Posts Tagged ‘environment’

2.1.13 and 2.1.14

Plain English Version

The “Issues and Options Report” will ask how Birmingham can be a leading environmentally smart city and help achieve the aims set out in the plan “Cutting CO2 for a Smarter Birmingham“. The ‘smart city’ idea is important in the Big City Plan.

Original Document

The Issues and Options report will ask how Birmingham can be a leading-edge environmentally smart city and play a full role in delivering the city’s strategic framework - ‘Cutting CO2 for a Smarter Birmingham. The concept of the ‘smart city’ will be a strong theme running through the whole of the Big City Plan.

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2.1.2

Plain English Version

The plan of action for the Big City Plan aims to make it possible for Birmingham City Centre to:

  • Grow to be able to cope with being the UK’s second most important city;
  • Score much higher in charts of places where people most want to live in the world (such as the “Mercer Index“); and move from number 56 into the top 20;
  • Change its economy and environment for the better;
  • Become a ‘smart’ city, reaching its target of cutting carbon emissions by 60% by 2026, as well as making the economy stronger.

Original Document

The strategy of the Big City Plan will aim to provide the conditions for Birmingham City Centre to:

  • Grow to serve the city’s status as the UK’s second world city;
  • Raise the city much higher on global indices of liveability (such as the Mercer Index 1 ); moving into the top 20 cities from its current 56th place;
  • Transform itself economically and environmentally;
  • Become a ‘smart’ city, delivering its 60% CO 2 emissions target by 2026, coupled with strong economic growth.

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3.4.10

Plain English Version

As part of this process we will look at how Birmingham homes should be designed in the future. We need to make sure that future homes can meet peoples changing needs as their family grows up and also make sure that these homes last a long time. The Big City Plan will contain ideas for an area of very high quality environmentally smart homes that we can adapt to a wide range of people.

Original Document

Part of this process will be to look at how Birmingham homes should be designed in the future. We need to ensure that future homes are able to meet people’s changing demands throughout the lifecycle of the family and also embody the principles of sustainable development. The Big City Plan will contain proposals for an exhibition-quality development of environmentally smart homes adaptable to a diverse range of occupiers.

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4.7.3

Plain English Version

We could also change the routes of buses around the city core and stop them going down Corporation Street. The aim would be to cut traffic and the effect on the environment, while making sure that people are just as likely or more likely to use them. Buses would use a circuit of streets on the edge of the city core and serve groups of bus stops at places (either on or off-street) that are close for people to walk into the city core. It will take a lot of effort to make the bus stops and waiting areas as nice as possible, while we would need better pedestrian connections and signposting/maps to make up for the buses not stopping right in the city core, which would be better for pedestrians and improve the whole outside area.

Original Document

In addition to the above improvements, it would be possible to re-route buses around the city core and exclude them from Corporation Street. The aim would be to reduce bus congestion and environmental impact whilst maintaining and improving their attractiveness. Buses would use a circuit of streets on the edge of the core and serve clusters of stops at sites – on or off-street – that are well located for walking into the core itself. Significant effort will be required to make the stop/waiting areas as attractive as possible, while improved pedestrian connections and wayfinding measures would be needed to offset the loss of direct access into the core, which would be more pedestrian friendly and have an improved public realm throughout.

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Making Birmingham City Centre Environmentally Friendly

Plain English Version

The Big City Plan will think about the best ways that Birmingham can cut greenhouse gases and the use of fossil fuels (such as oil, coal and gas) and increase the variety of living things. We will do this by:

  • making sure buildings work well
  • getting energy, water supply and drainage in a better way
  • making air quality better
  • creating habitats for wildlife

Original Document

The Big City Plan will consider how Birmingham can best reduce greenhouse gases and the consumption of finite resources and enhance biodiversity. Measures will include building performance, more efficient means of energy, water supply and drainage, air quality improvements and opportunities for habitat creation

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Question B7

Plain English Version

How can we give support to groups of businesses involved in:

  • technology to do with the environment
  • medical/biosciences
  • advanced engineering
  • digital media?

Original Document

How can support best be given to the potential growth clusters in environmental technologies, medical/biosciences, advanced engineering and digital media?

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Smart city

Plain English Version

We think that Birmingham must be one of the best cities at finding ways to become better and richer, while at the same time causing less damage to the environment. This is called ‘smart growth‘. This means finding new ways to cut carbon produced by transport; to manage electricity and gas in buildings; to make good use of water; and to create as little waste as possible.

Original Document

Birmingham must lead the field on achieving smart growth. This means finding new ways to reduce transport carbon; to manage energy in buildings; to make good use of water; and to minimise waste.

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