Essential UrbanBuzz 2008 - UCLEssential UrbanBuzz 2008 The pocket guide to its projects and people ... Oxford Institute for Sustainable Development ... rooftops) in Brixton, South

EssentialUrbanBuzz 2008The pocket guide to its projects and people

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Programme Board

Tim BroydGroup Technology Director, Halcrowand Halcrow chair of ConstructionInnovation at the University ofDundee

Elanor WarwickHead of Research and Futures, CABE

Jane CarlsenGreater London Authority, LondonPlan lead on climate change andsustainability

Maureen WorbyHead of NeighbourhoodRegeneration, East Thames

Susannah HaganDirector, MA Architecture UEL

Peter MorrisProfessor and Head of BartlettSchool of Construction and Project Management

Tadj OreszczynProfessor of Energy and Environmentand Director of EnvironmentalDesign and Engineering Studies atthe Bartlett, UCL

Alan PennProgramme lead academic.Professor of Architectural and UrbanComputing Director of UCL’s VirtualReality Centre

Genie TurtonFormer Director General for Housingand Planning in the Office of theDeputy Prime Minister until early2004. She now has many rolesincluding non-executive director ofWates Group Ltd.

Jean VenablesConsultant. Chair of Thames EstuaryPartnership and next ICE President

Max WeaverChief Executive, Community Links

Ray WilkinsonDevelopment Director, UEL

David CobbProgramme Director

UrbanBuzz People

Programme Office

David Cobb Programme Director

Alan Penn UCL Lead Academic

Ray Wilkinson (UEL) Development Director

Tina Crombie Projects Coordinator

Jon Davis Programme Administrator & Projects Monitor

Gemma Moore Projects Monitor

Chris Anderson (UEL) Projects Monitor

Daniel Gilbert Marketing Coordinator

Mike Jenks and Carol Dair Independent EvaluatorsOxford Institute for Sustainable Developmentwww.brookes.ac.uk/schools/be/oisd

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UrbanBuzz is a knowledge exchangeprogramme unlike any other. Instead of tryingto provide isolated end-solutions, it is a highlyambitious attempt to change and improvesome of the processes which currently stand inthe way of building sustainable communities.

Coming from both an academic and non-academic base, UrbanBuzz seeks out newknowledge and converts it into somethingtangible and useful, enabling practitioners to design and construct better places to live.Moreover, because UrbanBuzz projects engageend-users from the outset, the processes andproducts they are creating will have beentested in the real world. By the end of mostprojects, these outcomes will have beencommunicated to the people most likely tobenefit, assuring their long-term sustainability.

By involving the communities themselves inmany projects and at networking events, allstakeholders will be similarly equipped, sharingthe same knowledge and understandings tohelp generate a better-informed route indelivering sustainable communities.

UrbanBuzz chose to deliver its 2-year, £5m sustainable communities programme by sponsoring projects. An infrastructure wasestablished and transparent but rigorous,evaluation procedures developed –supplemented, where necessary by ‘hearings’and presentations to the Programme Board.

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UrbanBuzz by Numbers Position at May 2008 Version 2 of document

13 Programme board members

28 Funded projects

32 Evaluators used for proposals

122 Proposals received

168 Business Fellows (academics)

191 Innovation Fellows (non-academics)

385 Project ideas on website

2,522 Website registrants

9,000 Person-days on all projects

2,735,000 UrbanBuzz project funding

2,750,000 Contributions in kind for

projects (total target £1.79m)

5,485,000 Total value of funded projects

7,750,000 Minimum

total value of

UrbanBuzz

programme


Calls for Proposals were oversubscribed by a ratio of 5:1 and regrettably, many goodprojects failed to receive funding.Collaboration, rather than competition, was a prerequisite to submitting bids. Indeed thisprocess has generated many ‘extra-UrbanBuzz’co-operation activities – which will surelystrengthen as 2008 sees the ‘BuzzNet’programme of events swing into action.

This ‘pocket guide’ provides the essence ofUrbanBuzz projects at-a-glance, complete withall contact details. The inside back cover pocketprovides a quick-reference project classificationsystem incorporating sustainability themes and end-user segmentation. New informationwill of course appear on the programme’swebsite, which currently has its ownCommunity of Practice of around 1500 people.The UrbanBuzz programme will celebrate its achievements in a closing conference on Tuesday 2nd December 2008 at One GreatGeorge Street, Westminster, London.

David CobbUrbanBuzz Programme DirectorUniversity College London


Project titleActivating Blighted Urban Niches forDaring Agricultural Networks ofCreativity and Endeavour

Lead organisationUCL

Project coordinatorRobert Biel

Contact detailsT: 0207 679 [email protected]

Websitehttp://transitiontowns.org/Brixton/ABUNDANCE

Project value*£10,863 grant plus £11,514contributions in kind

Start/end dates*1/12/07 to 30/11/08

Project partners*Transition Town Brixton; GuinnessEstates Residents Association;Volunteers

UrbanBuzz project monitorJon Davis [email protected]

*subject to finalising contract at time of printing

Project summaryThe project’s aim is to make aqualitative input into the ‘TransitionTowns’ movement, by promoting aradical rethink of the possibilities forurban agriculture (UA) in an inner-city context.

The project will do three things:Mapping: initiate a process ofmapping potentially cultivatableland (and more broadly, space, e.g.rooftops) in Brixton, South London.Growing: promote the actualcultivation of one pilot plot alreadyidentified and incorporating a fullgrowing season.Demonstrating: show communitieswith potential growing space howthey can begin UA, set up food hubsand training partnerships.

Best practice learnt from academicoverseas experience will betransferred to London’s localcommunities. In encouraging the cityto feed itself, legacies will include:• The stimulating of a process of

community knowledge-buildingand action

• The convincing of LocalAuthorities to welcomecommunity UA projects in theirown housing estates

• The contribution to a radicalreappraisal of the future of citiesin an era of adaptation, to theneed for low-throughput livingand a low energy future.

