Latest news with #MattHoward
BBC News
30-03-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Concern over labs plan for Beehive Centre in Cambridge
Plans to turn a retail park in Cambridge into laboratories could push people out of the city, a councillor which owns the Beehive Centre, wants to redevelop it to create labs, offices, smaller shops and cafes. Cambridge City Council was due to refuse the application because of the impact on homes but the government intervened and the decision rests with Party leader Naomi Bennett said shops were vital facilities in the area.A Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government spokesman said: "Cambridge can have a vital role in kickstarting economic growth, but it is being held back by unaffordable housing and poor transport connections." "The government will accelerate economic growth across the Oxford-Cambridge Growth Corridor, to the benefits of local communities and national prosperity," the spokesperson a pension investment company, said it wanted to work with the local community and the scheme would include Beehive Centre is a retail park on the eastern edge of Cambridge. It is home to major brands like M&S Food, Next Home, B&M and Asda, and it is one of few places in the city where it is free to park. In January, the chancellor announced that boosting the science sector in Cambridge is key to her plans for economic growth. Naomi Bennett, leader of the Green Party on Cambridge City Council, said the plans to use the area for scientific laboratories and offices meant local people "were being pushed out of Cambridge"."A lot of people in the area have low incomes and more than 40% of households have no access to cars so to have local shops on your door step are really important," she said."I don't think the government understands that people need to shop and go shopping. I don't think the government understands." Cambridge is surrounded by science and innovation parks including the Cambridge Biomedical Campus which, as the largest health research campus in Europe, employs more than 20,000 head of property, Matt Howard, said: "We don't believe that putting scientists and innovators in a field in the middle of nowhere is the right way to release creativity."They need amenities and activities so that's what we're trying to create here, but we're trying to do it with the local community as well." "We're committed to the Cambridge Retail Park" said Mr Howard. "Our aim is to create an ecosystem where the retail park serves workers at the new Beehive Centre and those workers sustain the retail park."A report by the Greater Cambridge Partnership found that lab space around the city would meet demand until 2030, but warned of "a shortfall of critical smaller space for start-up businesses" which take academic research forward into the first stages of product Labour MP for Cambridge, Daniel Zeichner, said he hoped the government would now ensure that "all voices are heard".He added: "It's an important site for redevelopment. Cambridge must be allowed to grow, but that must also mean better transport, affordable homes, and investment in healthcare." BBC Politics East was broadcast on Sunday, 30 March and can be seen on BBC Cambridgeshire news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
Associated Press
19-03-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
The Water Council Expands Water Stewardship Programming
MILWAUKEE, March 19, 2025 /3BL/ - The Water Council announced an expansion today of its groundbreaking water stewardship verification program, WAVE. WAVE: Action will help organizations set targets that directly mitigate highest priority water risks and prepare to engage stakeholders in collaborative actions that address shared challenges and opportunities. It builds on the original WAVE program, now known as WAVE: Assess, which helps organizations assess water use, impact and risk across their enterprise. 'We created WAVE because we knew companies needed help getting started on their water stewardship journeys,' said Matt Howard, The Water Council vice president of water stewardship. 'Now we are excited to help companies take the next step to set targets and achieve meaningful water-related outcomes.' WAVE: Assess is the world's first enterprise-wide, independently verified water stewardship program, launched by The Water Council in February 2022. WAVE: Action is a separate verification program available to companies that have completed WAVE: Assess or can show that they have already assessed their water risks and opportunities and created a senior-level water commitment. Participants go through a four-step methodology to implement high-priority actions, set enterprise-wide targets, prepare for external reporting and identify collaboration opportunities. As in WAVE: Assess, all WAVE: Action participants will undergo an independent verification process with SCS Global Services, an international leader in third-party verification of environmental, social and sustainability performance. 'SCS is proud to expand its verification services to include WAVE: Action', said Lauren Enright, program manager for water services at SCS Global Services. 