tags: waste, neighbourhoods -
Co-ordinating urban and transport planningBuilding at high densities in places accessible to public transport, and concentrating development in existing urban areas, encourages sustainable travel.
Tags: transport, regions and subregions, cities and towns, neighbourhoods, buildings and spaces -
Funding energy effiency programmesGovernment incentives, grants and programmes help authorities reduce demand for energy.
Tags: energy, cities and towns, neighbourhoods -
Preparing a green infrastructure strategyGreen infrastructure strategies should provide an over-arching vision for managing all green and blue spaces in an area.
Tags: green infrastructure, regions and subregions, cities and towns -
Future-proofing energy demandsWe should design buildings and energy strategies with enough flexibility to respond to changing technologies and ways we use energy.
Tags: energy, cities and towns, neighbourhoods, buildings and spaces -
Developing regional and sub-regional sustainable transport networksPublic transport, walking and cycling networks are vital to connect towns, cities and sub-regions.
Tags: transport, regions and subregions -
Developing city scale sustainable transport networksBetter public transport, walking and cycling provision help reduce carbon emissions in cities.
Tags: transport, regions and subregions, cities and towns -
Manage surface water and flood riskThe potential impacts of extreme weather are inherently uncertain. Experience has taught us to avoid the most obvious high-risk locations.
-
Developing an urban heat island strategyCities like London, Tokyo and Stuttgart have strategies to reduce summer temperatures and cope with hot weather.
Tags: green infrastructure, cities and towns -
Integrating green space into existing urban areasIn built-up urban areas it is often difficult to create significant new green spaces. This makes thinking creatively and making the best of use of existing green areas especially important.
Tags: green infrastructure, public space, neighbourhoods -
Creating green spaces in new developmentA well-designed park or green space can be the making of a new development.
Tags: green infrastructure, public space, neighbourhoods -
Thinking differently - the energy hierarchyThe three Rs of the European waste minimisation hierarchy - reduce, reuse, recycle - can be applied across sustainable development, particularly to energy.
Tags: energy, regions and subregions, cities and towns, neighbourhoods -
Using thermal masterplanningThermal masterplanning helps neighbourhoods to use energy more efficiently and avoid wasting heat.
Tags: energy, cities and towns, neighbourhoods -
Improving street design and layoutWell-designed streets encourage walking and cycling.
Tags: public space, transport, cities and towns, neighbourhoods -
Providing a sustainable street networkStreet networks should support better bus connections and safer provision for cyclists, to encourage a shift to modes of transport other than the private car.
Tags: public space, regions and subregions, cities and towns -
Planning for sustainable water managementWater management plans can help to reduce water use, for example by introducing high water efficiency standards for new and refurbished buildings.
Tags: water, regions and subregions, cities and towns -
Designing for sustainable water useBuildings and neighbourhoods need to use water more efficiently.
Tags: water, neighbourhoods, buildings and spaces -
Avoiding overheatingRising summer temperatures and increasingly air tight buildings mean that heat gain is a challenge as well as heat loss.
Tags: energy, buildings and spaces -
Improving the energy performance of existing homesAccording to the Sustainable Development Commission, energy used in existing homes accounts for 27 per cent of all UK emissions and around 85 per cent of the existing stock will still be in use in 2050.
Tags: energy, cities and towns, neighbourhoods, buildings and spaces -
Choosing low carbon and renewable technologiesThis page provides an initial overview of technologies to reduce carbon emissions.
Tags: energy, regions and subregions, cities and towns, neighbourhoods, buildings and spaces -
Preparing a tree strategyTrees are an indispensable component of green infrastructure, providing key environmental services such as improving air quality and reducing the urban heat island effect. Yet many are uprooted each year.
Tags: green infrastructure, national level, cities and towns -
Spatial waste planningLocal authorities are responsible for the location and design of facilities for sustainable waste collection and treatment.
