Firms that renovate or repair housing, childcare facilities or schools will have to follow new rules to protect children from exposure to lead. The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is publishing stricter regulations for builders, plumbers, painters and electricians working on buildings constructed before 1978. Under the rules, workers must follow better safety standards to reduce potential exposure to dangerous levels of lead-based paint.
Installing a green roof can dramatically reduce energy use and costs - as well as supporting biodiversity, reducing flooding and combating climate change. Roofs offer an opportunity for more green spaces in the heart of the city That was the message for delegates at an afternoon seminar organised by CIRIA, the Construction Industry Research and Information Association. Firms that have installed green roofs have reported a 25% reduction in energy use in the floor directly under the roofs, and reduced usage at a lower percentage in other floors.
Europe has announced plans to back investment in renewable energy in Africa and other parts of the developing world in an effort to provide reliable electricity in an environmentally sustainable way. The European Commission has launched the Global Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy Fund with Euro 80 million to part-fund private projects over the next four years. The fund will target small-scale projects, predominantly in African states. According to EC statistics, around 1.6 billion people have no regular access to reliable energy sources.
Climate change experts from around the world gather in Bangkok this week to discuss the successor to the Kyoto agreement, which comes to an end in 2012. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) is hosting the summit, which will try to forge an agreement that is palatable to most nations whilst having a real impact on global carbon levels.
Installing a green roof can dramatically reduce energy use and costs - as well as supporting biodiversity, reducing flooding and combating climate change. Roofs offer an opportunity for more green spaces in the heart of the city That was the message for delegates at an afternoon seminar organised by CIRIA, the Construction Industry Research and Information Association. Firms that have installed green roofs have reported a 25% reduction in energy use in the floor directly under the roofs, and reduced usage at a lower percentage in other floors.
Water users will not be persuaded to cut their consumption until they can be convinced that there really is a shortage and it is in their best interests to do something about this. This was the underlying theme of a seminar arranged by the Economic and Social Research Council and UK Water Industry Research this week. The Behavioural Change and Water Efficiency debate looked at differences between consumption patterns in Britain and comparable European countries and considered ways to bridge the gap.
Soil experts are being asked for their views on a new strategy to protect England's soils for the future. Defra has published a consultation on the Soil Strategy, which includes an aim to halt the loss of carbon from soil. Soils contain huge amounts of carbon and there is some evidence to suggest that carbon levels are declining in some soils, resulting in the release of CO2 into the atmosphere and contributing to climate change.
Greener building practices could cut North America's greenhouse gas emissions more effectively than any other available measure. Canada, Mexico and the US are being urged to embrace greener construction methods That is the conclusion of a new report from the Commission for Environmental Co-operation (CEC). Green Building in North America: Opportunities and Challenges says buildings release about 35% of the continent's total CO2 emissions and this could be the quickest and cheapest way to reduce North America's impact on climate change.