01 ABUNDANCE


Project titleRIBA CARBONBUZZ

Lead organisationAedas

Project coordinatorJudit Kimpian


Websitewww.urbanbuzz.org (see Projects)

Project value£60,018 grant plus £63,189contributions in kind

Start/end dates1/12/07 to 30/11/08

Project partnersUCL; BRE; RIBA; Architect Practices

UrbanBuzz project monitorGemma [email protected]

Project summaryCarbonBuzz will raise theunderstanding of carbon emissionsfrom buildings by providing anonline communication tool forpractices to monitor carbonemissions, compare and shareoutcomes and set realistic targetsagainst nationwide trends. Throughthis online forum, practices will beinvited to manage and track theirproject emissions from design to operation.

Project information logged throughthe CarbonBuzz interface will behosted in a ‘blind’ database,ensuring project and practiceconfidentiality. The anonymous datawill be used to generate statisticaltrends and feedback on currentpractice and suitable analysisprotocols for this will be developed.

Key building features contributingto carbon emissions such as sector,region, GFA, occupancy,sustainability ratings, energydemand, ventilation strategy andrenewable technologies will berecorded in a format that will allowarchitects to evaluate their projectsagainst CIBSE benchmarks,established as the industry standard.

The monitoring scheme will set theframework for the RIBA to recognisepractice commitment to carbonmanagement. To qualify for the RIBA‘Carbon Conscious Practice’accreditation scheme, practices willbe asked to publish a number of‘project sheets’ yearly to includedesign and operational energy use.

These projects will inform futurebenchmarking, policy and research,particularly on the alignment ofdesign predictions and realisedoperational emissions, an importantconcern for the sector.

02 CARBONBUZZ


Project titleCollaborative design – gateway workshop

Lead organisationUEL

Project coordinatorChristoph Hadrys





Project partners*ARUP; AZ URBAN STUDIO; CHCTRT(Canning Town Regeneration); CABE

UrbanBuzz Project MonitorGemma [email protected]


Project summaryThere is no established way toemploy specific methods ofdesigning with communityparticipation in the ThamesGateway. Currently, appliedarchitectural design methods open up knowledge transfer gaps between planners, designersand users because of theirpredetermined processes and outcomes.

This project will help to enhanceknowledge transfer by enabling an innovative and adventurouscommunity workshop to test,demonstrate and communicatesuitable methods throughcollaborative expert guidance,community engagement andpublications.

The project will bring critical urbandesigners, planners, developers andacademics together with key localcommunities. They will have theopportunity to explore innovativepotentials of collaborative design by playing through scenarios,acceptance and feasibility. Theproject will be delivered over 3workshop events, with severalworking groups at UEL DocklandsCampus in summer 2008.

The work has a range of scales, fromurban interventions to buildingsand their components. The work isset-up to specifically address design,decision-making, building andmanagement in communityparticipation.

As a local case study, the CD-GWorkshop’s open results will bepublished with texts, visuals, film,physical and computational modelsin real and virtual exhibitions, as well as mainstream media andfocused press.

03 CD-G WORKSHOP


Project titleClosing the gap between Vision and Implementing SustainableCommunities


Project coordinatorJohn Kelsey



Project value*£49,283 grant, plus £3,608contribution in kind


Project partners*London Business School; LBSouthwark; Bath and NE SomersetCouncil; London School ofEconomics

UrbanBuzz project monitorChris [email protected]


Project summaryThe CLOVIS project is based on twolive regeneration programmes inSouthwark and Bath. One seeks toestablish a sustainable communitythrough the redevelopment of theAylesbury Estate, the other throughthe redevelopment of an area of thewaterfront in a partly brownfieldarea of the city. Both projects are inthe masterplanning stages.

Their key issue arises in theexperience of stakeholdermanagement challenges in bothcreating and gaining acceptance for a new vision for their respective areas.

Both programmes are currentlymeeting those challenges indifferent ways and learning valuablelessons in the process. The projectseeks to facilitate the identification,articulation and exchange of suchlessons, both with the two localauthorities and an academiccommunity with expertise inprogramme management andurban regeneration. This is to bedone through workshops backedup by prior case studyinvestigations.

The initial workshop will be theprimary exchange forum andsubsequent workshops will reflecton both further lessons learned andany changes in practice.

The expected outcomes will bebetter practice and possiblychallenges to received wisdom inboth authorities, together with thesharing of their lessons with theregeneration, sustainability andprogramme managementcommunities.

04 CLOVIS


Project titleDeployable External InsulationDemonstration installation


Project coordinatorStephen Gage



Project value£10,246 grant, plus £25,366contribution in kind


Project partnersMake Architects; HaqueDesign+Research; Max FordhamDouglas Stephen Partnership


Project summaryWindows designed in new buildingsare getting fewer and smaller – why?

Buildings are being designed to loseless heat energy. Heat energy can gothrough windows 5-20 times fasterthan through well-insulated solidwalls. At the moment thepossibilities of using windows toflood spaces with light and providewarmth in cooler weather are beingincreasingly ignored.

This project will demonstrate astrategy to bring windows (and roof lights) back to buildings. Ademonstration installation will beconstructed which will take theform of a small conservatory-typebuilding to show the possibilities of deployable external insulationover a glazed screen.

Deployable External Insulation (DEI) allows the possibility ofconstructing better, brighterbuildings. DEI could be retro-fittedto existing buildings so that systemsbuilding owners could retainexisting window opening sizes. Thisespecially applies to the frontelevation of many old buildings thatwere constructed to give effectiveday lighting to main rooms. The useof natural daylight and sunlight forlighting and heating will reduceenergy loads and CO2 generation.

