Essex becomes latest eco-town site

The green building dream

Back in 2007 David Cameron had just started his march to power, Lady Gaga was finishing off her breakthrough album and, in the housing world, eco-towns were the next big thing.

Sustainable Housing Awards 2011

With the green deal approaching, the use of pioneering eco-technologies in housing is more important than ever before. Here Chloë Stothart reveals the housing providers, developers and architects leading the way

The final countdown

Last week the government placed a stick of dynamite under social landlords’ sustainability plans with a shock cut to the feed-in tariff. Nick Duxbury examines the fallout

Grant Shapps and the Daily Mail towns

Council approves plans for eco-town

Detailed planning permission has been granted for the first phase of one of the eco-town developments.

Utopia revisited

As David Cameron seeks to revive the principles of garden cities with a consultation due later this year, Colin Wiles examines how likely it is that his vision will come to fruition

Solving the land puzzle

If organisations share buildings the leftover sites can be pieced together for development, says Alan Stokes

Tips from the top

A mentoring scheme is helping talented housing professionals break through the glass ceiling. Lydia Stockdale finds out who is benefiting from this process

Ageing sustainably

By 2020 China will have more than 260 million people over the age of 65. Here, Jess McCabe gets a glimpse at how the country plans to house some of them in a giant, retirement eco-city

The shortlist

Emily Rogers visits the council that is replacing allocation forms with face-to-face meetings to vet prospective tenants