If the designers and developers of the Millennium Dome had consulted University of Dundee engineers, they may have been able to avoid the catalogue of errors that plagued the project.
A consortium led by the University’s Division of Civil Engineering has launched a global pilot study - part of an £18m programme of research - into holistic methods of assessing the long-term impact of developments like the Millennium Dome on the economy, the environment, the local community and wider society.
Metrics, Models and Toolkits (MOT) for Whole Life Sustainable Urban Development is a year long investigation into methods of measuring the impact and cost of development taking into account economic, social and environmental factors.
It will be carried out by a consortium, comprising the Dundee, Glasgow Caledonian and Loughborough Universities, Faithful & Gould (project and cost consultants, a division of consultant engineers Atkins), BRE (building consultants) and CIRIA (a building and construction company).
MOT will look at existing knowledge across all five continents in search of a 'common currency' which would allow for evaluation and comparison of different issues, essentially to assess the 'roadworthiness' of specific developments. For example, this 'common currency' would enable decision-makers to calculate the long-term cost to society of building a new airport over its entire life-span, including capital investment, running costs, environmental impact, energy consumption, job creation etc.
The project is funded with £207,000 from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council under the Sustainable Urban Environment (SUE) programme www.epsrc.ac.uk. SUE research aims to improve the quality of life and support sustainable development.
After MOT, it is expected the consortium will progress to the full programme - running for three to four years with approximately £1 million SUE funding - to fully establish the models.
The ultimate aim of the main programme is to design tools to allow decision-makers to make informed choices on what is needed to make the cities of the future thrive. For the first time, decision-makers will have tools which allow them to consider economic, environmental and social issues simultaneously throughout the whole life of a project, potentially revolutionizing the way in which we design our buildings.
Malcolm Horner, Professor of Engineering Management at the University of Dundee, said, "This study is part of a substantial investment into researching sustainable development. It will be crucial in shaping the full programme and could have significant implications for the future of urban planning around the world.
For example, we know that the initial cost of designing a ‘green’ building is higher than the initial cost of designing a ‘red’ one. However, if it turns out that the green building uses less energy, produces less waste and provides an environment in which the users are more productive than a red one over the life of the building, then there is a strong economic incentive to build green rather than red buildings."
This scoping study will ensure that it addresses the right issues, uses the best expertise and does not duplicate work already done.
For further information contact Professor Malcolm Horner, Division of Civil Engineering, University of Dundee, 01382 344350
Editors’ Notes
The EPSRC is the UK's main agency for funding research and related postgraduate training in engineering and the physical sciences.
A ‘red’ building is designed and built without consideration of the environmental and social impact.
By Esther Black, Press Officer 01382 344768 e.z.black@dundee.ac.uk