Is this the future for better traffic flow in urban areas? Smart traffic lights are now being tested in Britain. Graeme Paton discusses latest developments in an article on The Times website. Smart traffic lights get green light for cutting emissions by a quarter A new generation of smart traffic lights could be introduced … Continue reading Smart traffic lights could cut emissions by a quarter
Leaded fuels, banned 20 years ago, still have impact on our environment
A study shows that 32-43% of the lead in the London air was originally from leaded fuels, banned 20 years ago. The concern is that most cities likely to be affected by the pollutant, which is particularly harmful to children’s brains. Damian Carrington discusses the issue in an article on The Guardian website. Legacy … Continue reading Leaded fuels, banned 20 years ago, still have impact on our environment
Leaked EU policy document designed to cut carbon emissions in shipping shows plans, will ‘lock in the use of fossil fuels for decades to come and make the EU’s target of net emissions neutrality by 2050 unreachable
Daniel Boffey writes on The Guardian website about a leaked EU policy document that has raised the concerns of NGOs that there will be a lock in the use of fossil fuels in the shipping industry for decades to come. Draft EU policy to cut shipping emissions condemned as ‘disaster’ A leaked draft of … Continue reading Leaked EU policy document designed to cut carbon emissions in shipping shows plans, will ‘lock in the use of fossil fuels for decades to come and make the EU’s target of net emissions neutrality by 2050 unreachable
Urban sustainability – preparing for post-COVID tourism
Johannes Novy, Senior Lecturer in Urban Planning, School of Architecture and Cities at the University of Westminster discusses in an article on the Conversation website what urban tourism should look like after COVID, using Amsterdam as an important model. Amsterdam is laying down a model for what tourism should look like after COVID When … Continue reading Urban sustainability – preparing for post-COVID tourism
Wide disparity of national nZEB standards undermines EU climate goals, finds BPIE
A new assessment of national nearly zero-energy buildings (nZEBs) standards, released this week by the Buildings Performance Institute Europe (BPIE), finds a wide degree of disparity in how these are implemented across the EU-27, highlighting a misalignment with EU climate targets. Since the beginning of 2021, all new buildings constructed in the EU must be nZEBs, … Continue reading Wide disparity of national nZEB standards undermines EU climate goals, finds BPIE
Decarbonising London’s Square Mile heating system: heat pumps and geothermal technology
We know that to reach our long-term climate and energy objectives, our heating systems will have to be decarbonised. Jillian Ambrose writes on the Guardian website about plans for buildings in London’s Square Mile. What are your views? Low-carbon heating system to warm up London’s Square Mile One of the UK’s largest low-carbon heating … Continue reading Decarbonising London’s Square Mile heating system: heat pumps and geothermal technology
COVID-19 crisis shows the need to optimise the hygiene, safety and energy efficiency of buildings
Education facilities have had to adapt to the COVID-19 crisis with a combination of on-site and study from home. Making buildings smart allows this flexibility – whether from the perspective of hot-desking, agile changes of use, security and safety, or enhanced ability to morph to volatile circumstances. Mark McLoughlin discusses the benefits of going smaart … Continue reading COVID-19 crisis shows the need to optimise the hygiene, safety and energy efficiency of buildings
New EEA briefing analyses the pandemic’s effect on the use of certain single-use plastics products
The coronavirus pandemic has challenged European societies in many ways. The European Environment Agency’s (EEA) briefing, published recently, analyses the pandemic’s effect on the use of certain single-use plastics products, which cause GHG and other emissions and can end up littering the environment. It also brings useful lessons to improve our response to future disruptive … Continue reading New EEA briefing analyses the pandemic’s effect on the use of certain single-use plastics products
Market forces will see oil majors forced to adopt more climate-friendly investment strategies
While lawsuits may add public pressure, the courts aren’t the major forces of change right now. Paul Griffin, Distinguished Professor of Management at the University of California, Davis writes on The Conversation website that investors and the markets now hold more power that will lead to significant change. A court ruling on Shell’s climate … Continue reading Market forces will see oil majors forced to adopt more climate-friendly investment strategies
New rush of European players to build electric car batteries
Obviously, expecting the electric vehicle market to expand dramatically, there are several efforts underway in Europe to build high-volume plants for electric batteries. Maddy Savage discusses latest efforts in an article on the BBC website. Gigafactories: Europe tools up against US and Asia as a car battery force Surrounded by a forest of tall … Continue reading New rush of European players to build electric car batteries