The demonstration building will be sited in the UCL mainQuadrangle and form The Bartlettcontribution to the London Festivalof Architecture in June 2008. It will also be shown at the BartlettArchitecture School End of YearExhibition.

05 DeiDemonstration


Project titleEvidencing Adaptable Sustainability


Project coordinatorAllan Brimicombe


Websitewww.uel.ac.uk/geo-information/EASY

Project value£172,311 grant plus £90,823contribution in kind


Project partnersUCL; Terra Cognita; Thames GatewayLondon Partnership


Project summarySustainable communities areperceived as those which are able toadapt to changing dynamics of theircomposition. A key considerationhas to be the quality of services andopportunities afforded by the socialinfrastructure in the face of change.

Boroughs are currentlyexperiencing high populationchurn, resulting in uncertainty intheir demographic composition.There need to be robustmechanisms for compiling andupdating the evidence-base onpopulation change, on which policyand planning changes mustnecessarily be founded.

This project aims:• To use a wide range of available

administrative and other datasets to construct an integratedevidence base of demographic,social and cultural change bysmall-area geography

• To develop micro-simulationmodels for the boroughs that willproduce demographicprojections by small-areageography, but also managingthe uncertainties in the base data

• To promote the use of theevidence-base and thedemographic projections insupport of social infrastructureplanning in the boroughs

• To deliver knowledge transferthrough capacity building andskills enhancement to makethese sustainable activities, sothat Local Authorities cancontinue to monitor change andadapt to change.

EASY is a series of knowledgetransfer activities that also aims todeliver useful, well-founded toolsand products to Local Authoritiesthat will underscore their ability todevelop sustainable communities.

06 EASY


Project titleEnergy Performance of Dwellingsand Other non-domestic Buildings –Closing the credibility gap


Project coordinatorDejan Mumovic


Websitewww.ibpsa-england.org



Project partners*International Building PerformanceSimulation Association (IBPSA –England); CIBSE School DesignGroup; CIBSE Natural VentilationGroup



Project summaryThis project addresses the dualchallenge of designing sustainablelow energy housing while stillproviding thermal comfort underthe warmer summer conditionsproduced by anthropogenic climatechange. This is a key challenge forbuilding designers in London andthe South East.

Knowledge transfer arising fromUrbanBuzz energy-linked projectsand other world-class research-based projects, as selected by anadvisory panel, will principally targetthe design community in the South East at two events, one in the evening and one during the day, on the 7th July 2008. This event isplanned for July 2008 and willinclude exhibitions, showcases,invited speakers and break-outsessions. Moreover, those connectedwith standards and good practicewill join policymakers in theworkshop/seminar event.

The event is being piloted to attractthe design and practitionercommunity and to help showcaseboth UrbanBuzz energy-linkedprojects and the best of emergingresearch outputs. It also aims toprovide a forum to discuss howtheir effectiveness can be deliveredthrough knowledge transfermechanisms – primarily educationand training.

A dissemination plan, via partners’websites and training materials, is being developed and theeffectiveness and impact of thisknowledge transfer mechanism will be evaluated when planning a future programme of events.

07 E-POD


Project titleEnabled Self-ProcurementSimulation


Project coordinatorsMichael KohnJoanne Harrison

Contact detailsT: 0208 223 [email protected]@uel.ac.uk

Websitewww.urbanbuzz.orgwww.esp-sim.orgwww.youcanplan.co.uk

Project value£254,480 grant plus £102,074.40contribution in kind


Project partnersUEL, Slider Studio; Audacity; BURA;Design for Homes; LTGDC; MaeLLP; Meganexus; RIBA competitions; Three Dragonsconsultancy;Alastair Donald; HTA; UCL


Project summaryESP-sim is designing a model forEnabled Self-Procurement (ESP)forn delivering sustainablecommunities in the UK. ESP is asystem which supports individualsas the developers of their ownhomes, set within a coordinatedcommunity where everyonebecomes the decision maker.

The project brings together arange of industry experts todiscuss and explore the feasibilityof ESP in the UK. Multi user 3Ddesign software called‘YouCanPlan’ is being developed tohelp visualise ESP outcomes andresolve the apparent complexitywhich currently forms a barrier tolocal authorities or developerswishing to pursue this route.

A public online participatorydesign event using YouCanPlanwill provide a simulation of thedesign quality possible with ESP,and a measure of the social capitalbuilt into urban and suburbanoutcomes. YouCanPlan softwarewill allow users to look around avirtual community, find anappropriate plot, shop for andcustomise a pattern book housedesign to suit their requirements,chat and compare choices withother members of the community,and finally manage their budgetbefore committing to a decision.

The ESP-sim team is active in itssearch for likely ‘early adopter’developers who might deliverconstructed pilot schemes and thegeneration of case studies forfuture learning.

08 ESP-SIM


Project titleFresh Eyes for Urban Regeneration

Lead organisationBritish Urban RegenerationAssociation (BURA)

Project coordinatorGareth Potts

Contact detailsT: 07792 817156 / 0207 5394046 [email protected]

Websitewww.bura.org.uk

Project value£33,000 grant plus £11,905.60contribution in kind


Project partnersAcademic and communityparticipation in events


Project summaryThe aim is to look at an emergingurban regeneration challenge (inthis case, the site of the former RoyalDocks at Deptford in Lewisham,South London) but to ensure thatthose doing the looking are not justfrom the academic disciplinesnormally involved, to see whetherfresh perspectives emerge.

A first stage day event has beenheld where 24 academics wereshown around a site in Creeksideand given some background.Thereafter, they discussed the typesof recommendations theirdisciplines could make (based onthings they know) or would make(based on the type of approach theytake). These will be a representatives from various disciplines: culturalstudies; philosophy; micro-economics; systems thinking;futures/scenarios work;environmental and communitypsychologists; anthropologists and political scientists.

