Bruntwood buildings to become green labs
A PARTNERSHIP agreement between Bruntwood and the University of Manchester that will see Bruntwood’s office buildings used as ‘living laboratories’ to test climate change adaptation methods, has launched today.
More than 100 business people attended the launch of Eco Cities, The Bruntwood Initiative for Sustainable Cities, at Manchester Town Hall this morning.
The £650,000 initiative, which is being funded by Bruntwood and chairman Michael Oglesby’s charitable trust, will explore methods of adapting existing buildings to the effects of climate change to ensure we can maintain comfortable working conditions, without relying on energy hungry technology.
It aims to provide Greater Manchester with a blueprint for a climate change adaptation strategy by 2011 that will become a resource for planners. This will be based on leading scientific research, extensive stakeholder engagement and best practice examples of new programmes successfully piloted during the project.
Mr Oglesby said: “Although the battle to gain acceptance of global warming is now almost won, the task of gaining a clear understanding of what practically and realistically can be done to adapt to its impacts is to a large extent still the topic of much debate and uncertainty.
“Reducing our output of carbon dioxide is a task requiring government action but of equal importance is a clear understanding at city and individual level as to the vital role that they have to play in adapting our urban areas to a changing climate.
“Eco Cities aims to make a major contribution to the adaptation debate and to give clear and scientifically verified guidance to local government, companies and individuals.”
