DJA are recruiting

The planning and development side of the business continues to grow and we are looking for a senior planner or surveyor (P&D) with at least 4 years post qualification experience. For more details click here.

We also have a vacancy for a technical assistant to assist with the preparation of plans, visualisations, photomontages, and 3D modelling. For more information click here.

More choice for your green roof

Researchers at Columbia University’s Earth Institute, Chiba School of Horticulture and the University of Sheffield have demonstrated that the widespread use of low growing succulent plants such as stonecrop (sedum) isn’t always the best choice of plant cover for green roofs.

In certain situations grasses and herbaceous flowering plants are more effective at reducing storm water run-off. They can also reflect local ecosystems and provide an alternative/better appearance.

Blowing in the wind

Wind turbines can produce different amounts of power due to different ‘shapes’ in the wind. This has a critical effect when assessing how much power a turbine generates over certain time scales. The power output difference between steady and turbulent conditions can be as high as 15 percent. Few studies to date have analyzed power output from modern turbines with hub heights of more than 60 metres. Researchers at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, University of Colorado and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory have identified the benefits of observing complete profiles of wind speed and turbulence using remote sensing like SODAR or LIDAR. 

Smart City Concept

What is a smart city? The concept refers to urban designs that seek to make the most of renewable energy sources by using a next-generation power supply control technology called a ‘smart grid’. Smart cities are considered to be a crucial part of the Japanese government’s energy-saving policy in the wake of the March tsunami.

The market for smart city projects worldwide is anticipated to reach over 1 trillion pounds in 2015. Major electronics companies such as Toshiba, General Electric and Hitachi are gearing up for the expansion of the market and Toshiba plans to participate in 20 smart city projects including a demonstration model in Lyon, France. 

Hedgerows and Wildlife

Changes in wildlife management could improve winter habitats and food supplies for wildlife according to research carried out by the UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology. The study, published in Biological Conservation compared the effects of alternative hedgerow management techniques over five years. It has found that cutting every three years rather than annually produced more than double the amount of flowers and approximately tripled the mass of berries.