'Independent verification is essential to ensure water stewardship targets are meaningful, measurable and aligned with best practices. WAVE: Action represents an important evolution in corporate water stewardship, helping companies move from assessment to implementing tangible solutions that address critical water challenges.' WAVE: Action is being launched with A. O. Smith Corporation, a leading manufacturer of residential and commercial water heaters, boilers and water treatment solutions, as its first participant. A. O. Smith pilot tested WAVE: Assess and became one of the first companies to be verified to the program in 2022. In 2024, A. O. Smith announced its first public water goal – annual water savings of 40 million gallons by 2030. To achieve that goal, the company will focus on administrative controls, process optimization and water recycling technologies to advance its commitment to water stewardship. 'As a global water technology company, we are committed to taking action consistent with the assessment and priorities identified in the WAVE program,' said Jim Stern, A. O. Smith executive vice president. 'WAVE: Action will provide the necessary framework to develop strategies that will help achieve our goals, and the verification process will ensure our program accomplishes meaningful and measurable outcomes.' Seven companies have achieved WAVE: Assess verification since its launch in 2022: A. O. Smith, Clearwater Paper, Ecolab, KPMG U.S., Primo Brands, Sloan and Watts Water Technologies. 'WAVE: Assess was always meant to be a beginning, not an end, to a company's water stewardship work,' Howard said. 'We expect many of these companies to eventually move on to WAVE: Action as they continue on their journeys to achieve water stewardship best practices and help protect our critical water resources.' Visit to learn more about WAVE: Assess and WAVE: Action. About The Water Council The Water Council (TWC) is a global hub dedicated to solving critical water challenges by driving innovation in freshwater technology and advancing water stewardship. Built on more than a century of water innovation, TWC has coalesced one of the most concentrated and mature water technology clusters in the world from its headquarters at the Global Water Center in Milwaukee, Wis., USA. Recognizing the need for smarter and more sustainable use of water worldwide, TWC also promotes water stewardship as a natural complement to water innovation in the effort to preserve freshwater resources in the Midwest and around the world. Today, The Water Council has established itself as a global leader in the water industry and one of America's premier economic development clusters as recognized by government agencies, Brookings and the Harvard Business School. About SCS Global Services SCS Global Services is a global leader in third-party environmental and sustainability verification, certification, auditing, testing, and standards development. Its programs span a cross-section of industries, recognizing achievements in climate mitigation, green building, product manufacturing, food and agriculture, forestry, consumer products, and more. Headquartered in Emeryville, California, SCS Global Services has representatives and affiliate offices throughout the Americas, Asia/Pacific, Europe and Africa. Its broad network of auditors are experts in their fields, and the company is a trusted partner to companies, agencies and advocacy organizations due to its dedication to quality and professionalism. SCS Global Services is a chartered Benefit Corporation, reflecting its commitment to socially and environmentally responsible business practices. For more information, visit About A. O. Smith Corporation With over 150 years' experience, A. O. Smith Corporation, headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, is a global leader applying innovative technology and energy-efficient solutions to products manufactured and marketed worldwide. Listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: AOS), the company is one of the world's leading manufacturers of residential and commercial water heating equipment and boilers, as well as a manufacturer of water treatment products. For more information, visit .
Express Tribune
06-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
TikTok star Matt Howard explains why he's sleeping in a walk-in closet away from wife Abby
TikTok star Matt Howard has revealed that he has been sleeping in his walk-in closet for the past month, a move he says is necessary for his mental health. 'This is super embarrassing, but I've been sleeping in our walk-in closet,' Matt, 26, shared on his Night Shift podcast on February 1. He explained that he moved a guest bedroom mattress into the closet, which his wife, Abby Howard, isn't thrilled about. 'My wife's not a huge fan of this arrangement,' he admitted. 'She loves cuddling and having me play with her hair as she falls asleep, so this has been tough for her.' Matt and Abby, both 26, have been married since 2019 and share two young sons, Griffin, 2, and August, 18 months. While their relationship remains strong, Matt said his struggles with ADHD and anxiety have made restful sleep difficult. 'I was not OK. I was really struggling and feeling awful,' he said, emphasizing that the decision is temporary. He is managing his anxiety through meditation and breathing exercises. Despite their unconventional sleeping arrangement, Matt assured fans their marriage is solid. 'We're still married, we still love each other,' he said. He even joked about forgetting to wear his wedding ring that day. The couple is also prioritizing intimacy. 'We've been having amazing sex because I have energy again,' Matt revealed, adding that sleeping better has improved their relationship.