This process will then be repeatedfor a second traditional group –planners, economic geographers,architects, urban designers, urbansociologists, property developers(estates management), civilengineers and transport experts.There will then be an event for localcommunity groups.

Finally, all of the groups will bebrought together and theirrespective solutions will bediscussed – the focus being uponhow different groups andperspectives can work together and contribute.

09 FEfUR


Project titleGender and the Built Environment

Lead organisationWomen’s Design Service (WDS)

Project coordinatorWendy Davis

Contact detailsT: 0207 490 5210 [email protected]

Websitewww.wds.org.uk



Project partnersQueen Mary’s University Londonand other academic institutions

UrbanBuzz project monitorJon [email protected]

Project summaryWhere gender is ignored there islittle hope of constructing the kindsof urban spaces and buildings thatwill generate successful andsustainable communities.

The new legislation on the publicduty to promote gender equalitycame into force in April 2007. Manybuilt environment and regenerationbodies have approached WDS tofind out what this might mean forthem. Some are surprised to findthat they themselves havecommissioned gender research inthe past but that it liesunimplemented and forgotten.Many seem quite unaware of themany issues in the design andmanagement of the builtenvironment that impact differentlyon women and men.

This project will identify and collateinformation about all existingresearch in the English language on gender issues in the builtenvironment. The findings will beorganised into a searchable onlineformat located on a new website:www.gendersite.org. The project willthen disseminate this invaluableresource to academic institutions,decision makers and designers. Theexistence of the new database andthe range and importance of theissues addressed will becommunicated to a wide audiencevia publications, conferences,training courses and websites.

10 GBE


Project titleInnovative CommunityEngagement in Newham Initiative


Project coordinatorKerry-Ann Wright



Project value*£71,290 grant plus £13,919contribution in kind


Project partners*LB Newham; FundamentalArchitectural Inclusion; Google;Tribal plc; UCL; ATCM; SQDL



Project summaryICENI will engage residents andbusinesses in the use of freemapping and visualisation toolssuch as Google Earth, to enablethem to articulate any concernsabout development and servicesimpacting on places topublic/private sector professionals.

Use of mapping tools will enablethe cumulative expression andpublic recording of views linked tospecific locations – at building,street, area, borough, regional level,as relevant – with the addition ofinformation as text, voice or photo.

There are two workstreams for theproject:Silvertown Quays: communityengagement with the developmentof large-scale new public realm thatwill create a whole new town centrein Royal Docks in Newham; East Ham: a Victorian High Streettown centre which is facingsignificant challenges to remain avibrant community as key retail andcivic/office users leave.

The first workstream has theopportunity to inform the Royal’sarea action plan. In particular, theprimary school dimension will focuson the role of the new school inplace-making and sustainablecommunity development. FAI hasspecific expertise in working withyoung people on design, includinghard-to-reach youth, via its‘architecture crew’. Bothworkstreams can inform theborough Local DevelopmentFramework.

11 ICENI


Project titleThe Intangible Values of Layout

Lead organisationSpace Syntax Ltd

Project coordinatorsAlain ChiaradiaChristian Schwander

Contact detailsT: 020 7422 [email protected]@spacesyntax.com


Project value£382,858.56 grant plus £840,991.68contribution in kind


Project partnersUEL; UCL; CABE; SEEDA; EEDA; GLA;Hants CC; LB Croydon; LB TowerHamlets ; Sustainable London 2012;Housing Corporation; Departmentfor Health; London 21; BetterArchway Forum; The Prince’sFoundation; Savills; Buchanan; JMP;EDAW; SKANSKA


Project summaryAccording to CABE manycommunities in the South East failto meet the standards of highquality urban layout. One reason isthat urban layout and especially itseffects on the social, cultural andeconomic aspects of community, is an intangible asset which isdifficult to visualise and measureduring the planning process.

i-VALUL develops evidence-basedevaluation tools that make theseintangibles tangible. It integratesexpert knowledge from differentdisciplines about the social,economic and environmental valueof urban layout and transfers thisknowledge to a wider range of usersthrough a collaborative process.

i-VALUL reduces the barriers to thetake-up of these tools through acollaborative process involvingleading stakeholder organisations.

The project aims: • To develop and provide access to

a layout value map of the GreaterSouth East that serves as a spatialcontext for assessing existingareas and for integrating newdevelopments

• To develop a training programmefor Local Authorities and otherstakeholders that bridges the gapin understanding of how to valueand assess the quality of urbanlayouts

• To undertake and support liveintegration projects on differentscales to transfer the knowledgeof using the layout valuation toolinto the practice

• To disseminate the trainingprogramme and develop itfurther, with the ultimate aim ofintegrating it with existingacademic and professionaleducation.

12 i-VALUL


Project titleLow Energy Victorian House:Towards zero carbon dwellings

Lead organisationLondon Borough of Camden

Project coordinatorChit Chong



Project value£130,556.25 grant plus £325,015contribution in kind


Project partnersUCL; Landers Associates; OxleyConservation; English Heritage;ECSC; ParityProjects


Project summaryExisting dwellings are increasinglyrecognised as a major barrier toreducing CO2 emissions.

Where this comes most sharply intofocus is in dwellings with heritagevalue. The aim of this project is toreduce CO2 emissions from aVictorian house in a conservationarea in the London Borough ofCamden by 90%.

Prior to refurbishment work,councillors, construction andheritage professionals andacademics have all visited thehouse. The visits set the projectcontext, help stakeholdersunderstand it and engage them indiscussion about the widertechnical, attitudinal and policyissues of heritage and emissionsreduction.

Technically, the project will use andmonitor the performance ofinsulation and renewable energysystems. In doing so, it will helpestablish the project as an evidence-based forum where refurbishinghistoric dwellings can be discussed.

