The battle for our streets - and not what you think...

An interesting series of articles in The Atlantic by Sarah Goodyear are well worth reading. In one, she looks at the changes that have occurred in Copenhagen and Amsterdam and ponders the reasons. Although there is a bit of teleology involved, the reflections are about timing, political will and seizing the moment. The key idea:

It seems that by seizing a historical moment – the energy crisis – in an era when the power of public protest was arguably at its peak, ordinary Danish and Dutch citizens were able to change the course of development in their urban centers.

So, the question is: has our moment in Melbourne passed or - in the current state of political uncertainty -  is there a chance to build the sort of coalitions that would be needed to make the vision of a safe biking city realised?

Curious scenes: will we all look back in wonder and shake our heads?

From Taxi: Japanese company Storia has created a reusable shopping bag that you can wear over your head, as a helmet, during an emergency.  The dual-purpose shopping bag and emergency helmet, dubbed ‘Grappa’, folds down to the size of an umbrella to be carried in a bag. 

Curious scenes: will we all look back in wonder and shake our heads?

The future - or maybe the past?

Bike path sign in Kamakura, Japan. Photo by Todd Mecklem on Flickr.com.

Roads,rates and rubbish - but stay away from carbon

The difficulties in New Zealand continue with a narrowing of the role of local government. The latest proposals run counter not only to the views of local governments in NZ themselves, but also the experience of many years of working at the local level by groups such as ICLEI. Sharing the load and therefore the solutions across sectors makes sense...

A report from Voxy.co.nz notes:

Professor Ralph Sims, of the School of Engineering and Advanced Technology, is alarmed at the Government consultation document, which states greenhouse gas emission reductions should not be the responsibility of local councils.
Professor Sims says cities and towns have a vital role to play in mitigating climate change and improving resilience. He says many are already leading the way to a clean energy future.
"There is no evidence that climate change policy can be successfully implemented only at the national level," he says.
His research shows local governments are vital players in engaging their communities to take on renewable energy projects.
"Cities are the right places to start the transition towards a low-carbon economy and they can act more rapidly and are more inclusive than national authorities," he says. "They are far better equipped to confront the issues of energy, transport and water use, as they relate to their citizens, in a timely manner."

A positive direction

Organic waste has been a low-lying issue for some time - in particular as the volumes have grown and the potential for (at least) district approaches become more interesting. I am not sure if this is all going to work, but it is certainly moving in the right direction. 

Now if we could just use this logic to get over the old "picking winners" silliness with the solar industry...

Minister for Environment and Climate Change Ryan Smith announced the Metropolitan Organics Plan and funding package today at the Veolia Environmental Services Natural Recovery Systems organics recycling facility in Dandenong South.Minister Smith said the package would help build and support a network of new organics recycling facilities for metropolitan Melbourne and help develop viable markets for the end-product, such as composts and fertilisers.“Through total funding of $3.8 million under the Metropolitan Organics Plan, the Victorian Government is re-investing the landfill levy directly into measures that will improve organics recovery and realise its full potential as a resource,” Mr Smith said.“The first step in the process will be the development of a new facility at Bulla, north of Melbourne. Much like the facility we are at today in Dandenong, it will take tonnes of food and garden waste from 11 councils in Melbourne’s north and process it into valuable compost. This will be supported by additional facilities in the south-east and east of Melbourne.“The investment outlined in the Metropolitan Organics Plan will allow further development of new technologies that can produce compost, fertilisers, and potentially fuels, from our organic waste.  “This plan will help kick start Victoria’s new direction in practical sustainability – one that I hope may redefine the way Victoria thinks about ‘waste’ and invests in resource recovery,” Mr Smith said.Of the $3.8 million, $3.3 million will be spent to support the Metropolitan Organics Plan, led by Metropolitan Waste Management Group with local councils, which includes:•        the north-west metropolitan garden and food organics program to complement the new north-west organics facility at Bulla. The program includes initiatives to accelerate collection and processing of garden and food organics through existing systems;
•        a procurement process in the south-east which will include a feasibility study to identify a suitable location for an organics facility in south-east Melbourne; and •        upgrades to resource recovery centres and examination of transfer stations across Melbourne to assist in larger loads of materials being sent to processing and disposal facilities. 

Wait - emissions trading in 5 cities in China?

The next time someone tells you that China is just going to blow us out of the water by using more coal (they are undoubtedly still increasing coal usage: but look at their key new directions) or that emissions trading is the devil, then suggest they start reading China Daily:

According to an implementation plan for Beijing's pilot carbon emission-trading program covering the period from 2012 to 2015, more than 600 companies with direct and indirect carbon emission exceeding 10,000 tons per year will be included on a mandatory list for capping emissions.

...

The National Development and Reform Commission announced early this year it would launch carbon-trading systems next year in five cities - Beijing, Tianjin, Shanghai, Shenzhen and Chongqing, as well as in Guangdong and Hubei provinces.

