In Brief: GENEX: Yorkshire universities; Garbutt & Elliott

YORKSHIRE-based energy and environmental consultancy GENEX was selected by Iceland’s government to partner with other leading experts from around Europe to create publications to advise on sustainable design and construction across the country.

Harrogate-based GENEX provided an expert insight on sustainable design practices undertaken in the UK and how these should be implemented across Iceland.

The Dawn of Sustainability project, which consisted of three organisations from Iceland, two from Denmark, and GENEX from the UK, developed training packages on sustainable design for Icelandic architects, environmental designers and construction industry workers.

Carl Cressey, joint managing director of GENEX, said: “Iceland and its construction industry are relatively young, with very little Icelandic specific literature on sustainable design. Therefore this work collaborated with key architect associations, colleges, and universities in Iceland to focus the ideas and principles of sustainable design experienced in Denmark and the UK and tailor these specifically to Iceland’s needs.

“For example the unique weather conditions experienced in Iceland have more of a significant environmental impact on buildings than their actual energy usage, due to being sourced mainly from their renewable geo-thermal sources.

“These publications will be rolled out across the Icelandic design and construction industry and adapted into training course materials to enhance sustainable development within Icelandic buildings for future generations.”

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YORKSHIRE universities have joined forces in support of this week’s Global Entrepreneurship Week, the world’s largest campaign to promote entrepreneurship.

Now in its sixth year, Global Entrepreneurship Week runs this week and is being backed by Yorkshire’s Graduate Entrepreneurship Project, an ERDF funded partnership of ten of the county’s higher education institutions, which encourages and supports entrepreneurship amongst the region’s student and graduate population.

The global campaign spans 130 countries and is being marked in Yorkshire by a region-wide programme of events to inspire and support the region’s next generation of business leaders.

Events around Yorkshire are taking place.

Colin Harrison, manager of Yorkshire’s Graduate Entrepreneurship Project said: “We’re delighted to be playing our part in Global Entrepreneurship Week. The partnership between Yorkshire’s higher education institutions provides unprecedented start-up support for the region’s student and graduates, making Yorkshire one of the best places in the country for students and graduates to begin their journey into business.”

Andrew Devenport, CEO of Youth Business International which hosts Global Entrepreneurship Week in the UK, called for more people to get involved in the week. He said: “Setting up a business is a great employment opportunity for many people who have the talent, but lack the means or the confidence to progress their ideas.

“I would encourage anyone with a business or business idea to participate in Global Entrepreneurship Week and find out what support is available to help them take a step forward. By helping people to help themselves, we are equipping the next generation of entrepreneurs to make a valuable contribution to both the economy and society.”

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THE region’s skilled and flexible workforce has a crucial role to play as the global economy picks up, according to David Dickson, senior partner at Yorkshire accountants and business advisors Garbutt & Elliott.

Dickson, who is also a member of the World Governing Council of Praxity, was speaking after the recent 2013 Praxity Global Conference in Windsor.

He said: “The theme of the conference was ‘truly local, totally global,  trusted advisors’. From the presentations made, and from talking to senior representatives from leading firms from around the world, it became clear that the UK is regarded as a top destination for inward investment.”

The conference was attended by two hundred partners from international members of Praxity, the global alliance of independent accountancy firms.