ARCC news for April 2016
ARCC network news
Green infrastructure as a building service design challenge
25–29 April 2016
Fancy learning some new tricks to improve your indoor working space by using green infrastructure? We have expert tips for you, then an opportunity to put pen to paper in our design challenge… See the Green Sky Thinking Week site for a range of events, or find out more on our exciting green infrastructure challenge.
Feeling Good in Public Spaces: Sensing through impairments
10 May
Save the date for the next in this series of events unravelling the impacts of design on physiological and psychological levels, irrespective of age, gender, class, or bodily ability.
Deal or no Green Deal: time to make smarter policies – our latest So what? guide
Policies about housing, energy and wellbeing – like other policies – can have a broad range of impacts that many not be immediately apparently and can ultimately result in policy failure. Read our latest guide from researchers at UCL on why it is time to make smarter policies.
Future delivery of energy in a changing climate – ARCC supported report
EPSRC funded energy projects ARIES, RESNET and ARCoES have joined together to consider the adaptation to the risks of climate change relating to energy supply and demand. A new report outlines this work.
EPSRC EoI for Associate Peer Review College
Due 10 May 2016
As a vital part of the research proposal assessment process, the EPSRC Peer Review College ensures the ongoing support of the highest-quality research across the portfolio range. This is your chance to submit your interest and be considered for this role.
EPSRC call for evidence on future research priorities
Due 3 June 2016
Balancing Capability is one of three strategies in the EPSRC Strategic Plan, and they are now reviewing the research area rationales to reflect how the research base has changed. This call is also asking for evidence of where the knowledge gaps are in the various research themes required to meet policy and practice needs into the future. Evidence is being sought at an institutional level, so please work through your organisation to contribute to this call.
Call for papers
Special issue: Understanding human-building interactions for intelligent building environments
Due 30 April 2016
This call invites research projects that focus on approaches that transform built environments into attentive and self-learning entities by understanding human-building interactions and their implications, and adapting to user needs/preferences.
Abstracts: Public Health England – Evidence in action
Due 6 May 2016
This year’s conference aims to promote and showcase the application and translation of science and research, to support effective local and national action to improve public health. ARCC researchers will find a number of relevant themes.
Special issue: Environmental impacts of buildings – linking impacts and tools
Due 30 September 2016
Buildings journal is compiling a special issue in response to the growing concerns regarding the environmental impacts of buildings, and the urgent need to identify and understand the best assessment tools and their limits.
New reports
Zero Carbon Hub
With their doors unfortunately closing from 31 March 2016, the Zero Carbon Hub website remains live. ZCH call for a mandatory national minimum construction standard to address the risk of overheating in homes. With contributions from the ARCC network, their discussion paper Next steps in defining overheating (pdf, 3.6 MB) makes recommendations on defining overheating in new dwellings, and assessing potential for future overheating.
ZCH’s new evidence report, Solutions to overheating in homes (pdf, 8 MB) describes measures including building positioning, layout and orientation through to building fabric, windows, ventilation and occupant behavior.
Alliance for Useful Evidence
ARCC advocates the use of the results from research to inform decision, and we promote this in the context of the research project we work with through demonstrating the value to both researchers and decision makers. This new paper is an introduction to and discussion of the report The science of using science: researching the use of research evidence in decision-making (pdf, 730 KB).
Events
Debate: Regulations vs self-regulation
19 April 2016
Hosted by London South Bank University, this free public debate will host some influential voices in the building sector to debate the necessity of legislation to enshrine sustainable practice. Don’t miss out, book now!
Change the way you think about transport – webinar
20 April 2016
Institute for Civil Engineers are hosting a webinar with transport masterplanner Mike Axon to look at the world of transport is moving forward into a brave new world of design, choice and behaviour. Registration & information.
In brief
Anti-lobbying clause in government grants
This clause came into effect on 6 April, and must be inserted into all new and renewed government grants from 1 May. There has been a call from the research community for an exemption for scientists getting government grants – see a recent update from the Campaign for Science and Engineering.
From Mott MacDonald Technical director, Nick Ling…
“We can’t read the future, but we can prepare for it by creating buildings that are flexible by design and adaptable by construction”.
Tweeted…
57 London tube stations at high risk of flooding @guardian @UKITRC | http://bit.ly/1qiw1ED
New and revised #WeatherDataSets available for engineers and architects from @CIBSE | http://bit.ly/1VDzBqe
Workplace wellness: how offices could be the healthiest place for you – via @guardian http://ow.ly/10gSqC
Helping UK’s engineers build the roads of the future. Find out how at #ICEroads conference @ICE_engineers | http://bit.ly/1NAKhOA
Response to the Commons Select Committee #futurefloodprevention from @CIWEM …. http://bit.ly/20uioiH
Does the quality of the indoor air we breathe on a daily basis get the consideration it deserves? @BuildingNews | http://ubm.io/1Mnoaj6
New Harvard research – green buildings & cognitive function @GreenCitiesConf #TheCOGfxStudy | http://bit.ly/1NkWtrJ
Homes getting warmer and cheaper to heat plummeted by 80% after govt cuts. #fuelpoverty @guardian http://bit.ly/23ZhPiH
Dealing with stormwater is everyone’s business… @100ResCities | http://bit.ly/1VBi02w
Urban heat & disasters could affect Smart cities’ effectiveness @ConversationEDU | http://bit.ly/1XJxjDm