Coal may become a less competitive fuel than other options due to emissions trading. Beijing has drawn up a plan to cut its coal consumption to 15 million tons by 2015 and basically end coal use within the Fifth Ring Road.

Natural gas will be a major substitute for coal, Yao said in a joint interview earlier this week with media from China and South Korea. The city's use of natural gas will double to 15 billion cubic meters, or even higher, during the 12th Five-Year Plan, he said.

Curious scenes: will we all look back in wonder and shake our heads?

The slightly creepy robo-urinal

Three out of five is not bad

Interesting that a good overview of five trends in architecture in Australia by Emily D'Alterio involve green buildings, precinct development and green roofs:

Green BuildingIn terms of a trending focus for the Australian architecture community, there is no greater ‘uber-trend’ than Green Building. As the carbon tax is set to take effect, climate change naysayers are on thin ground, allowing green innovation to hit the mass public and the industry at large. So strong is the shift, it can hardly even be seen as a trend anymore; in fact, it is becoming an industry staple.
The reason for its strong reception in Australia – after a notably sluggish start – is that it makes logical sense, for both the climate and our pocketbooks. The industry sees the value of green building due to the ‘green premium’ which is bolstered by the strong investment quality of green properties. Furthermore, Australia’s extreme climate lends itself to taking to green measures such as water tanks naturally.
This is a trend that is not going away. It is valued by the Australian people almost as much as the Australian architecture sector itself.
Precinct Developments Over the past five years, Australian has undergone an extraordinary facelift. Local and state governments have driven what are commonly known as the Australian precinct development phases, in which major cities Australia-wide have received, and are continuing to receive, architecture-focused upgrades.
From the Perth Waterfront Project, Cairns’ latest – and largest – majorentertainment precinct development and the highly acclaimed Barangaroo, government forces are thinking bigger and focusing funding on major community-based architectural projects rather than on singular buildings.
With the success of Melbourne’s Federation Square and ongoing Southbank precinct extension, this architectural trend is infusing a spark into the different cities and reinforcing their varied cultures and values through design.
Collaborative Design ...

Downsizing
... 

Rooftop Design...
Not only are architects lapping up the use of city rooftops as the density crush increases, but the concept of green roofing is changing the ways in which the tops of buildings are now treated. The rooftop is a lucrative and exciting space for designers, and this trend is only set to increase.
...

Well, then, how are we going to get to the targets?

Given the mucking around going on in Australia around voluntary versus mandatory approaches to energy efficiency, this news as reported in The Guardian is probably not good news...

All the mandatory elements of the government's green deal for homes are to be scrapped following an intervention by the prime minister.
The decision, which is a blow for the Liberal Democrats, means that the government will reject proposals currently out for consultation by the Department for Communities and Local Government that would have required homeowners to make their homes more energy efficient if they were undertaking home improvements, such as extending a garage or replacing windows.
... (and) that any homeowner intending to make a property more energy-hungry by building an extension, should redress the balance by improving insulation, upgrading a boiler or adding better heating controls.
The homeowner would be required to spend 10% in addition to the cost of the main works; so if building a £1,000 new patio, an additional £100-worth of energy efficiency measures, such as loft or cavity insulation would have to be installed.
The money would go to local contractors, paid for through cheap finance provided by the green deal and repaid through subsequent lower energy bills.
...
The source stressed that No 10 was not opposed to the green deal itself so long as it remained voluntary.

A big bloke in many ways

The ABC reports on Mayor Bob Abbot - a great supporter of sustainability over the years against all odds...

A  73 metre high Forest Eucalypt believed to be the state's tallest tree has been announced as the state's latest environmental icon. Hidden in dense forest of the Conondale National Park on the Sunshine Coast, the tree has been nicknamed 'Big Bob' in honour of local Mayor Bob Abbot, who will retire next month.

Mayor Bob Abbot and Alicia Stumm stand with a picture of the Big Bob at the entrance of the Conondale National Park on the Sunshine Coast, Tuesday 18 April, 2012 (Photo supplied - Esri Australia)

If I can make it there, I can make it anywhere

New York has probably set the standard internationally. But (as reported in Crain's New York Business.com it can still be a grind...

Five years into Mr. Bloomberg's sweeping vision for sustainability across New York, his so-called “PlaNYC” finds itself at a crossroads. Congestion pricing, the original document's most controversial component, was torpedoed by outer-borough pols in Albany. Meanwhile, the city took a beating from a recession, a real estate crash and a deadlocked U.S. Congress that together have starved funds for mass transit and other vital projects.

Faced with these realities, City Hall has retooled its original environmental blueprint for slashing greenhouse gases by 30% and preparing for a million more people in New York by 2030. With 20 months left in office, the Bloomberg administration knows it's running out of time to make a difference.

“The best chance we have is to make sustainability the DNA of the city,” Caswell Holloway, deputy mayor for operations, said at a recent Crain's breakfast forum.

