Urbanism
Environment
Design

info@urbed.coop

In early 2020 we delivered two workshops for Manchester Urban CoHousing (MUCH) to supplement their understanding of sustainable design issues, support their decision-making process as a client group and identify key priorities.

Over two workshops we delivered a series of presentations, group discussions and exercises covering:

• The context of sustainable design and science-based targets.
• Words and meanings: what do we mean when we say ‘sustainable?'
• Key Principles: an introduction to the philosophies and key aspects of sustainable design approaches.
• Case studies: energy, carbon, environmental impacts, resource use, health and well-being, adaptation and water management.
• Documenting priorities.
• Site selection: things to consider when reviewing site options.
• Standards and Quality Control: a comparative review of the standards and tools available and how they might be used.
• What next? A brief overview of the key points in the development process for successful sustainable design.

Following the workshops we helped MUCH to articulate a number of ‘end goals’ or outcomes relating to sustainable design, along with the means and suggested strategies for achieving these, signposted to useful tools and guidance and related each to the RIBA plan of work.

We hope that this exercise will assist MUCH in embedding sustainable design principles and working with their design team and contractor.