Tags: waste, regions and subregions, cities and towns -
Using green infrastructure to alleviate flood riskGreen infrastructure networks can be used to reduce surface water run-off and store flood water.
Tags: green infrastructure, public space, water, regions and subregions, cities and towns, neighbourhoods -
Establishing surface water management plansLocal authorities should use surface water management plans to manage flood risk, by creating more natural, sustainable drainage systems.
Tags: water, regions and subregions, cities and towns -
Establishing local networks for energy supply / combined heat and power Remote power plants are inefficient, with over 60 per cent of the energy from fossil fuels being lost through transmission and waste heat before the electricity reaches our buildings.
Tags: energy, cities and towns, neighbourhoods -
Making spaces more comfortableDesigners, planners and managers should make public spaces more comfortable in a changing climate, for example by increasing shade and shelter.
Tags: green infrastructure, public space, neighbourhoods, buildings and spaces -
Coping with extreme weatherPublic spaces should be designed to adapt to a changing climate.
Tags: public space, buildings and spaces -
Integrating transportLow carbon travel requires very effective city-wide integration between different modes of transport.
Tags: transport, cities and towns, neighbourhoods -
Encouraging low carbon vehicle technologies and fuelsThe take up of more efficient vehicles and alternative fuels is vital to reduce CO2 emissions from the transport sector.
Tags: energy, national level, transport, regions and subregions, cities and towns -
Managing urban treesTrees are an essential part of our towns and cities. We must plan for their long term management.
Tags: green infrastructure, public space, neighbourhoods -
Maximising access to public open spaceEasy access to quality green space improves quality of life for people living in towns and cities.
Tags: public space, regions and subregions, cities and towns -
Joint waste planning and managementLocal authorities can join together to form a statutory joint waste disposal authority.
Tags: waste, regions and subregions -
Coping with waste in high-density environmentsUnderground waste storage, vacuum waste collection systems and reverse vending machines provide space for managing waste in high density neighbourhoods.
Tags: waste, neighbourhoods, buildings and spaces -
Reconciling waste to energy with recyclingWaste to energy and recycling both have a part to play in sustainable waste management.
Tags: energy, waste, regions and subregions, cities and towns, neighbourhoods -
Reducing energy use in new buildingsInnovative building design can maximise energy efficiency at the same time as creating a high-quality urban environment.
Tags: energy, neighbourhoods, buildings and spaces -
Developing an open space strategyOpen space strategies helps to coordinate management and make the most of all green and open spaces in an area. Climate change will make this increasingly important.
Tags: public space, neighbourhoods -
Integrating waste infrastructure into new developmentsNew neighbourhoods and major urban extensions provide excellent opportunities to integrate facilities for sustainable waste management. This should be recognised at the planning stage.
Tags: waste, neighbourhoods, buildings and spaces -
Protecting established wildlife habitatsRelict patches of wildlife habitat are vital for plants and animals in urban areas.
Tags: green infrastructure, cities and towns -
Designing successful public spaceSuccessful public spaces are well-used and safe.
Tags: public space, cities and towns -
Managing trafficTraffic demand management includes measures such as controlled parking, lower speed limits and greater use of information and communication technologies (ICT).
Tags: transport, regions and subregions, cities and towns -
Chosing high quality design for new waste infrastructureHigh-quality design helps to change public perceptions of waste management activities as bad neighbours.
Tags: waste, buildings and spaces -
Integrating sustainable drainage systems into planning and designSustainable drainage systems (SuDS) should form an integral part of neighbourhood and site planning.
Tags: green infrastructure, public space, water, neighbourhoods -
Sustainable drainage systems (SuDS)Sustainable drainage systems (SuDS) manage surface water run-off in a way that stimulates natural drainage systems.
Tags: water, regions and subregions, cities and towns, neighbourhoods -
Designing public spaces from sustainable resourcesPlanners and designers can minimise carbon emissions by using low carbon construction materials from sustainable sources in the design of public space. think about how choice of materials and adaptation to climate change
Tags: public space, cities and towns, neighbourhoods -
Building waste to energy plants in urban areasWaste to energy facilities have been successfully integrated into major European and British cities.
