The well known statement "Earthquakes don't kill people, buildings do" highlights the need to make our communities more earthquake resilient. The impact of earthquakes on public safety and the national economy can be reduced through improvement of the built- environment to resist earthquake effects such as ground shaking. Reduction of the economic impact on individuals and the nation can also be reduced by additional means such as earthquake insurance.

Walking is the number-one method of human transport in the world. Virtually everyone does it and it makes up some part of nearly every trip. While this may seem obvious, it has none the less been routinely overlooked in the planning and development of our communities and in the design of our transportation facilities.

The UK Construction Industry has, for many years, been used by successive Governments as an “economic regulator”. What is the rationale behind such policies and what are the consequences such policies may have upon the operations of those organisations and practitioners involved within the Construction Industry.

Walking is our oldest and most basic form of transportation. Each of us does it every day as some part of every trip. At the same time, walking has generally received little or no attention in the planning, design, and development of our communities. This includes such things as land-use planning (do we consider the impacts of low-density development on trip length?); zoning (do we encourage mixed land-use and compact development?); subdivision and site-plan review (do we provide for good access for people on foot?); and street and highway design (do we make sure that there will be good, safe places for people of all ages to walk?). There are tremendous opportunities to improve conditions for walking and in so doing, to make our communities more livable.