More eco-towns in green planning reforms

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.

Cost of building green homes falling

The cost of building greener homes is falling year-on-year, new research shows.

Hot air

Whose bonus is it anyway?

Councils in England received £200 million in new homes bonuses last year but an Inside Housing survey reveals less than a quarter will plough the money back into housing. So where is the cash being spent and are communities having their say? Rhiannon Bury investigates.

Model village

It’s been more than a decade in the making, but eventually Derwenthorpe will be a great example of an energy-efficient community. Jess McCabe finds out why it’s taken so long to build

Construct a greener future

Building regulations are being tightened in a bid to protect the environment, says Catherine Parker, solicitor at Trowers & Hamlins

Mapping the full footprint

How easily could your organisation calculate its complete carbon footprint? If the answer is ‘not very’, then a new worldwide standard could be just what you need. Elisabeth Jeffries looks at how it works

Q&A: The Ecological Sequestration Trust

Eco-cities guru Peter Head has just left contractor Arup, where he headed an 800-strong global urban planning team, to set up a charity with the ambition to transform planning. Here he explains the thinking behind his latest project

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

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