Tags: energy, waste, neighbourhoods, buildings and spaces -
Creating a public space networkA network of attractive public spaces and routes will connect places together and support walking and cycling.
Tags: public space, cities and towns, neighbourhoods -
Setting local area agreement targetsLocal area agreement targets can help secure government funding for green space projects.
Tags: green infrastructure, cities and towns -
Protecting floodplainsCatchment flood management plans and strategic flood risk assessments should protect floodplains.
Tags: green infrastructure, water, regions and subregions -
Growing food in towns and citiesFood production, processing and transportation is responsible for 8% of the average person's carbon (and 23% of their ecological) footprint. We can reduce this by using green space in towns and cities to grow our own fruit and veg.
Tags: green infrastructure, regions and subregions, cities and towns -
Choosing waste to energy technologiesThere are three main waste to energy processes: incineration, anaerobic digestion and gasification and pyrolysis.
Tags: energy, waste, regions and subregions, cities and towns -
Developing water cycle strategiesWater cycle studies, which explore the local capacity for development in terms of water resources, should increasingly inform the preparation of planning strategies.
Tags: water, cities and towns -
Managing water demand within a river catchmentGreen infrastructure can be used to manage water supply and distribution.
Tags: water, regions and subregions -
Reducing the demand for waterEducating consumers about how to conserve water can significantly reduce consumption.
Tags: water, cities and towns, neighbourhoods -
Making water use policyThe Government wants to reduce water consumption by 20 per cent per person by 2030.
Tags: national level, water, regions and subregions -
Using green spaces as wildlife habitatGreen spaces can provide great wildlife habitat and enhance biodiversity.
Tags: green infrastructure, neighbourhoods, buildings and spaces -
Creating new habitatsNew developments should seek to design in biodiversity from the outset and this should fit into the existing green infrastructure.
Tags: green infrastructure, buildings and spaces -
Establishing wildlife corridorsNatural corridors (such as rivers and disused railway lines) should be protected from development.
Tags: green infrastructure, neighbourhoods -
Integrating water management into site and building designAt the site and building scale it is important that buildings are well integrated into the landscape and contribute to the overarching hydrology of the site.
Tags: water, buildings and spaces -
Water management in public spacesPublic space needs to be considered in the context of wider issues of water management.
Tags: public space, water, neighbourhoods, buildings and spaces -
Preserving wetlands and habitatsExisting wetlands provide natural sites for surface water management and treatment and are therefore important assets for the future.
Tags: water, cities and towns, neighbourhoods -
Developing green roofsGreen roofs and building facades can be built on new buildings and retrofitted on existing ones, especially in urban areas where there are few other opportunities for adding green infrastructure.
Tags: green infrastructure, buildings and spaces -
Using green infrastructure to combat climate changeGreen infrastructure – plants, green spaces and water – can help to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases and help places adapt to the effects of climate change.
Tags: green infrastructure, regions and subregions, cities and towns, neighbourhoods -
Using green roofs for wildlife adaptationGreen roofs and building facades can encourage wildlife in the built environment.
Tags: green infrastructure, buildings and spaces -
Establishing flood risk strategiesCoastlines, rivers and catchments often form or cross boundaries and therefore need to be planned for and approached strategically.
Tags: water, regions and subregions -
Choosing low-energy lifestylesWhile significant energy reductions can be achieved through the way we design our cities and the buildings within them, how we live our lives is also a key factor in reducing energy use.
Tags: energy, regions and subregions, cities and towns, neighbourhoods, buildings and spaces -
Creating new patterns of ownership (ESCOs and MUSCOs)National renewable energy targets for 2020 provide significant opportunities for new patterns of ownership of energy generation and delivery systems.
