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Built on sand: the need for new environmental standards in the construction industry

By and Filed Under: All posts, Cities and Environment, Energy and Environment, Environment, Science and Engineering Posted:

The building sector is responsible for 40% of global CO2 emissions, and many policies have been introduced about the energy efficiency of buildings during their working life. However, little consideration has been given to the whole life of a building, from the production of materials to the disposal of old buildings. Here, Ms Judy Too […]

Razing the neighbourhood: consequences and alternatives to council estate demolition

By Filed Under: All posts, British Politics, Cities and Environment, Growth and Inclusion, Levelling up Posted:

Post-war council estates suffer a barrage of stigmatising representations. Central and local governments, think tanks, and property companies call them ‘sink estates’ and ‘concrete monstrosities’. In television dramas and feature films, council estates are invariably grim and crime ridden. These representations have real-world effects. They establish social moods and opinions that encourage and justify the […]

A swarm of asteroids in front of the Milky Way galaxy

Space rocks: the need for an international approach to space resource utilisation

photo of Katherine Joy wearing a black top By and Filed Under: All posts, Science and Engineering, Science and Technology Posted:

Extraction of Earth’s resources is vital for the advancement of modern infrastructure and technology. However, Earth’s resources are limited, and their continued use for the expansion and growth of humanity has resulted in their depletion. Mining is often destructive, we have little control over the global distribution of economically viable reserves of rare materials, and […]

A space brick.

Green space: off-world habitation could stimulate sustainability on Earth

Image of Aled Roberts By Filed Under: Science and Technology Posted:

NASA’s Artemis program aims to return humans to the lunar surface by 2025, before establishing a sustained human presence on and around the Moon by the end of the decade. This so-called Lunar Gateway will then be used as a staging point for future missions to Mars. With estimated project costs approaching $100 billion, a criticism of […]

Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage – real-worlding emission estimates

Clair GoughAndrew Welfle By , and Filed Under: All posts, Energy and Environment, Science and Engineering, UK economy Posted:

Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage (BECCS) could play an important role in meeting the UK’s net zero emissions target according to the sixth carbon budget scenarios. However, there are many different ways BECCS could be deployed in the UK, and how that roll out is managed could make a big difference in terms of […]

Advancing cell and gene therapies: Levelling-up life sciences investment in the North-West

By and Filed Under: All posts, Health and Care, Levelling up, Research and development, Science and Technology Posted:

Life sciences – including new cancer treatments – forms a central pillar of the UK Government’s post-Brexit plan for science and technology. But how could this focus also play a role in another key tenet of British policymaking; the levelling-up agenda? In this blog, adapted from our On Cancer publication, Professor Fiona Thistlethwaite and Professor […]

On productivity and Net Zero

By Filed Under: All posts, Cities and Environment, Energy and Environment, Growth and Inclusion, Industry 4.0, OnProductivity, Renewables, Science and Engineering, UK economy Posted:

The UK government has assigned itself with the tasks of boosting productivity in left-behind areas and transitioning to a net-zero economy. In this blog, Professor Jonatan Pinkse explores how the UK can simultaneously improve its standards of productivity regionally while transitioning to a net-zero economy. His policy recommendations include securing green jobs and not using […]

Woman putting coin in the jar with plant.

How public procurement can influence innovation, productivity and societal challenges

Elvira Uyarra By Filed Under: All posts, Growth and Inclusion, OnProductivity, UK economy Posted:

The public sector is an extremely influential buyer in the market. Through public procurement, the government can influence productivity in various ways. It can develop and scale up productivity-enhancing innovations, and it can reward more innovative suppliers by shaping markets and amplifying innovative practices and technologies. Her applicable policy recommendations focus on improving poignance of […]

Making light work: Recommendations for healthy lighting

By and Filed Under: Cities and Environment, Health and Care, Science and Technology, Urban Posted:

Light exposure has important effects on human health and wellbeing, regulating our sleep/wake cycles, and influencing our mental and physical health. Advances in our understanding of the role of light in health, and emerging lighting technologies, now present opportunities to adjust lighting to promote optimal physical and mental health and performance. In this blog, Professor […]

The Energy Security Strategy: Going nuclear

Francis Livens By Filed Under: Energy and Environment, Science and Engineering, Science and Technology Posted:

The government has today announced plans to build eight new nuclear reactors in the UK, alongside strategies to boost wind, hydrogen, and solar production. These new reactors are intended to improve the UK’s energy self-sufficiency and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, as well as creating thousands of new jobs. In this blog, Professor Francis Livens of […]

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