ARCC news for January 2016
ARCC network news
Urban smellscapes & soundscapes
27 January, London
Registration is now open for the second of the Feeling good in public spaces dialogues which explores the impact of urban design on auditory and olfactory senses. Organised by the ARCC network & Feeling Good Foundation, it focuses on how climate change or climate disruption would affect or present future challenges for these sensory experiences. Talks cover soundwalking in London, smellscapes of Glasgow & Singapore as well as health impacts.
New CIRIA briefings: Infrastructure resilience in an interdependent world
The Construction Industry Research & Information Association (CIRIA) have summarised the discussions and key messages (pdf, 300 KB) emerging from a recent ARCC network/CIRIA event looking at the latest findings from 3 major research projects (IBUILD, ICIF and ITRC), and their implications for infrastructure resilience and interdependencies.
The workshops explored:
- Capturing the value of resilience; the business case for investment (pdf, 250 KB)
- Use of data to identify and manage critical interdependencies (pdf, 150 KB)
- The issue of scale; interface between local, national and international scales (pdf, 250 KB)
- The value of considering a service-oriented approach
Project news
Resilient health, care, and wellbeing in a changing climate
Durham University in partnership with Climate UK recently hosted an ARCC-funded workshop at London’s City Hall to present the learning from the BIOPICCC toolkit. The toolkit aims to improve the climate resilience of health and social care services for older people. The event incorporated local authority teams’ experiences of implementing the toolkit within South Staffordshire (pdf, 870 KB), Essex (pdf, 480 KB) and East Riding of Yorkshire (pdf, 300 KB). The event also included a working session to initiate the process of co-designing a refreshed BIOPICCC toolkit so that it better meets current user needs (pdf, 770 KB).
Other news
Record your research outputs and impact: researchfish submission deadline
10 March 2016
The annual submission round for Principal Investigators to submit their research outcomes to the Research Councils reporting system, researchfish is rapidly approaching (1 February–10 March). This is a key opportunity to ensure EPSRC, and other funding departments and agencies, are aware of your project’s impact and achievements. Submitting a researchfish return is also mandatory for continued eligibility for future funding. Information to help you submit your record is available.
New UK Climate Projections
Defra have announced that an update to the UK Climate Projections will be available from 2018. Building on lessons learned from the current projections, UKCP18 will continue to present results as probabilistic data in addition to multiple plausible pathways, and some very high resolution modelling to examine extreme weather events.
The Met Office are looking for User Group participants – please see the UK Climate Projections website to apply and find out more.
Environmental Risks to Infrastructure Innovation Programme (ERIIP): KE Fellow and consultation survey
Through their £5m, 5-year ERII Programme, NERC is working with infrastructure owners, operators, regulators and policymakers to enable them to access and use environmental science to identify, quantify and manage environmental risks to infrastructure.
NERC is looking to recruit a new Knowledge Exchange Fellow to foster collaborative relationships between academics and industry members within ERIIP. Closing date: 17 March 2016.
NERC is also seeking input from industry into the identification of the hazards and impacts on the infrastructure assets that need to be further studied and assessed. Your views will inform and help shape future ERIIP calls – see the consultation survey.
Adaptation Futures 2016
Copenhagen, 10–13 May
Adaptation Futures is a PROVIA (Global Programme of Research on Climate Change Vulnerability, Impacts and Adaptation) conference, and is expected to attract 1500 academics and stakeholders from across world. Particpants will all be interested in developing practical solutions to address the challenges of climate adaptation. There are now exhibition opportunities for industry and business. Further information on the Adaptation Futures website.
Consultation on new National Infrastructure Commission
The Government have launched a consultation on the governance, structure and operation of the National Infrastructure Commission, and are looking for contributions from anyone with an interest. Closing date for submissions is 17 March, 2016.
The new commission will publish a National Infrastructure Assessment that sets out long-term infrastructure recommendations for each Parliament. The Government will be required to respond to the Commission.
December’s record rainfall and flooding
December was officially the warmest and wettest on record for the UK. The resulting floods caused much comment, speculation and accusation in the press – here’s our pick of the more measured and useful articles:
- The Guardian: December 2015 was the wettest month ever recorded in the UK
- The Conversation: Flagship plan to rescue flood-hit home owners already looks out of its depth
- The Independent: How a Yorkshire flood blackspot worked with nature to stay dry
- The Conversation: Changes to our rivers and floodplains have exacerbated flooding
- The CCC: Future flood risk infographic
Funded PhD in water resources in the Thames
The Environmental Change Institute at the University of Oxford invites applications for doctoral students to develop and demonstrate new a methodology for water resources planning. The research will focus on the Thames river basin, where climate change and increasing demand for water are challenging water supplies.
Events
Climate Just toolkit workshop
22 January, London
International Symposium on Urban Living Labs
25–26 February
Urban Living Labs provide an environment for researchers and users to co-create – this symposium will bring together Labs from around the world to share practical and scientific experiences, and build an international network of urban living labs and their teams. More information and registration.
EcoBuild 2016
8–10 March
For the construction and energy industry, and will include a new Infrastructure Revolution leaning hub in partnership with the Institution of Civil Engineers. Further details.
Tweeted…
Future droughts may mean less energy @ClimateNewsDay | http://bit.ly/1SDIDkz
Innovative brick design can keep buildings cool @FastCoDesign | http://bit.ly/1OxI9GT
Interesting blog highlights communication challenges for engineers @ICE_engineers @AlexCrump90 | http://bit.ly/1RnOnzP