Attitudinally, the project will helppromote a debate on questionsrelating to the value of heritage toits various stakeholders, includingfuture generations.

In policy terms, the project willinform policy development on lowenergy housing refurbishment inCamden as well as in the UK. In sodoing it will help preserve thenation's heritage and make existingcommunities sustainable.

13 LEVH


Project titleDeveloping low carbon housing;lessons from the field

Lead organisationUCL / Leeds Metropolitan University

Name of Project Coordinator: Bob Lowe / Malcolm Bell

Contact detailsT: 0207 679 5891 [email protected] and0113 812 [email protected]

Websitewww.leedsmet.ac.uk/as/cebe/projects/stamford/

Project value*£120,699.72 grant plus £187,190.50contributions in kind


Project partners*University of Leeds; SD Foundation-Good Homes Alliance; Taylor Wimpey;Redrow Homes, National Trust

UrbanBuzz project monitorChris Anderson,[email protected]


Project summaryThe objective of this project is toexecute a knowledge exchangeprogramme for low carbon (energyefficient) new housing. It will drawon learning from the StamfordBrook Field Trial, which is an actionresearch project funded by CLG andinvolving the National Trust, RedrowHomes, Bryant Homes, NHBC, CITB,Vent Axia, and the Concrete BlockAssociation.

The 6 year trial, recently concluded,sought to evaluate, in acomprehensive way, the issuesinvolved in improving the carbonperformance of mainstream housebuilding. The project has generatedan unprecedented amount oflearning related to air tightness,envelope integrity and systemsperformance, at all levels includingbuilding physics, dwelling design,site management, workforcetraining and procurement systems.

Given the challenging regulatorytargets proposed by governmentaimed at Zero Carbon new housingwithin 10 years, it is crucial that thelearning from field trials such asStamford Brook is captured, refined,contextualised and embedded asthoroughly as possible within theUK house building industry ingeneral and in London and theSouth East in particular.

This proposal seeks to develop sucha programme and to act as a modelfor industry-based research andknowledge exchange designed tofacilitate progress towards zerocarbon housing.

14 LOWCARB4REAL


Project titleLondon Students TowardsSustainability

Lead organisationLondon Sustainability Exchange(LSx)

Project coordinatorShalini Jayasinghe


Websitewww.lsx.org.uk/whatwedo/LSTS_page3067.aspx



Project partnersLondon South Bank University; UEL; UCL


Project summaryThe student population of Londonrepresents a huge resource of time,knowledge and skills, which largelyhas yet to be harnessed forsustainable development. LSTS willcreate and facilitate a London-basednetwork to engage, motivate andsupport students to contribute tosustainable development throughtheir studies and their future careers.LSTS will access students throughtheir departments and the societiesto which they belong.

Benefits for members include: Internship schemes: an onlinebrokerage service will 'matchmake'students with employers acrosspublic and private sectors, offeringwork placements in sustainability-related fields. Bursaries for travel andsubsistence will be made availableon application.Events series: a series of threenetworking / knowledge-sharingevents, bringing together studentswith professionals fromsustainability-related fields, willpromote knowledge andnetworking. Students involved inevents will gain valuable skills suchas e-based project co-ordinationand presentation skills. E-bulletin and online resources:enabling knowledge-sharingbetween students andprofessionals.

Project outcomes:For students: increased sustainabilityliteracy and enhanced employmentprospects.For employers: access to highlymotivated student interns andultimately, access to sustainabilityliterate graduates.

15 LSTS


Project titleMapping Change for SustainableCommunities


Project coordinatorMuki Haklay


Websitewww.communitymaps.london21.org



Project partnersLondon 21; Planning Aid forLondon; London Thames GatewayForum; Biomapping.net;Local Community Organisations


Project summaryEast London and the ThamesGateway are facing big changes inthe coming years. Gettingcommunities involved in theseprocesses makes good sense foreveryone. This new project aims tomake getting involved a little easier– and a lot more effective.

MCSC will use mapping as a tool to empower local communities, andraise their social capital by helpingthem monitor change in their areas,communicate various local issuesand access vital planninginformation. The maps will drawtogether a variety of informationgathered by local people, andhighlight their identified priorities.

Ultimately this will result inInternet-based maps that showcommunities what is planned for their neighbourhood and offer training and support so thatthey can develop and use thesemaps themselves. The projectfurther aims to open lines ofcommunication between keystakeholders of impendingdevelopments. The same maps will include cultural and historicalelements that have, or will be lost to development, as well ashighlight what local communitiesare doing and the things they want to celebrate.

The project will work with fourcommunity groups in the region. At the end of the project, eachcommunity will have their own mapand website that can help them tocommunicate with new andexisting members, increase theiroutreach and enable thecommunity to organise themselvesto have a say on issues anddevelopments in their area.

16 MCSC


Project titleExploring New Measures of Urban Density

Lead organisationHelen Hamlyn Centre, RCA

Project coordinatorPaul Clarke

Contact detailsT: 07789 [email protected]


Project value£9,951 grant, plus £38,311contribution in kind


Project partnersArup; Fletcher Priest; 3D Reid; Child Graddon Lewis, British Council of Offices (BCO)


Project summaryHow we measure urban density has a direct effect on how citydistricts are designed and howinclusive of community needs they can be. This project proposesnew measures for urban densitythat allows architects, urbanplanners and developers as well as the community and users, to have a collaborative involvement in the process.

This project aims:• To initiate cross-disciplinary

debate, in order to explore whatpolicy measures could supportthe development of dense,animated environments andconsider the need for moredescriptive and holistic measures

• To encourage knowledge transferbetween the parties involved inthe planning process and toconsider how the current densitymetric could beimproved/supported to createmore sustainable and engagedcommunities

• To inspect and consider theneeds of the end-users to createelements that define, interpretand address those needs, whilstalso improving the policy ofplanning today and safeguardingit for the future.