Tags: energy, cities and towns, neighbourhoods -
Post-occupancy evaluationDisplay energy certificates show that a building's energy performance rarely matches the design aspirations. Post-occupancy monitoring and feedback is essential to understand how to improve this.
Tags: energy, buildings and spaces -
Being aware of brownfield habitatsAreas with previous human use, such as former industrial sites, can be great for wildlife, especially when they have been left undisturbed by people.
Tags: green infrastructure, cities and towns -
Choosing the right tree for the siteAt the site level it is important to choose the right tree and plant species for the location.
Tags: green infrastructure, buildings and spaces -
Reducing emissions from freightFreight distribution strategies are needed at the regional level to encourage modal shift and more efficient operations. These will involve partnership working between private and public sectors.
Tags: transport, regions and subregions, cities and towns -
Powering transport with fuel cellsHydrogen is currently being piloted in the public transport sector on bus fleets in various locations worldwide
Tags: energy, transport, cities and towns -
Wider issues – international air emissions and ‘enabling mechanisms’There are wider policy areas, beyond surface transport, that will be important to tackle if transport CO2 emissions are to be reduced.
Tags: national level, transport -
Ground and air generated heatThe ground and air around a development site can be used as a source of heat for new buildings via a heat pump
Tags: energy, neighbourhoods, buildings and spaces -
Building in solar technologiesSolar technologies can generate either electricity – from photovoltaic cell panels, or hot water – from solar thermal panels.
Tags: energy, neighbourhoods, buildings and spaces -
Using wind powerWind power has normally been regarded as a technology primarily for rural areas but technological and design advances increasingly mean that it can also be integrated into urban fringe locations.
Tags: energy, regions and subregions, cities and towns, neighbourhoods -
Collecting wood fuelIf managed properly, English forestry could provide the heat requirements for approximately 500,000 homes and electricity for 1,000,000 homes.
Tags: energy, green infrastructure, cities and towns, neighbourhoods -
Implementing road pricing and chargingThere is a range of pricing policy instruments that vary in specification and, potentially, performance. These include road user charging schemes and private parking charge schemes.
Tags: transport, regions and subregions, cities and towns, neighbourhoods -
Controlling parkingParking control is often a very under-utilised tool for managing the demand for travel. An area-wide parking strategy can be used to restrict parking supply and/or increase charging levels.
Tags: public space, transport, regions and subregions, cities and towns, neighbourhoods -
Planning a project waste strategyAt the city scale clear aspirations are required for the management of waste for construction projects. This can form part of overarching strategies for all waste through planning documents or corporate targets.
Tags: waste, cities and towns, buildings and spaces -
'Smarter choice' soft measuresSmarter choices are techniques for influencing people’s travel behaviour towards more sustainable options, such as encouraging school, workplace and individualised travel planning.
Tags: transport, cities and towns, neighbourhoods -
Managing waste on siteSite waste management plans are a mandatory requirement in England on construction projects worth more than £300,000.
Tags: waste, buildings and spaces -
Re-circulating materials between construction sitesInitiatives and networks are required to support the re-use and re-circulation of materials between construction site projects – large and small.
Tags: waste, regions and subregions, cities and towns -
Separating sewersUntil the 1950s, most sewers in the UK were constructed as, or evolved to become, combined systems – taking both sewage and storm water.
Tags: water, cities and towns -
Devising a waste collection strategyAn effective waste collection strategy is critical. It should outline how, where and with what frequency waste is collected.
Tags: waste, neighbourhoods -
Co-locating waste management facilitiesCo-locating different waste management facilities such as sorting, re-processing and re-manufacturing can deliver benefits including a reduction in transport distances.
Tags: waste, neighbourhoods -
Using SUDS to manage pollutantsSustainable drainage systems (SUDS) offer a useful mechanism for managing pollutants on-site and removing the burden for treatment in the wider water system.
Tags: water, neighbourhoods
Examples
-
Designing public space to cope with climate change
Well designed public space can alleviate the effects of climate change and adapt to future change of use.
