Tim Dixon, leader of the Urban Foresight work package, explains Why We Need Utopic Urban Visions in his contribution to the UBM Future Cities forum. Reflecting on the relationship between utopic visions and the city, he argues that such high hopes have played a crucial part in the most successful city transformations and will continue to do so in the future. His article can be found here.
The energy supply system is usually considered as individual sub-systems with separate energy vectors (e.g. electricity, heat, gas and hydrogen). In the present Smart Grid vision, the role of electricity is most prominent with limited consideration of other energy networks. However, there is much benefit to be gained by considering the energy system as an integrated whole. For example, Combined Heat and Power (CHP) units and boilers with district heating system and heat pumps act as linkages between electricity and heat networks
The Welsh School of Architecture and Cardiff University School of Engineering will be hosting a seminar series on the subject of “Flexible Energy Delivery Systems”. This forum will bring together students, researchers and practitioners to discuss issues and developments regarding flexible energy delivery systems. Prominent scientists and industry professionals will present their research and share their knowledge.
CLUES: Energy – Looking to the Future marks the end of the EPSRC funded CLUES Project and provides an opportunity to launch the project’s final results and tool
Tim Dixon was invited to present his recent work on low carbon cities at the launch of the Work Foundation’s report on ‘Low Carbon Jobs in Cities’ on 19 July in London.
The Retrofit 2050 project has been accredited to the Living With Environmental Change (LWEC) programme, joining a group of environmentally minded research projects across the UK.
The Low Carbon Research Institute (LCRI) at the Welsh School of Architecture (WSA) invites applications for a fully funded 3-year PhD studentship in the area of Urban Retrofit and Low Carbon Innovation. We are particularly interested in proposals exploring the economics and financing of large scale retrofit activities in a UK context, or assessing the supply chain and local employment opportunities created through innovation and investment in the low carbon built environment.
nternational Urban Retrofit Workshop:
Theories and Concepts, Dynamics and Practices, Politics and Implications
13th – 14th September 2012
Manchester UK
Yesterday, RICS launched “Hotting Up? An Analysis of Low Carbon Plans and Strategies for UK Cities”, a comprehensive snapshot of carbon emissions strategies in UK cities. Drawn together by Professor Tim Dixon, leader of the Technology Foresight work package, the report examines how 60 UK cities have acted in response to climate change and how successful they have been in reducing their greenhouse gas emissions.
Prof. Malcolm Eames and Prof. Tim Dixon were invited to give a presentation on the EPSRC Retrofit 2050 in March at the Chief Scientific Advisors’ Quarterly meeting. Every government department has a Chief Scientific Adviser (CSA), and departmental CSAs, working collectively with other analytical disciplines and with departmental boards and Ministers, work to ensure that science and engineering are at the core of decisions within departments and across government.
