Building Sustainable Cities

A case study from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) archives which looks at Birmingham Eastside, an exciting redevelopment that will create a new learning and technology quarter in the city. EPSRC-supported researchers at the University of Birmingham are helping make this project - and others like it - more sustainable. A biodiversity audit revealed Eastside was home to a wealth of wildlife. Guidance on how to maintain this biodiversity has meant that the development has incorporated a number of wildlife havens, such as green roofs on certain buildings. The Eastside land-use database revealed how the loss of small firms and services can fracture important social and economic networks. As a result public participation initiatives have been used to help sustain Eastside’s heritage. The team are now working with other projects in Islington, Gravesham and Dartford. EPSRC is a part of the Research Councils UK (RCUK) partnership of research councils.