sisco newsletter #4: april 2011

SISCo Newsletter Issue 4, May 2011

This Issue:

• SISCo Online Training

• UK Sustainable Construction and Development Training Programme

• Cradle 2 Cradle Seminar ‘Sustainability Pays!?’

• Belgian Study Tour, May 2011

• Healthcare and sustainability training in Belgium

• Study Tour to the Netherlands

• PassivHaus training event for construction businesses in Hampshire

• Bilateral exchange DCMR to BMF: “General Process rules in Area Development projects”

• SPK’s Sustainable Con-struction Cluster, Belgium

the Environment Centre (tEC) | Registered office: 14-15 Brunswick Place, Southampton, SO15 2AQ | www.environmentcentre.com | tel: 023 8033 6199

SISCo Online Training

As part of the SISCo project, partners will deliver a suite of online training materials to facilitate the transfer of knowledge gained throughout the project. It is intended that the online training will disseminate important information about sustainable construction and planning between stakeholders in the partner regions, and beyond.

The training materials range from presentation slides and documents to video clips and webstreams of training sessions from all three partner regions (see image above). Two online training modules will also be created, designed to allow the user to learn about a selected topic, (through documents, presentations and video clips) and then test themselves to find out what they have learnt.

Partners will also create a webinar, based around the Cradle 2 Cradle seminar held in Schiedam (for more information on this event, see page 3). The webinar will present videos of presentations from the event, along with PowerPoint slides and additional information on the speakers and topics covered.

All online training materials will be available on the SISCo website: www.environmentcentre.com/sisco

Above: online training via interactive application displaying both a webstream of the presentation and corresponding PowerPoint slides.



the Environment Centre (tEC), in partnership with the Hampshire and Isle of White Planning Officers Group (HIPOG), is pleased to offer a new programme of training in sustainable development and construction, which started in November 2010 and continues through the first half of 2011.

The training sessions aim to discuss the issues around the topic of sustainability for planning officers in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, and to improve their knowledge in this field. Topics covered so far include the Code for Sustainable Homes and other BREEAM assessments, Carbon Reduction, Biodiversity and Sustainable Draining Systems. Workshops included talks on policy/strategy and talks on practical application and implementation, with speakers from both the public and private sector and representing local, regional and national organisations.

The next session, on Sustainable Infrastructure, will take place on 18th May 2011 and will target Planning Development Control and Policy Officers, Highway Officers, Urban Designers, Landscape Architects and others with a role in the Planning process. Topics to be covered include the Hampshire Local Transport Plan, Town Access Plans, and Carbon Reduction Strategies in Transport Planning. The process of application of policy will then be examined, in a talk detailing the best way to move from strategy to implementation. To reserve a place, please visit: www.environmentcentre.com/register

UK Sustainable Construction and Development Training Programme 2010 - 2011

All event materials are available on the SISCo

website: www.environmentcentre.com/SISCo_training

To book a place, on the Sustainable Infrastructure

session (on 18th May), please visit: www.environmentcentre.com/register

Above left: Local Authority attendees participate in a workshop on Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS). Above

Right: Damian Offer, Gemma Christian and Ian Barker participate in a question and answer session during the

Biodiversity training event.



Cradle 2 Cradle Seminar ‘Sustainability Pays!?’ held in Schiedam, NL

The seminar ‘Sustainability Pays!?’ was held on the 22nd of September by the Municipality of Schiedam, the Stadsregio Rijnmond (city region) and the SISCo project partnership. The seminar was based around the Cradle 2 Cradle principles, which is a key approach taken by the Municipality of Schiedam.

The Cradle 2 Cradle principles were described and developed by Dr. Michael Braungart (together with William McDonough). McDonough and Braungart assert that an industrial system that "takes, makes and wastes" can become a creator of goods and services that generate ecological, social and economic value. When designers employ the intelligence of natural systems - the effectiveness of nutrient cycling, the abundance of the sun's energy - they can create products, industrial systems, buildings, even regional plans that allow nature and commerce to fruitfully co-exist (www.mcdonough.com).

During the seminar, the principles and practical application of C2C were discussed by keynote speakers including Michael Braungart. The evening programme comprised meetings with the city and regional Aldermen, and a total of 4 workshops with the event speakers and delegates. The four themes for the case studies were a school building project from HEVO bv, and the conceptual cases Cradle city, Garage city and Farm city. Various products, strategies and showcases were part of the program delivered by Royal Haskoning, Bureau Braungart, van Gansewinkel, Kuhne & Co, EPEA, DNA, AFF, Eye2Eye, Bokx bouw, New industry, Clean Tech Delta, Scheicher, Prolance, and ICDUBO.

The main target of the seminar was to hear from entrepreneurs who are involved or interested in Cradle 2 Cradle, the incubation of cleantech concepts and the clean restructuring of industrial sites. There is particular interest in the area of Nieuw Mathenesse, which lies on the border of Schiedam and Rotterdam. The Municipality of Schiedam, a SISCo project partner, is interested in developing the area using the C2C principles.

