The UK-GBC member, together with the University of Florida and the University of Indonesia, has been awarded a joint US and UK Government grant to investigate how making urban areas greener can transform water and flood management, increase sustainability and reduce the ecological footprint of buildings and cities.
During the two year project, researchers from the University’s School of Planning and Geography and the Welsh School of Architecture will collaborate with their global partners to research and develop new ways of ‘building with nature’ and explore how these practices can be used at different locations.
Dr Andrea Frank, the Cardiff project lead based in the School of Planning and Geography, said: “The idea of green infrastructure is that interventions work with nature and exploit its characteristics, rather than fight against it.
“By taking advantage of the multiple benefits of green infrastructure, we hope to provide substantial economic, social and environmental gains not only for the US and Europe, but also developing countries around the world. To do this, we will need to develop approaches that are sensitive to local culture, knowledge and expertise.”
The project will bring together expertise in sustainable construction; modelling of energy and water use in buildings and urban environments; and urban design and planning.
The grant has been awarded to the universities as part of the wider Global Innovation Initiative (GII)—a shared commitment of the UK and US Governments to strengthen research collaboration between universities in the UK and America, and in emerging economies.
Source: www.ukgbc.org