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Green Building Bible, Fourth Edition
Green Building Bible, fourth edition (both books)
These two books are the perfect starting place to help you get to grips with one of the most vitally important aspects of our society - our homes and living environment.

PLEASE NOTE: A download link for Volume 1 will be sent to you by email and Volume 2 will be sent to you by post as a book.

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    • CommentAuthorjon
    • CommentTimeDec 26th 2009
     
    Does anyone know of a council or regional authority that has managed to write a "Sustainability Assessment" that completely ignores any argument associated with both Climate Change & Energy?

    (apologies to fostertom for plagiarising the title)
    •  
      CommentAuthorfostertom
    • CommentTimeDec 30th 2009
     
    Intruiging jon, but I don't get how I, or Harare come into it - give us a clue!
    • CommentAuthorjon
    • CommentTimeDec 30th 2009
     
    Hi Tom

    A long time ago you said that it sounded as if I lived in Harare
    http://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/forum114/comments.php?DiscussionID=4315&page=2

    It's similar to the "sustainability" discussion you started. Around us, "sustainability" means preserving existing lifestyles by re-ordering the "sustainability" criteria so that existing lifestyles always win over any climate change argument.

    I just wondered is anyone had managed to define "sustainability" in such a way that Climate Change/Energy* was not considered at all

    (* or intergenerational equality or whatever "sustainability" means to you)
    • CommentAuthorjon
    • CommentTimeDec 30th 2009
     
    Here's an example of a Council (no names) with a reasonable selection criteria:

    1. Maintain and enhance biodiversity and avoid irreversible losses.
    2. Use land and existing buildings efficiently and prioritise development on previously developed land.
    3. Promote sustainable waste management solutions.
    4. Use and manage water resources in a sustainable manner.
    5. Reduce the need to travel and promote more sustainable forms of transport.
    6. Reduce impacts on climate change through energy efficiency measures and promotion of renewable energy solutions.
    7. Reduce environmental pollution.
    8. Reduce social exclusion and poverty.
    9. Provide decent and affordable housing for everyone.
    10. Provide a safe and healthy environment in which to live.
    11. Protect people and property from the risk of flooding.
    12. Provide a high quality built environment.
    13. Maintain the identity and function of individual settlements.
    14. Conserve and enhance the historic built environment and archaeological assets.
    15. Conserve and enhance rural and urban landscapes.
    16. Promote a sustainable, diverse and vibrant sub-regional economy.
    17. Provide opportunities for a highly skilled and educated workforce.
    18. Enhance the...

    Climate change issues tend to be at the top and there's quite a few of them.

    If you want to redefine "sustainability", you could condense the 'environmental' criteria (items 1-7 on the above list) into say one or two items and put them at the bottom of the list. If anyone's gone the whole hog, issues such as climate change, biodiversity, water, natural resources and so on could be excluded from the list entirely.
  1.  
    In her first collection of short stories, An Elegy for Easterly, Petina Gappah quotes someone talking of the Zimbabwe Ruins:

    "At the time of independence in 1980 they were a prehistoric monument to be seen down in Masvingo but they now extend to the whole country!"

    This has no relevance to your question, Jon, just a good excuse to forward the quote!
    • CommentAuthormarktime
    • CommentTimeJan 15th 2010 edited
     
    And remarkable ruins they are too. Outstanding skill levels in stone-masonry standing among the grass-thatched huts of today.
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