Since PlaNYC launched on Earth Day 2007, the administration has unleashed, by its count, more than 120 initiatives that creep into nearly every aspect of city life. Lively pedestrian plazas have blossomed in Midtown, the Flatiron district and Chelsea. Year-round ferries traverse the East River, transporting thousands of commuters to Manhattan from Williamsburg and Greenpoint, Brooklyn, and Long Island City, Queens. More than 500,000 trees have been planted in all five boroughs, with another half-million to come in the next few years. Other initiatives, from installing rooftop gardens to introducing fleets of hybrid buses, also have fundamentally transformed the look and feel of New York.

Our coasts and climate change - we had better start talking about it

Today Tonight touches on an important issue for our country, albeit in a way that does little credit to them for the way in which they handle complexity of the issue. The question remains that we as a community are (one way or another) going to have to deal with the potential impacts of climate change and it is better that we do that ahead of time than in the midst of a crisis.

The report is online:

Steve Hunt's local Council has warned him and his neighbours they're at risk of being among the first Australian victims of rising sea levels due to climate change.
Illaroo Road, Lake Cathie, on the mid north coast of New South Wales is prime beachfront real estate. It is where Anne and Russell Secombe want to spend the rest of their days.
But the great-grandparents could be forced to leave if the Hastings/Port Macquarie Council execute a proposal to reclaim their properties - because a consultancy firm predicts a half a metre rise in sea level sometime in the next 50 years, could threaten their home.

Windfarms and energy efficiency

Utility Week reports on a useful linkage in Scotland that may help to reconcile the adversarial approaches being taken to windfarms around the world...

Windfarm community funds should be invested in local energy efficiency projects to lift residents out of fuel poverty, according to Consumer Focus Scotland (CFS). 

In a report published today, the watchdog called for greater integration between renewable generation and energy efficiency policy.
It noted developers commonly set up a Community Benefit Fund alongside each windfarm and highlighted the potential to spend it on insulation and advice.
Trisha McAuley, deputy director at CFS, said: "Fuel poverty is greatest in rural areas. Although there have been significant and welcome improvements in the energy efficiency of Scottish housing, these improvements have not been sufficient to compensate for rising energy costs, while levels of fuel poverty in Scotland have also continued to rise.
"In the early stages of managing Community Benefit Funds, local groups have typically prioritised small-scale projects to improve local amenities such as their village hall or play park. Now our research shows that there is growing interest in activity to improve energy efficiency and tackle fuel poverty among some of these groups."
Communities involved in the research received an average of just over £30,000 a year but CFS said larger sums were becoming more common, enabling more ambitious schemes.
CFS urged the Scottish government to take a lead and work with developers and local authorities to integrate energy efficiency into community initiatives.

Thoughtful discussion from Phoenix, USA

William McDonough and Mayor Stanton talk about the future of Phoenix's urban sustainability:

Practical projects: how hard can this be?

Brian Keating is the Manager, City Facilities at the City of Gosnells in WA. As a member of the Green Building Council of Australia's National Local Government Task Group, he recently discussed some of the practical projects that they are undertaking...

!. Setting up of a Revolving Energy Fund.(REF)

This was started with seed funding of $100,000 over two years to fund energy and water efficiency projects to City owned buildings. Savings go back into the fund for future initiatives (such as the two detailed below) Some of the initial projects carried out were lighting retrofits, installation of light sensors to public toilets and community halls and installation of water saving shower heads to changerooms at sporting facilities.

The City also subscribes to Planet Footprint, which gives regular reports on energy and water consumption across all City owned facilities. It also provides a Measures Report, which calculates energy and greenhouse gas savings. The report to June 2011 showed that 7 measures were implemented at a cost of $143, 205 which has resulted in annual financial savings of $147,330, saving 241,582 Kwh and emissions reductions of 3,043 tonnes of CO2.

These figures do not include the installation of the variable speed drives detailed below.

They do include the purchase of greenpower and the taking advantage of contestable power.

2.. Installation of Voltage Optmizers

The City has installed these devices at two of its major Facilities (The Agonis and Leisure World) at a cost of $82,000

Most buildings although designed for 220 volts input actually have more than this delivered via the mains supply and thus use more electricity than is necessary. The voltage optimizers keep the voltage input at 220 volts or below resulting in some spectacular energy savings. Savings are guaranteed by the installing company at a minimum of 10% and currently 13%+ is being saved. Annual power savings are running at $35,000 across the two buildings with an average payback period of 2.4 years.

3. Installation of Variable Speed Drives for Pool Pumps.

The City has installed a number of these devices at its public swimming pool, Leisure World at a cost of $70,000. They control the speed of the electric motors ensuring that the pumps do not run at full bore unnecessarily (most do - wasting a lot of power). This initiative has again resulted in some spectacular energy savings.

Annual power savings are estimated at $37,500 with a payback period of approximately 1.7 years. Greenhouse gas savings are approximately 152 tonnes.