Tags: public space, cities and towns -
Exploring community waste management
Voluntary and community groups are increasingly taking the lead on reducing, reusing, recyling and composting waste.
Tags: waste, neighbourhoods -
Co-ordinating urban and transport planning
Building at high densities in places accessible to public transport, and concentrating development in existing urban areas, encourages sustainable travel.
Tags: transport, regions and subregions, cities and towns, neighbourhoods, buildings and spaces -
Funding energy effiency programmes
Government incentives, grants and programmes help authorities reduce demand for energy.
Tags: energy, cities and towns, neighbourhoods -
Preparing a green infrastructure strategy
Green infrastructure strategies should provide an over-arching vision for managing all green and blue spaces in an area.
Tags: green infrastructure, regions and subregions, cities and towns -
Future-proofing energy demands
We should design buildings and energy strategies with enough flexibility to respond to changing technologies and ways we use energy.
Tags: energy, cities and towns, neighbourhoods, buildings and spaces -
Developing regional and sub-regional sustainable transport networks
Public transport, walking and cycling networks are vital to connect towns, cities and sub-regions.
Tags: transport, regions and subregions -
Developing city scale sustainable transport networks
Better public transport, walking and cycling provision help reduce carbon emissions in cities.
Tags: transport, regions and subregions, cities and towns -
Manage surface water and flood risk
The potential impacts of extreme weather are inherently uncertain. Experience has taught us to avoid the most obvious high-risk locations.
-
Developing an urban heat island strategy
Cities like London, Tokyo and Stuttgart have strategies to reduce summer temperatures and cope with hot weather.
Tags: green infrastructure, cities and towns -
Integrating green space into existing urban areas
In built-up urban areas it is often difficult to create significant new green spaces. This makes thinking creatively and making the best of use of existing green areas especially important.
Tags: green infrastructure, public space, neighbourhoods -
Creating green spaces in new development
A well-designed park or green space can be the making of a new development.
Tags: green infrastructure, public space, neighbourhoods -
Thinking differently - the energy hierarchy
The three Rs of the European waste minimisation hierarchy - reduce, reuse, recycle - can be applied across sustainable development, particularly to energy.
Tags: energy, regions and subregions, cities and towns, neighbourhoods -
Using thermal masterplanning
Thermal masterplanning helps neighbourhoods to use energy more efficiently and avoid wasting heat.
Tags: energy, cities and towns, neighbourhoods -
Improving street design and layout
Well-designed streets encourage walking and cycling.
Tags: public space, transport, cities and towns, neighbourhoods -
Providing a sustainable street network
Street networks should support better bus connections and safer provision for cyclists, to encourage a shift to modes of transport other than the private car.
Tags: public space, regions and subregions, cities and towns -
Planning for sustainable water management
Water management plans can help to reduce water use, for example by introducing high water efficiency standards for new and refurbished buildings.
Tags: water, regions and subregions, cities and towns -
Designing for sustainable water use
Buildings and neighbourhoods need to use water more efficiently.
Tags: water, neighbourhoods, buildings and spaces -
Avoiding overheating
Rising summer temperatures and increasingly air tight buildings mean that heat gain is a challenge as well as heat loss.
Tags: energy, buildings and spaces -
Improving the energy performance of existing homes
According to the Sustainable Development Commission, energy used in existing homes accounts for 27 per cent of all UK emissions and around 85 per cent of the existing stock will still be in use in 2050.
Tags: energy, cities and towns, neighbourhoods, buildings and spaces -
Choosing low carbon and renewable technologies
This page provides an initial overview of technologies to reduce carbon emissions.
Tags: energy, regions and subregions, cities and towns, neighbourhoods, buildings and spaces -
Preparing a tree strategy
Trees are an indispensable component of green infrastructure, providing key environmental services such as improving air quality and reducing the urban heat island effect. Yet many are uprooted each year.
