A new report comparing sustainable housing in Kent and Nord/Pas de Calais has highlighted that while the UK government is a strong advocate of sustainable housing, it does not necessarily provide the means. The report, authored by Chris Pickvance, Professor of Urban Studies at the University of Kent with Guy Chautard of the Association pour la haute Qualite Environnementale (ASSOHQE) in Paris, is based on a survey of residents, local governments, housing commissioners and pressure groups. The study found many parallels in the way the UK and French governments act (setting minimum standards, exhortation, offering financial incentives). It also noted that sub-national governments (the Nord/Pas de Calais Region, and a number of district councils in the UK) can take a nationally innovative role, and that the French government encourages government agencies to adopt an 'exemplary' role, using sustainable methods in their new buildings.
展开▼
