Growing Green 2011 February 23rd

Moore Environment are exhibiting at Growing Green 2011 Wednesday 23 February 9.30am to 4pm Warwickshire Cricket Ground, Edgbaston Road, Birmingham B5 7QU. Come along and meet Richard and Penny - both Senior Landscape Architects - who will be manning the stand.

WMFRA Roof Garden Birmingham HQ

Some major players from the world of design and engineering have signed up for Growing Green 2011 including  Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA), alongside environmental consultants (like us) and engineering giants - Cundall who were recently voted Sustainable Consultant of the year at the 2010 Building Sustainability awards. Urban design and environmental teams from Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council, Birmingham City Council and Warwickshire County Council will also be taking part.

Steve Massey of finditinsandwell said:

"Our latest Growing Green day will be about sharing and exchanging knowledge, about innovation, business opportunities and collaborative working to reduce our carbon footprints, reduce expenditure and increase profits. Through innovation and modern design, it is our region's architects, planners, building consultants, structural engineers, technical specialists and regeneration chiefs who have a profound role to play in masterplanning our low-carbon future. With their joint skills and knowledge, they have the power to drive forward the West Midlands' green economy."
The event will feature a full programme of CPD certified seminars, where architects and engineers can benefit from short informative presentations from some of the UK's leading  innovators who are interested in supplying them with eco-friendly solutions.
For more information on our work go to http://www.moore-environment.co.uk/
 

Why use a Landscape Architect?

Why use a Landscape Architect and Why Invest in Landscape Architecture? See the Landscape Institute guide http://www.landscapeinstitute.org/PDF/Contribute/WhyInvestFinalA4pages.pdf

Why Invest in Landscape? demonstrates how landscape architects have:

• increased footfall to local business by creating places people want to spend time in;
• increased the sale and rental values of private housing and commercial property;
• optimised the full potential of a given location for a developer;
• cut development costs through intelligent use of existing landscape features and innovative use of construction waste; and
• put the built and natural environment at the heart of the regeneration process.

Consultation: Future of the public forest estate

Consultation: Future of the public forest estate

Don't forget to add your voice to this - this is a radical change to the way our forests and woodlands are protected and managed and will have consequences far beyond the lifetime of this Coalition Government with potential costs which cannot be dealt with on a spreadsheet.

Case Studies

We have recently uploaded some case studies to the Landscape Institute website.


Bluebell Woods in Great Barr Park



Projects detailed are A5117 Deeside, Great Barr Park, the biodiversity roof to the new

West Midlands Fire and Rescue HQ in Birmingham, Lime Street Station public realm in Liverpool and Hafod Nursing Home in Sutton Coldfield. For more details visit http://www.landscapeinstitute.org/casestudies/searchresults.php?cat=&lla=374&kwd=Any&searchtype=any

Why Employ a Landscape Architect?

We are a company of Landscape Architects - but what exactly is Landscape Architecture, what do Landscape Architects do and why would anyone need to employ one?

The Landscape Institute says the following about landscape architecture:-

' Landscape architecture combines environment and design, art and science.  It is about everything outside the front door, both urban and rural, at the interface between people and natural systems. The range of ways in which landscape architects work is staggering. From masterplanning Olympic sites to planning and managing landscapes like national parks and areas of outstanding natural beauty to designing the public squares and parks that we all use, landscape architecture nurtures communities and makes their environment human and liveable.

and about Landscape Architects......

Landscape architects are broad thinkers who thrive on the big picture.  They are playing an increasingly important role in addressing the great issues of our day: climate change, sustainable communities, water, housing and the prevention of hunger. 

Landscape architects are often natural leaders, able to communicate with many professions and leading multidisciplinary projects. Landscape architecture is not just the profession of the future – but the profession for a better future’

But what does all of that actually mean? Does the term 'Landscape Architect' instantly convey the broad idea of an occupation in the way that Architect, Quantity Surveyor, Civil or Structural Engineer and other similar professions do?

What do we say we do when we are asked what we do - it is sometimes difficult to know where to start - particularly when the immediate reaction is 'are you a gardener/ architect/ecologist/' etc - or worse - what on earth is that?

So - we are starting a regular series - to bring understanding and enlightenment as to what a landscape architect does, and why you should employ one for your next construction project.

To see what we do go to http://www.moore-environment.co.uk/ - otherwise watch this space........

EIA and Development Workshops 2011

Following the success and excellent feedback fom our last workshop a series of similar events are planned for 2011.Events will be specifically designed to the requirements of target audiences, in addition to a more general workshop similar to the November format.
 

We will be asking groups from a range of industry sectors, public authorities and practitioners for views on key EIA issues they would like to see explored and discussed at the workshops. Watch our website at www.moore-environment.co.uk and our facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Moore-Environment/126069237449515 for news and the opportunity to contribute to the discussion.

Moore Environment Achieve Accredition

Moore Environment have finally achieved registration with Select Accredit Supplier Accreditation service run by BIP Select. This indicates that we have met the required standards for public and private sector procurement in our selected categories of Environmental Impact Assessment for construction, Environmental impact assessment (EIA) services for construction and landscape architecture.  

The process was lengthy but comprehensive but validates our processes, policies, technical skills and financial background to a recognised standard.

The process also threw up something entirely unexpected and potentially very damaging to our reputation. the credit check carried out by BIP Select using one of the leading companies revealed incorrect information on our company credit report. On the one hand it was lucky we found out, on the other hand immensely stressful and time consuming to prove it was incorrect.

It is very disturbing that this can happen - and it must happen to others. Finding ways into and through the various systems that make up the credit check world to prove the information is wrong and have it corrected is complex and challenging.

The quickest way to challenge information is to send a written query to the credit check company - they have 28 days to respond. It is then essential to make sure the other agencies are not using the same incorrect data - so contact them as well. It is also important that the credit agency advise any organisations who have done a search on your company of the error - to avoid any damage to trading. They are not necessarily happy to do this.

We are still going through that particular process................