Tags: green infrastructure, national level, cities and towns -
Spatial waste planning
Local authorities are responsible for the location and design of facilities for sustainable waste collection and treatment.
Tags: waste, regions and subregions, cities and towns -
Using green infrastructure to alleviate flood risk
Green infrastructure networks can be used to reduce surface water run-off and store flood water.
Tags: green infrastructure, public space, water, regions and subregions, cities and towns, neighbourhoods -
Establishing surface water management plans
Local authorities should use surface water management plans to manage flood risk, by creating more natural, sustainable drainage systems.
Tags: water, regions and subregions, cities and towns -
Establishing local networks for energy supply / combined heat and power
Remote power plants are inefficient, with over 60 per cent of the energy from fossil fuels being lost through transmission and waste heat before the electricity reaches our buildings.
Tags: energy, cities and towns, neighbourhoods -
Making spaces more comfortable
Designers, planners and managers should make public spaces more comfortable in a changing climate, for example by increasing shade and shelter.
Tags: green infrastructure, public space, neighbourhoods, buildings and spaces -
Coping with extreme weather
Public spaces should be designed to adapt to a changing climate.
Tags: public space, buildings and spaces -
Integrating transport
Low carbon travel requires very effective city-wide integration between different modes of transport.
Tags: transport, cities and towns, neighbourhoods -
Encouraging low carbon vehicle technologies and fuels
The take up of more efficient vehicles and alternative fuels is vital to reduce CO2 emissions from the transport sector.
Tags: energy, national level, transport, regions and subregions, cities and towns -
Managing urban trees
Trees are an essential part of our towns and cities. We must plan for their long term management.
Tags: green infrastructure, public space, neighbourhoods -
Maximising access to public open space
Easy access to quality green space improves quality of life for people living in towns and cities.
Tags: public space, regions and subregions, cities and towns -
Joint waste planning and management
Local authorities can join together to form a statutory joint waste disposal authority.
Tags: waste, regions and subregions -
Coping with waste in high-density environments
Underground waste storage, vacuum waste collection systems and reverse vending machines provide space for managing waste in high density neighbourhoods.
Tags: waste, neighbourhoods, buildings and spaces -
Reconciling waste to energy with recycling
Waste to energy and recycling both have a part to play in sustainable waste management.
Tags: energy, waste, regions and subregions, cities and towns, neighbourhoods -
Reducing energy use in new buildings
Innovative building design can maximise energy efficiency at the same time as creating a high-quality urban environment.
Tags: energy, neighbourhoods, buildings and spaces -
Developing an open space strategy
Open space strategies helps to coordinate management and make the most of all green and open spaces in an area. Climate change will make this increasingly important.
Tags: public space, neighbourhoods -
Integrating waste infrastructure into new developments
New neighbourhoods and major urban extensions provide excellent opportunities to integrate facilities for sustainable waste management. This should be recognised at the planning stage.
Tags: waste, neighbourhoods, buildings and spaces -
Protecting established wildlife habitats
Relict patches of wildlife habitat are vital for plants and animals in urban areas.
Tags: green infrastructure, cities and towns -
Designing successful public space
Successful public spaces are well-used and safe.
Tags: public space, cities and towns -
Managing traffic
Traffic demand management includes measures such as controlled parking, lower speed limits and greater use of information and communication technologies (ICT).
Tags: transport, regions and subregions, cities and towns -
Chosing high quality design for new waste infrastructure
High-quality design helps to change public perceptions of waste management activities as bad neighbours.
Tags: waste, buildings and spaces -
Integrating sustainable drainage systems into planning and design
Sustainable drainage systems (SuDS) should form an integral part of neighbourhood and site planning.
Tags: green infrastructure, public space, water, neighbourhoods -
Sustainable drainage systems (SuDS)
Sustainable drainage systems (SuDS) manage surface water run-off in a way that stimulates natural drainage systems.
