Good practice
Cities and towns that respond effectively to climate change through sustainable place making will be healthier, more socially cohesive, economically resilient and more beautiful.
Many places in the UK and elsewhere are already integrating policies and practices, and there is much to learn from them. We have collected examples of good policy and practice across our six themes:
Integrated good practice
The best examples integrate multiple themes and objectives.
Photo by Bruce McVean
Copenhagen
Copenhagen has integrated its transport and public space policies. This is transforming the city centre and ensuring the city’s airport, rail and suburbs are all connected to the centre by the metro system. In the city centre, a combination of measures has encouraged an increase in walking and cycling and a decrease in private car use.
Many public squares and streets are pedestrianised and form a well connected public realm. The city has a programme to gradually reduce the number of car parking spaces by 3 per cent per year and further develop cycle lanes and a free cycle hire scheme.
Klaus Bondam, Copenhagen’s mayor of environmental administration is leading the city’s drive to become provide the world’s best urban environment by 2015. Read how.
Photo by Greater London Authority
East London Green Grid
The East London Green Grid is a wide-ranging green infrastructure, surface water management and public space strategy involving several local authorities and other strategic partners. The concept, which responds to both climate change and the need for future development, aims to provide residents and workers with a multi-functional network of open spaces and improved quality of life. The grid will connect open spaces with town centres, public transport nodes, the countryside in the urban fringe, the Thames and major employment and residential areas. It also envisages new public spaces.
Photo by Dave Morris
Academy of St Francis of Assisi
The Academy of St Francis of Assisi is a new secondary school in one of the most deprived wards in Liverpool. The school’s design, which achieved a BREEAM excellent rating, was developed as an exemplar of sustainability. Sustainable design solutions include high thermal mass, sedum roofs, photovoltaic panels, and maximising of natural daylight and ventilation through orientation and manually controlled louvre windows. The school building is used as a resource to learn from, as well as a space to learn in. Issues surrounding environmental management and sustainability have been integrated into the schools curriculum. Pupils participate in the monitoring of recycling and in planting, watering and weeding vegetables, fruits and flowering plants within their gardens.