This project builds on earlier workdescribed in:http://www.onlyforwardarchitecture.com/images/Metricity_Publication.pdf ) The four leading architecturefirms involved will help define theproject thinking and ensure that thefindings are delivered directly intotheir professional future work.

17 METRICITY


Project titleMobilising Knowledge

Lead organisationGoldsmiths

Project coordinatorDr Alison Rooke


Websitewww.goldsmiths.ac.uk/cucr/publications.php



Project partnersUCL; City Mine(d); LB Lewisham;London Older People’s StrategyGroup (LOPSG); Age Concern


Project summaryThe project was delivered through asummer school that ran over threeweeks in summer 2007. The projectworked with 22 residents ofLewisham who were over 60 yearsold and aimed to create a space fordialogue between older people andpolicy and planning professionals.

The aim was to explore olderpeoples’ experience of the city andfind ways of incorporating theirperspectives into the planning anddesign processes. In this way theproject sought to overcome theinstitutional and knowledge barriersthat divide older people, planningprofessionals and academics.

Participants discussed the impactsof planned changes e.g. in theThames Gateway, on design,housing policy and local servicessuch as transport, schools, hospitalsand GPs. Following on from theMobilising Knowledge project, a set of participative planningguidelines has been producedalong with a ‘toolkit’ to facilitate the inclusion of older people in the planning process.

The results are presented in thefindings document and can all bedownloaded from the website. The guidelines are accompaniedwith a DVD which, when viewedtogether with these documents, will be of great practical use to arange of professionals seeking towork with older people.

18 MOBILISING KNOWLEDGE


Project titleReducing Barriers to Opportunitiesfor People Socially Excluded

Lead organisationMeganexus

Project coordinatorDan Brown


Websitewww.greenmaniac.com



Project partnersGoldsmiths; CASA; UCL; Volterra;ELBA; British Library B&IPC; Action Acton; Urban Futures; Sutton Council


Project summarySustainable communities are builton trust, equal opportunity andsocial inclusion. They are equallydependent on innovativeapproaches to the development of the market in ‘green’ productsand services.

This project aims:• To address sustainability

simultaneously throughwidening access to employmentopportunities (particularly for thedisadvantaged) and improvingthe matching of skills andenterprise needed for theemerging green economy

• To enhance diversity in greensocial networks both tostrengthen members’ choice andto increase the whole group’ssocial capacity

• To extend its impact well beyondthe 18 month project period byusing appropriate marketing andresource-raising methods. Thiswill help to ensure that thenetworks are both self-sustainingand capable of rolling out to awider client base.

The project will create a single, largeweb-based network (the ‘cross-cutting’ Green network) that bringsall groups together. The LocalAuthority and charitable grouppartners will provide access toexisting off-line and on-line groupsto generate this network.

There will be continuous and on-going benefits of the outputs forthe companies signing up to thenetwork. The project is currentlyahead of schedule for signing upcompanies to the green network.

19 REBOPSE


Project titleReal-time Learning for Community-based Environmental Projects


Project coordinatorsGemma MooreBen Croxford

Contact detailsT: 0207 554 [email protected]@ucl.ac.uk

Websitewww.groundwork-nl.org.uk



Project partnersGroundwork (local and regionaltrusts); London 21; The AOC; SES Strategies Ltd


Project summaryGroundwork are working inpartnership with UCL to investigateself-evaluation processes of openspace regeneration projects. Thefindings from this investigation willbe used to encourage practitionersand community groups to use self-evaluation as a tool for learning fromand developing future projects. This will be achieved through:• Evaluating past, present, and

ongoing projects• Testing a range of participatory

monitoring and evaluationtechniques

• Sharing any lessons learnedthrough organised workshops

• Development of an e-learningtool.

The project aims:• To make evaluation easier and

more accessible• To share knowledge and best

practice with other organisations• To incorporate new methods into

the evaluation process.

Four completed community-basedenvironmental projects are beingcurrently reviewed, using a numberof innovative methodologies andprocesses developed. These are:• A play area redesigned by young

people on the Gilbey’s Yard EstateCamden

• The creation of a communitygarden and gardening club onthe Regents Park Estate inCamden

• The renovation of two small playareas on Hornsey Rise Estate inIslington

• The transformation of twoderelict open spaces on theBrecknock Road Estate inIslington to multi-use, inclusiveplay, planting and seating areas by the local tenants andresidents association.

20 RETILE COMBEEP


Project titleMedia screens as a medium for communication


Project coordinatorAva Fatah gen. Schieck



Project value*£9,172.49 grant, plus £14,135contribution in kind


Project partners*body>data>spaceArt2Architecture



Project SummaryThe project aims at influencingdevelopments related to thesustainable implementation ofurban media screens by looking at issues from a multitude ofperspectives.

Knowledge transfer will be achievedthrough debate, exchange andknowledge share. This will berealised through the establishmentof a panel that involves a selectedgroup of people from mediaspecialists, artists, architects, urban designers, broadcastersand theorists, who will be sharinglessons learned from theirexperience.

The panel will be presenting their views to a group of peopleinvolved in the planning process ona local and regional level and otherparties involved in the generation of sustainable communities. The panel will critique case studies of live development projects that implement mediascreens and promote creativevisions for alternative content and different ways of using thecurrent digital display.

It is hoped that the debate will steerstakeholders towards establishing aprocess whereby innovative ideaspresented by the panel of expertscan influence a framework forplanning guidance on sustainabledesign solutions for the deploymentof the screens in London, the widerSouth East region and beyond.