Tags: water, regions and subregions, cities and towns, neighbourhoods -
Designing public spaces from sustainable resources
Planners and designers can minimise carbon emissions by using low carbon construction materials from sustainable sources in the design of public space. think about how choice of materials and adaptation to climate change
Tags: public space, cities and towns, neighbourhoods -
Building waste to energy plants in urban areas
Waste to energy facilities have been successfully integrated into major European and British cities.
Tags: energy, waste, neighbourhoods, buildings and spaces -
Creating a public space network
A network of attractive public spaces and routes will connect places together and support walking and cycling.
Tags: public space, cities and towns, neighbourhoods -
Setting local area agreement targets
Local area agreement targets can help secure government funding for green space projects.
Tags: green infrastructure, cities and towns -
Protecting floodplains
Catchment flood management plans and strategic flood risk assessments should protect floodplains.
Tags: green infrastructure, water, regions and subregions -
Growing food in towns and cities
Food production, processing and transportation is responsible for 8% of the average person's carbon (and 23% of their ecological) footprint. We can reduce this by using green space in towns and cities to grow our own fruit and veg.
Tags: green infrastructure, regions and subregions, cities and towns -
Choosing waste to energy technologies
There are three main waste to energy processes: incineration, anaerobic digestion and gasification and pyrolysis.
Tags: energy, waste, regions and subregions, cities and towns -
Developing water cycle strategies
Water cycle studies, which explore the local capacity for development in terms of water resources, should increasingly inform the preparation of planning strategies.
Tags: water, cities and towns -
Managing water demand within a river catchment
Green infrastructure can be used to manage water supply and distribution.
Tags: water, regions and subregions -
Reducing the demand for water
Educating consumers about how to conserve water can significantly reduce consumption.
Tags: water, cities and towns, neighbourhoods -
Making water use policy
The Government wants to reduce water consumption by 20 per cent per person by 2030.
Tags: national level, water, regions and subregions -
Using green spaces as wildlife habitat
Green spaces can provide great wildlife habitat and enhance biodiversity.
Tags: green infrastructure, neighbourhoods, buildings and spaces -
Creating new habitats
New developments should seek to design in biodiversity from the outset and this should fit into the existing green infrastructure.
Tags: green infrastructure, buildings and spaces -
Establishing wildlife corridors
Natural corridors (such as rivers and disused railway lines) should be protected from development.
Tags: green infrastructure, neighbourhoods -
Integrating water management into site and building design
At the site and building scale it is important that buildings are well integrated into the landscape and contribute to the overarching hydrology of the site.
Tags: water, buildings and spaces -
Water management in public spaces
Public space needs to be considered in the context of wider issues of water management.
Tags: public space, water, neighbourhoods, buildings and spaces -
Preserving wetlands and habitats
Existing wetlands provide natural sites for surface water management and treatment and are therefore important assets for the future.
Tags: water, cities and towns, neighbourhoods -
Developing green roofs
Green roofs and building facades can be built on new buildings and retrofitted on existing ones, especially in urban areas where there are few other opportunities for adding green infrastructure.
Tags: green infrastructure, buildings and spaces -
Using green infrastructure to combat climate change
Green infrastructure – plants, green spaces and water – can help to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases and help places adapt to the effects of climate change.
Tags: green infrastructure, regions and subregions, cities and towns, neighbourhoods -
Using green roofs for wildlife adaptation
Green roofs and building facades can encourage wildlife in the built environment.
Tags: green infrastructure, buildings and spaces -
Establishing flood risk strategies
Coastlines, rivers and catchments often form or cross boundaries and therefore need to be planned for and approached strategically.
Tags: water, regions and subregions -
Choosing low-energy lifestyles
While significant energy reductions can be achieved through the way we design our cities and the buildings within them, how we live our lives is also a key factor in reducing energy use.
Tags: energy, regions and subregions, cities and towns, neighbourhoods, buildings and spaces -
Creating new patterns of ownership (ESCOs and MUSCOs)
National renewable energy targets for 2020 provide significant opportunities for new patterns of ownership of energy generation and delivery systems.