Braungart speaks on the C2C principles. Speakers and SISCo partners take part in workshop session.



The SISCo Belgian Study tour will be hosted by SPK - Strategische Projectenorganisatie Kempen and Kamp C between 25th and 26th of May 2011. Representatives from all the regional SISCo project partners will attend both days. Day one will be hosted by Kamp C and will kick-off with a case study session in collaboration with EVR Architects on sustainability measurements. Later that day, the brand new exhibition 'Expo C' at Kamp C will be visited. Delegates will continue to 'Zonnige Kempen' using a sustainable transport mode - bicycle. The evening of the 25th will close with a networking event hosted at Kamp C. The deputy of the province of Antwerp will explain the vision of the province in relation to European projects.

The second day will continue with a visit to an industrial setting where sustainability is incorporated within the management of the area. Attendees will then visit Terra Energy, an SME specialised in geo-thermal heating and cooling solutions. The day will end at the "Technology house" in Mol.

SISCo Study Tour, Belgium, 25th & 26th May 2011

Healthcare and sustainability training in Belgium Within Ecobuild's remit on innovation and sustainability in the construction sector, a program was being developed that focuses on the 3 P’s: Planet (energy and materials), Profit (total cost of ownership) and People (putting the patient/carer first). Totally new concepts on care of the elderly and patient care were proposed and the implications for construction explained.

The target audience were professionals from the building world, professionals from the education side, decision-makers from the care sector and policymakers. The training session took place at Kamp C, Provincial Centre for Sustainable Building and Living, Britselaan 20, 2260 Westerlo and 35 people attended the evening event.

Above left: Kamp C’s site in Westerlo encompasses several examples of sustainable buildings and technologies, including integrated solar cells (above right).

Right: Attendees and speakers engage in a question and answer discussion session.


Study Tour to the Netherlands The SISCo partners attended a two-day study tour in the Netherlands during October 2010. The first day of the study tour was dedicated to the Aviolanda project, an area development project, which commenced in 2007. The development of the project is seen as unique in Holland, and this is reflected in the manner that results are achieved. Aviolanda is part of an existing rural industrial development, where redevelopment should lead to a more sustainable industrial site and improved area. The process used the TELOS ToDo model, in a mutual gains approach. Mayor Marcel Fränzel (Mayor of the Municipality of Woensdrecht), the chairman of the governmental steering group, gave an introduction to the project. He explained why this project started with the MGA (Mutual Gains Approach) and how this approach was experienced by the many stakeholders involved. At the start of the project, it appeared that many stakeholders opposed the plans which would lead to a process of resistance. In order to encourage a more positive view of the proposals, the MGA was proposed and eventually accepted by all stakeholders. By using the MGA, creative sustainable solutions were created with the support of all stakeholders involved. It also created a basis for further rapid execution of the project. The Aviolanda project now has a signed agreement from all participants; preparations are now being made for execution of the agreed plan. John Dagevos of the Telos Institute presented the Telos sustainability models. The models are based on the three P-principle, (People, Profit, and Planet). For a sustainable development, it is necessary to balance these three P’s, so that each will benefit from the proposed development. The Telos Institute have developed an ex ante-based sustainability method, the ToDo method. Within this method there are two steps possible: a quick scan (the PPP-scan) and a more thorough research phase following the PPP-scan. In ex ante sustainability scans, project proposals can be assessed before investments are made. The result of a PPP-scan is an improved insight in the expected positive or negative effects of the project according to its defined requirements, and to see whether all P’s are improving or not. Differences between interest groups are clearly shown in the results of the scan. Delegates took a tour of Aviolanda, where Ron Weber (Aviolanda Project Leader) showed how the principle of exchange of nature for infrastructure for economic development has been practiced. They then participated in a workshop demonstrating how to use the Mutual Gains Approach. The MGA is based on trust and aims to generate positive solutions for every stakeholder in the negotiating process, enlarging ‘the pie’, so that everybody can have more benefits than originally planned. This type of negotiation process needs to be supported by a senior moderator in order to facilitate valid outcomes.

The second day of the study tour focused on the Nieuw-Mathenesse project, an urban area development project which began in 2008. The Municipality of Schiedam wanted to develop and old industrial port site with high sustainability ambitions. For development of the sustainable plans the DCMR LOGO method was applied. Now the project is proceeding from plans to investments.

Location of Nieuw Mathenesse



Deputy-Mayor Vissers welcomed the delegation to the town of Schiedam and Saskia van Walwijk (Municipality of Schiedam) gave attendees a very informative introduction and overview of the Dutch planning processes.

Delegates then took a bicycle tour of the Nieuw-Mathenesse area to see the complex features of the locality. These features include old industrial sites, their connection to (old) houses, heavy local traffic and public transport, and the nearby large industrial port facilities of refineries and shipping containers. Risk, air quality and noise zones are drawn right over the area. Within the area some high risk industry (mainly with storage facilities of alcohol) determine the layout of the area, and the limitations of its use.

