Archive for September, 2007
Battle of the RSS feed readers
I’m currently trying to decide between Google Reader and Bloglines for my RSS reader of choice. Both keep adding new features and every time I think I’ve decided on one, the other adds the feature I like about the other. Google Reader is winning at the minute, but the organisation of feeds needs a serious [...]
Economics 101
Blogging may be light for the next few weeks, so I’ll point you in the direction of this list of 100 economics blogs for a little diversion. Why should you be reading economics?
A close study of economics sheds light on political, social, and even environmental trends, all of which affect even the average person’s daily [...]
Population - a sticky issue
Madeleine Bunting in the Guardian on Monday wrote a piece on population. Always a tricky debate, her main thrust was that the debate should enter the green mainstream, whereas currently it is seen as a marginalised issue (due to pressure from some quarters - Bunting cites the Pope and US pro-life factions).
A book which really [...]
Eh? What’s going on?
For the first time since I’ve been out of the country, I’m feeling out of the loop. Catching up on some reading I found this in Building:
Faber Maunsell, the RICS and refurbishment specialist Skansen are to launch a green ratings system for fitting out commercial properties.
The online system will be launched at the end [...]
100 days of Carbon Clean Up
This year’s campaign starts today.
The first 100 participants who return their CIBSE TM22 Energy Assessment form at the end of the 100 days will receive free Display Energy Certificates, ahead of the requirement for public sector occupiers of larger buildings to display the certificates by 6 April 2008. The certifcates will be produced by a [...]
Open plan offices
In case you may have missed it, Architectural Record has started a blog, and it’s actually quite good. Catching up with the archives, I found this gem on open plan offices.
Having been on the receiving end of some less than stellar office re-organisations and also involved (somewhat indirectly in the actual design decisions, but present [...]
1% solution
Spotted in Architectural Record, an intriguing attempt at philanthropy by american architects called the 1%.
Practices donate 1% of their billable hours to projects for non-profit organisations, pro bono.
I like the concept of using billable hours, rather than a percentage of profit or turnover. So for a company which tries to reach a utilisation of say [...]
Existing buildings key to carbon reduction
The blogosphere have been saying it since day one, now the industry events circuit is catching up. CIBSE have announced The Great Refurbishment Event: Making refurbishment a green opportunity scheduled for 24 October 2007 in London.
And in case we need reminding why existing buildings are key, Cyril Sweett estimate that by 2050, 60% of UK [...]
FAERO ceases trading
Found this via the Energy Performance Certificates for All blog:
On 22nd August 2007, Faero Ltd’s board unanimously agreed that Faero Ltd should immediately cease to trade, and proceed towards corporate dissolution. The reasons are set out in the Notification of ceasing to trade
Whilst the website is now not functioning, old pages exist [...]
Ouch!
Edwin is on form again - I’m beginning to look forward to his acerbic rantings. His thoughts on PFI schools in particular had me chuckling knowingly to the screen.