Tags: energy, cities and towns, neighbourhoods -
Post-occupancy evaluation
Display energy certificates show that a building's energy performance rarely matches the design aspirations. Post-occupancy monitoring and feedback is essential to understand how to improve this.
Tags: energy, buildings and spaces -
Being aware of brownfield habitats
Areas with previous human use, such as former industrial sites, can be great for wildlife, especially when they have been left undisturbed by people.
Tags: green infrastructure, cities and towns -
Choosing the right tree for the site
At the site level it is important to choose the right tree and plant species for the location.
Tags: green infrastructure, buildings and spaces -
Reducing emissions from freight
Freight distribution strategies are needed at the regional level to encourage modal shift and more efficient operations. These will involve partnership working between private and public sectors.
Tags: transport, regions and subregions, cities and towns -
Powering transport with fuel cells
Hydrogen is currently being piloted in the public transport sector on bus fleets in various locations worldwide
Tags: energy, transport, cities and towns -
Wider issues – international air emissions and ‘enabling mechanisms’
There are wider policy areas, beyond surface transport, that will be important to tackle if transport CO2 emissions are to be reduced.
Tags: national level, transport -
Ground and air generated heat
The ground and air around a development site can be used as a source of heat for new buildings via a heat pump
Tags: energy, neighbourhoods, buildings and spaces -
Building in solar technologies
Solar technologies can generate either electricity – from photovoltaic cell panels, or hot water – from solar thermal panels.
Tags: energy, neighbourhoods, buildings and spaces -
Using wind power
Wind power has normally been regarded as a technology primarily for rural areas but technological and design advances increasingly mean that it can also be integrated into urban fringe locations.
Tags: energy, regions and subregions, cities and towns, neighbourhoods -
Collecting wood fuel
If managed properly, English forestry could provide the heat requirements for approximately 500,000 homes and electricity for 1,000,000 homes.
Tags: energy, green infrastructure, cities and towns, neighbourhoods -
Implementing road pricing and charging
There is a range of pricing policy instruments that vary in specification and, potentially, performance. These include road user charging schemes and private parking charge schemes.
Tags: transport, regions and subregions, cities and towns, neighbourhoods -
Controlling parking
Parking control is often a very under-utilised tool for managing the demand for travel. An area-wide parking strategy can be used to restrict parking supply and/or increase charging levels.
Tags: public space, transport, regions and subregions, cities and towns, neighbourhoods -
Planning a project waste strategy
At the city scale clear aspirations are required for the management of waste for construction projects. This can form part of overarching strategies for all waste through planning documents or corporate targets.
Tags: waste, cities and towns, buildings and spaces -
'Smarter choice' soft measures
Smarter choices are techniques for influencing people’s travel behaviour towards more sustainable options, such as encouraging school, workplace and individualised travel planning.
Tags: transport, cities and towns, neighbourhoods -
Managing waste on site
Site waste management plans are a mandatory requirement in England on construction projects worth more than £300,000.
Tags: waste, buildings and spaces -
Re-circulating materials between construction sites
Initiatives and networks are required to support the re-use and re-circulation of materials between construction site projects – large and small.
Tags: waste, regions and subregions, cities and towns -
Separating sewers
Until the 1950s, most sewers in the UK were constructed as, or evolved to become, combined systems – taking both sewage and storm water.
Tags: water, cities and towns -
Devising a waste collection strategy
An effective waste collection strategy is critical. It should outline how, where and with what frequency waste is collected.
Tags: waste, neighbourhoods -
Co-locating waste management facilities
Co-locating different waste management facilities such as sorting, re-processing and re-manufacturing can deliver benefits including a reduction in transport distances.
Tags: waste, neighbourhoods -
Using SUDS to manage pollutants
Sustainable drainage systems (SUDS) offer a useful mechanism for managing pollutants on-site and removing the burden for treatment in the wider water system.
Tags: water, neighbourhoods