Jan Ensing of DCMR gave an introduction to the LOGO method with a case study of Nieuw Mathe-nesse. The LOGO Users Guide is a tool for sustainable development in spatial and environmental planning. LOGO is a communication instrument that helps parties to join forces. LOGO helps to find the best solutions for the existing quality issues in a region. In 7 steps it guides policymakers to a sustainable improvement of spatial qualities. The so-called “layer approach” makes it possible to identify relations between several types of qualities: the underground layer describes soil, water and green structures; the second is the traffic infrastructure and the third is the one in which people live, work and play. It is possible to define the relevant factors for sustainable decision making, when ana-lysing the type and use of the areas in question. The LOGO method motivates decision making in a flexible, transparent and above all systematic way. Delegates then trialled the LOGO method with a UK case study - the proposed Whitehill Bordon Eco-Town.

Delegates then visited the ICDUBO Innovation Centre for Sustainable Construction. This innovation centre is sponsored by both private partners and the governments of different municipalities in the region. The centre exhibits materials, methods and ways of working which encourage sustainable construction (existing building options), and the innovation required to improve sustainable construction. The ICDUBO is located in the Rotterdam Climate Campus, along with training facilities for university, vocational and trade school.



During this study visit, the organisers wanted to present the Dutch perspectives on sustainable planning in rural and urban areas. Different sustainable planning models from the region were discussed, and their practical uses demonstrated. From the discussions it became clear that the three countries see comparable ambitions in local and regional governments in sustainable area development. The Dutch approach mostly starts with spatial planning; environmental themes are included from the beginning of the planning process by using the sustainable planning models. The results are defined measures that have to be implemented in order to reach a more sustainable situation. The discussion between the partner countries showed clearly that defining the measures in general is not the problem; the implementation of these measures is far more difficult, and requires investment from private parties.

On the 19th October 2010, in conjunction with the Sustainable Construction Network, the Environment Centre held a free training session on PassivHaus for designers, planners, architects and other construction professionals from the private sector. The audience heard from experts in the industry about the PassivHaus approach to sustainable building. This approach allows the building to be heated solely by heat from the sun. This is possible because the structure has an airtight and cold-bridge free envelope and utilises high levels of insulation. Steve Charter of SC2 Sustainability Consultancy explained that to succeed in designing and constructing a PassivHaus building, all members of the team need to be well trained in their own areas and in how to work together. Peter Warm of WARM: Low Energy Building Practice explained the common pitfalls that can be made during the construction of PassivHaus including the need to design out difficult features to make construction easier. He explained that attention to detail is necessary as the effect of insulation can easily be ruined if it is not installed correctly. Gary Wilburn of HPW Architects showed his findings from a study tour he made of Austrian and Swiss Passive houses.

PassivHaus training event for construction businesses in Hampshire



On 4th February 2011, BMF organized, together with P2-Managers from Rossum (Netherlands) a ses-sion looking at the role of process rules in area development projects. Also in attendance were project partners DCMR, Kamp C, and the Municipality of Schiedam and associate organisation, Vito. These process rules can be used in combination with the application of sustainability models. Attendees first discussed their definitions of process rules, determining that the sustainability model gives answers on ‘hard’ topics, (such as noise-level, sustainability ratios, energy efficiency levels), whereas process rules say something about the ‘soft’ topics, e.g. which stakeholders are relevant and the way the stakeholders are involved in the project. The attendees also discussed the importance of the atmosphere of the project; is real mutual respect possible, and are discussions grounded in a trustworthy atmosphere? It was concluded that these are prerequisites in order to talk in terms of opportunities for partners, instead of threats. The process rules should help to create a project in which the result of a sustainability model will be a reflection of the opinions of all parties involved. Such a process should lead towards an accepted plan or design which has been agreed by all stakeholders. Subsequently, this plan or design can be implemented quickly and smoothly. The conclusion of the study session was that both sustainability models and process rules are nescessary to carry out a successful area development project. In fact they are two sides of the same coin! SISCo partners would like to thank P2-Managers for their hospitality and contribution to a good knowledge building session.

Bilateral exchange DCMR to BMF: “General Process rules in Area Development projects”

SPK’s Sustainable Construction Cluster, Belgium

The Purpose of the sustainable construction cluster is to raise awareness of sustainability issues within the construction industry. Members of various organisations from the construction process are brought together and encouraged to make an active contribution to improving sustainability in the sector. The scheme is such a success that it was necessary to have two focus groups running concurrently. These groups participate in “visioning” symposia to share ideas and bring to the fore themes to be tackled by the group. The work and findings of the groups were promoted through various “Ecobuild” events. Theme 1: Education KHK, Kleine Hoefstraat 4, Geel Theme 2: Evolution of sustainability in the con-struction industry: Kleine Hoefstraat 4, Geel Theme 3: Relationship between construction and care: Britselaan 20, 2260 Westerlo Theme 4: Innovation in the construction industry: Britselaan 20, 2260 Westerlo.

sisco newsletter #4: april 2011

Documents

sustainability training

online training modules

training materials range

new programme of training

sustainable development

sustainable homes

sustainable infrastructure

sisco project