21 SCREAM


Project titleSocio-Environmental Disorder and Urban Configuration


Project coordinatorAllan Brimicombe


Websitewww.uel.ac.uk/geo-information/SEDUC



Project partnersUCL; Central St Martins; TerraCognita; SES Strategies Ltd; SpaceSyntax Ltd; LB Newham; LB TowerHamlets; LB Barking and Dagenham


Project SummarySEDUC is focusing on anti-socialbehaviour (ASB), disorder in theurban environment and the physicalconfiguration of urban areas.

Sustainable communities areperceived as safe (low levels of fear)and attractive (low levels ofdisorder). Anti-social behaviour(ASB) and physical disorder can thus be viewed as barometers of sustainability.

Areas of high ASB usually have high levels of deprivation and these same areas are associatedwith higher levels of environmentaldisorder, such as dumped cars,rubbish and damaged streetfurniture.

Together these attract crime,promote insecurity and fear ofcrime among residents and erodecommunity cohesion.

This project aims: • To put in place automated

methods of preparation of localdata sets recording ASB foranalysis

• To promote the generic use of‘space syntax’ software inplanning and specifically in theanalysis of ASB and physicaldisorder against metrics of theconfiguration of street networks

• To use these analyses to informappropriate responses forminimising recurrence of ASB,designing against crime andfostering community cohesion –to be brought together in a ‘how-to’ best practice guide

• To deliver knowledge-transferthrough capacity building andskills enhancement so that LocalAuthorities can continue torespond to the dynamics of ASBand physical disorder.

22 SEDUC


Project titleSmart Solution for Spatial Planning


Project coordinatorPaul Coates


Websitewww.urbanbuzz.org (see Projects)http://wiki.uelceca.net/sssp



Project partnersAedas; Slider Studio; 4M; LB TowerHamlets; LB Newham; UrbanInitiatives; CABE


Project summaryThe project will show that byimproving the speed and flexibilityof the processes undertaken todesign urban systems, the designcycle can be open to the maximumfeedback from users, while scenarioscan be experimented with rapidly.

To assess the type of data availableand agree on its relevance to localurban design and sustainabilitycriteria, SSSP are partnering withplanning and allied departments ofLocal Authorities. The study areaagreed straddles the River Lea onthe boundary of the two Authoritiesin the Three Mills area.

SSSP is working with its partners tobring the development of spatialsystems (buildings, roads openspaces and all other spatialelements in a development) into themain digital chain of survey anddesign. SSSP propose to do this bylinking the GIS and other data that iscurrently available in planningdepartments and other regionalbodies to computer simulationmodels of urban structure anddevelopment.

The output from SSSP’s models will be spatial as well asorganisational interpretations ofcollected information, available asstatistical and visual data to the LA, developers and potentially to residents.

23 SSSP


Project titleImplementation of emerginggovernment and other urbansustainability policies

Lead organisationDavid Adamson with UCL

Project coordinatorDavid Adamson





Project partnerUCL


Project summaryThis strategic-level projectcomprised a UK-wide series of one-day seminars involving invitedgroups of senior representativescovering the public, private andacademic sectors. They met to find ways of best responding toemerging government and otherurban regeneration sustainabilitypolicies.

The aims of these knowledge-sharing events have been to discussand critique how best in practice:• To promote and facilitate the

adoption of recent and emerginggovernment policies relating tosustainability in the builtenvironment sectors

• To identify and comment onpractical difficulties inimplementing governmentsustainability policies

• To help feed emerginggovernment sustainability/construction policies intouniversities to inform andstimulate their research andteaching

• To input relevant academicthinking into the development ofgovernment policies in this area.

As a conclusion to these regionalseminars, a conference was held inJanuary 2008 to review and discussthe Project’s consolidated findings.The conclusions from the projectare far-reaching in their relevance toall aspects of the constructionindustry and practices relating tosustainable construction.

The project’s significance isunderlined by the fact that Rt. Hon.Stephen Timms MP, Minister of Statefor Competitiveness (Departmentfor Business, Enterprise andRegulatory Reform) opened theconference.

24 SUSTAINABLE CONSTRUCTION POLICIES


Project titleSustainable Design TrainingProgramme

Lead organisationLancefield Consulting Ltd

Project coordinatorJulian Hart





Project partnersUCL; Liverpool U; Imperial College; De Montford U; Oxford Brookes U;Uni of Westminster; Salford U;Greater London Authority; LBBarnet; LB Barking and Dagenham;LB Kingston; LB Islington

UrbanBuzz Project MonitorChris [email protected]

Project summaryThis project focuses on the mostcritical group of professionals in thecurrent Town Planning system,where all the good intentions andhigh aspirations for sustainablecommunities can flounder ifappropriate control mechanisms onnew development are not foundand satisfactorily implemented.

This project will provide a ‘creativeworkshop’ style training programmefor local Planning Authorities onsecuring sustainable designstandards and to use the experiencegained to develop guidance on theimplementation of sustainabledesign in planning. The project willalso simultaneously test-run thefeasibility of using a SustainableDesign Review Panel (SDRP) in theplanning determination process.

Knowledge transfer will be achievedthrough establishing the SDRP, – a carefully selected group ofacademics who will critique livedevelopment projects as casestudies. The advice of this panel will then be converted into trainingworkshops around these casestudies and given to theparticipating Planning Authorities.They will also receive support tohelp them apply the learnings and secure higher standards ofperformance.

Julian Hart, Director of LancefieldConsulting, observes: “There are somany technical requirementscoming into the design process, but as far as we know, there isnothing like this to support LocalAuthorities in assessing howsustainable they are.”

