IV LOS ALIMENTOS: EL ÚLTIMO RECURSO
LA PRODUCCION ALIMENTARIA EN ASIA
Sustainable development is now at the heart of national policy and decision-making. Much of the inspiration for this has come from beyond the UK, for example from the Kyoto Protocol, which obliges the UK to cut greenhouse gas emissions, the EU Energy Performance in Buildings Directive2, which will require buildings to display energy
performance certificates, and the Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) Directive.3
Planning policy
In England, control over development is governed by the planning system. National policy on specific aspects of planning is set out in a series of Planning Policy Statements. PPS14 explains that sustainable development is ‘the core
principle underpinning planning’. Specific PPSs and supplements deal with issues such as climate change, flood risk, housing, waste management, renewable energy and pollution.
PPSs also set out how the regional spatial strategies (RSS) and local development frameworks (LDF) should be produced to ensure that decisions on development are drawn-up with community involvement, to develop a shared vision of how areas can develop sustainably. They also require local authorities to prepare a delivery plan for the sustainable community strategy (SCS). This offers important opportunities for coordinating local action on sustainable development.
In addition to planning policy statements, central
government can promote sustainability through the use of national initiatives and regulations.
Targets and standards to measure a wider range of elements of sustainability have also been developed by national organisations such as the Homes and Communities Agency.
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A number of standards exist at different scales. These show how different elements of sustainability can be delivered through development. For example:
• The Code for Sustainable Homes5 is a national
sustainability standard for new homes. The code has six levels, with level six being zero carbon. It includes standards on water, energy, materials, surface water run-off, waste, pollution, health and well-being, management and ecology.
The code is currently voluntary, but the government has proposed a timetable for integrating code standards into the statutory building regulations so that all homes will be zero-carbon by 2016. Since April 2007 all homes funded by the Homes and Communities Agency have been required to meet level three of the code. The Homes and Communities Agency will step up requirements ahead of building regulations and will be trialling level six on its Carbon Challenge site at Hanham Hall (case study 026).
• Building for Life is the national benchmark for well-designed housing and neighbourhoods in England. The standard promotes design excellence, celebrating best practice in the house-building industry. The award is given to new housing projects that demonstrate a commitment to high-design standards and good place-making. It recognises that high-quality design is an essential part of a sustainable community, leading to improved social well-being and quality of life by reducing crime, improving public health and easing transport problems. Good design can also increase property values.
In addition, the Homes and Communities Agency have developed quality standards to be met for all projects funded by it.
SOWING THE SEED 1.3
Inspire East is a Regional Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Communities in the East of England. Its aim is to deliver the knowledge, skills and advice that will inspire the use and application of best practice in the development of sustainable communities.
Working with the Building Research Establishment, Inspire East has created an excellence framework, a web-based tool, which provides guidance on achieving excellence in sustainable communities in the East of England.
Adopted by the East of England Development Agency (EEDA) as the basis of its Quality Standards for all projects from 1st January 2008, the Excellence Framework provides a practical way of improving the quality of all types of projects. It encourages a more holistic view of development and regeneration projects and includes a set of specific standards, supported by links to advice and case studies. EEDA now
Creating a web-based tool to deliver sustainable communities
Inspire East Excellence Framework - www.inspire-east.org.uk
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requires all new projects to meet good and excellent standards across the whole Sustainable Communities agenda.
The excellence framework is based on eight components which are required in order to plan, deliver and maintain sustainable communities: social and cultural, governance, transport and connectivity, services, environmental, equity, economy, and housing and built environment. For each of these, there is a checklist of basic considerations projects should address.
One of the earliest applications of the Excellence Framework was the review of the Colchester Community Football Stadium project by Colchester Borough Council. The Excellence Framework highlighted strengths in current plans (in particular match day travel and community engagement), which has resulted in positive steps by the Council to improve environmental standards.
Inspire East Excellence Framework found at www.inspire-east.org.uk was established as a tool to provide advice and information, case studies and best practice information and an appraisal and evaluation process. It sets out eight components that are intended to assist with the planning, delivery and maintenance of sustainable communities.
The Homes and Communities Agency’s ambition is to be at the forefront of good design quality and sustainability in housing in England. In order to achieve this ambition the Homes and Communities Agency is committed to ensuring that all projects which it funds or facilitates meet clear, consistent and objective minimum criteria in terms of the quality of homes delivered and the quality of places which are achieved or sustained.
The Homes and Communities Agency builds on the legacy of both the Housing Corporation and English Partnerships to develop a set of Core Housing Design and Sustainability Standards. The Standards shall continue to indentify minimum performance measures covering internal environment, sustainability and external environment.
Avante, Coxheath, near Maidstone was one of the first projects to be built to English Partnerships’ legacy Quality Standards.
A new set of standards is proposed from April 2011 following a national consultation. The Standards are integral to the Homes and Communities Agency’s Design and Sustainability Strategy which sets a defined process for achieving sustainable development through good design.
The Homes and Communities Agency’s approach brings clarity and consistency to all projects whilst rewarding innovation. It recognises that good design and place making cannot be totally prescribed; it is a mixture of objective and qualitative measures. As developers become familiar with objective standards they can optimise design and supply chain efficiencies through a process of better planning and partnering, allowing them to focus greater resources on the qualitative elements on a site by site basis.
SOWING THE SEED 1.3