A new regulation is in the making in Europe: No net land take. PBL ( NL environmental assessment agency) recently organized a meeting on the topic.[1] It’s an interesting approach and wording, but what’s really the point? First, there is… Continue Reading
Just recently, in May, Jaime Lerner passed away. He more or less invented sustainable urban development. A little tribute. Everything has to be sustainable or circular these days, including the cities. Now, is there a city that has already applied… Continue Reading
Last time, I even forgot one goal: Sustainable development Goal 11, Sustainable cities. Again, the question: what is sustainable? So much has been brought together under that heading, all nice things for people, that it does not really help us… Continue Reading
Urban heating, or at least the increase thereof, has been in the spotlight for some time. And the basic effects were known to me. But after hearing a lecture by Math Santamouris during a recent Conference, a whole new world… Continue Reading
Architects love to be able to design and build an iconic tower. And a city counselor can leave his signature with it. Well, it happens that the world is urbanizing, and that we see a lot of high-rises in planning,… Continue Reading
It sometimes seems that the built environment, and the adjustments to achieve a sustainable society, are of the same nature everywhere. But that is by no means the case when we zoom out, to Europe for example. There should be… Continue Reading
Since it looks as if we are going to introduce the climate measures for buildings mainly via municipalities or cities, I have recovered some of my older research material about urban sustainability, developed when I worked at Wageningen University. The… Continue Reading
One of the most authentic squares I have ever ‘occupied’ , and one that I consider the best when it comes to symbolizing sustainable living, is in … ..: Well, I’m not going to tell where exactly, otherwise it might… Continue Reading
There are some strange excesses in the need for more sustainability, and especially with regard to the undefined “greening” of things. One of these, and you notice it more and more, is the tendency to plant trees on buildings. Not… Continue Reading
Many solutions are ‘invented’, to improve our resource consumption patterns, and reduce climate change. And we are very creative. One of the solutions is the ‘Sharing economy’. But does this have a real effect, is what I wonder? I came… Continue Reading