25 SUSTAINABLE TRAINING


Project titleThe Rootscape Project: Leys Remix

Lead organisationOxford Brookes University (OBU)

Project coordinatorGeorgia Butina Watson



Project value£57,835 grant plus £8,385contributions in kind


Project partnersOxford Youth Works


Project summaryThis project will develop thecapacity of children and youngpeople from within Oxford’sBlackbird Leys area, to articulatetheir everyday experience of livingon a large peripheral mixed tenurehousing estate. The aim is to enablethem to develop employment skills,with particular reference toproviding a consultancy service topromote child/youth-friendly urbandesign and to enhance theircapacity to engage in further andhigher education.

The challenges involve overcomingtwo key barriers:• Low expectations on the part of

children and young peoplethemselves about what goodplaces might be like

• Adults’ low expectations ofchildren and young people’scapabilities, particularly inrelation to professional work.

Initially the project will develop theemployment potential of 24 youngpeople. In the longer term, theproject has been designed, with theinclusion of an end-user AdvisoryPanel, to ensure it is self-sustainingwith approximately the samenumber of participants each year.

The project will continue withinputs from OBU students across arange of disciplines, through aprocess of community servicelearning in which Brookes’ studentscontribute to the project and in turn, gain live educationalopportunities to improve their own learning.

26 THE ROOTSCAPE PROJECT: LEYS REMIX


Project titleTowards Zero Carbon Schools


Project coordinatorDejan Mumovic





Project partners*CIBSE School Design Group; Faber Maunsell



Project summaryThis project has been designed tosupport the £45 billion project torebuild or upgrade all 3,500secondary schools in England andWales before 2020, which has comeunder fierce attack from a powerfulcross-party group of MPs for failingto set an example on sustainableconstruction.

The UK Government has stated thatthe third wave of school buildingprogramme should result in 2,000carbon neutral schools. This wouldenable the UK to reduce carbondioxide emission by 8 million tonsover 10 years, while providing anindoor environment which shouldhave a positive impact on pupils’performance and learning outcome.However, based on recent evidence,new schools are failing to achievethe expected targets related to both energy consumption andindoor air quality.

The problems related to reductionof carbon emission and indoor airquality in newly built schools will bediscussed at a specially-convenedfringe event to the CIBSE/ASHRAEConference on Sustainability- inNewcastle, 29-30 April 2008. Aselected panel of experts willaddress and facilitate discussions on school design issues.

This collaborative project betweenUCL and CIBSE School Design Groupaims to foster long-term knowledgeexchange and partnership betweenstakeholders working onsustainable school design,construction and maintenance.

The long-term legacy of this project is fostering the building of sustainable schools which can act as a catalyst for their localcommunities.

27 TOWARDS ZERO CARBON SCHOOLS


Project titleLooking Over the Horizon: Transportand Global Warming – Visioning andBackcasting for Transport in London

Lead organisationHalcrow

Project coordinatorRobin Hickman


Websitewww.vibat.org (from February 2008)

Project value£200,890.66 grant, plus £299,378.03contribution in kind


Project partnersOxford U; Space Syntax; Transportfor London; The Greater LondonAuthority


Project summaryThe project envisions a sustainabletransport future for 2050 and 2025.Using ‘back-casting’ techniquesapplied to current carbonefficiencies it aims to recommendsteps required to implement afuture carbon efficient transportsystem. This will be in accordancewith the targets given in the Mayorof London’s Transport Strategy 2025,which include effecting a 60%reduction in transport emissions by2025 and 80% by 2050. Key studystages include:Stage 1: baseline and contextStage 2: alternative images of the

futureStage 3: policy packagingStage 4: appraisalStage 5: conclusions and

recommendations

Dr Robin Hickman, Halcrow’s projectmanager, explains: “The issuesrelating to climate change haverisen rapidly to the top of thenational and regional politicalagenda and the importance of thetransport sector in contributing toreduced levels of carbon dioxide(CO2) is clearly evident.”

The project develops a simulationmodel of transport and carbonemissions in London (TC-SIM). TC-SIM is the first simulation modelavailable in this field and is anenormously useful tool in helpingdecision-making and strategyselection in a very challenging area.The simulation model is applicableat a variety of scales – for differentcities, towns, regions and even at the country-wide level.

28 VIBAT LONDON


Why ‘UrbanBuzz’? In naming our programme to help inform the building ofsustainable communities, we’ve chosen a title that highlights why sustainablecommunities matter. Successful communities are eclectic and exciting,cosmopolitan and diverse. They are where new ideas are born. The ultimateexpression of this energy is the city. And the ultimate measure of a vibrant,sustainable community is its ‘buzz’. This is not some glib catchphrase. It is aserious attempt to reflect the fact that individual urban developmentdisciplines only ever measure a small part of the urban experience: eg. theaffordability of housing or the efficiency of transport. The ‘buzz’ of an urbanenvironment is a measure of the totality. We also hope our name will come toreflect the energy and ‘buzz’ of the networks of academics, industry experts,practitioners and community groups that are the lifeblood of our programme.


This leaflet is printed on Cyclus Offset – a material manufactured using 100%recycled post consumer waste. With by-products from the pulp and papermanufacturer being used for composting and fertilizer, cement making and heatenergy conversion, Cyclus Offset is the only paper that makes such a positivecontribution to the environment. Produced without the use of chlorine chemicals.

UrbanBuzz Programme OfficeUCL Business27 Fitzroy SquareLondon W1T 6ES+44 207 554 4067

[email protected]

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www.urbanbuzz.org

Sustainable communities evolve over lengthytime periods. To short-circuit this processrequires that the best academic understandingfrom a wide range of disciplines is blendedwith the pragmatic experience of practitionersworking within communities, government andindustry. UrbanBuzz is doing just that. It hasestablished an exciting set of projects thataddress between them many issues pertinentto the rapid development of sustainablecommunities. The results from these projectswill be useful and important, but the truelegacy from UrbanBuzz is likely to be thegrowth of a number of totally novel networksof people and organisations that will sustainthe initiative well beyond its two-year period of funding.

Tim BroydChair Programme Board

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