6 UK RESPoNSES To THE ENERGY CHALLENGE …
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BedZED, a purpose-built eco-village, is located in the borough of
Sutton, in south London. The developer’s website describes it as the
‘UK’s first large-scale, mixed use sustainable community with 100
homes, office space, a college and community facilities’. Completed
in 2002, it has dwellings of various sizes and tenures, which include
82 houses, 17 apartments and 1405 m 2 of workspace. The aims of the
development are stated to be: to show what a ‘truly sustainable community looks like’; to reduce ecological footprint of contemporary living and reduce carbon emissions related to consumption of heating and
lighting, water, food, transport and waste. In addition to the sustainability of the finished BedZED product, every aspect of construction was
considered in terms of its environmental impact. Materials used in construction were selected for low environmental impact, sourced locally
where possible and from reclaimed and recycled materials where feasible.
Criteria for measuring performance include monitoring electricity, heat
and water consumption; car ownership and miles travelled, air miles travelled, bicycle ownership; number of households who grow their own food;
organic vs non-organic food consumption; recycling rates; proportion of
the foregoing in, and the total carbon footprint of BedZED. Though it is
prudent to exercise caution in interpreting any ongoing, and as yet relatively short-lived phenomenon, the BedZED initiative can be considered
to be a success. A survey in 2007 showed that BedZED’s total energy
consumption was 82.4 kWh/m 2 /year, compared with a UK residential
total of 275.3 kWh/m 2 /year; monitoring showed that BedZED households used 2579 kWh of electricity per year, which is 45% lower than the
average in Sutton (Hodge and Haltrecht 2009). BedZED (2007) related
carbon emissions were 19.9 Co 2 /m 2 /year, compared with the UK average of 63.3 Co 2 /m 2 /year (based on dwellings built in 2002). Between
2012 and 2015, BedZED’s annual gas consumption was 36% lower than
a typical conventional development in Sutton of the same size and mix,
and the annual electricity consumption was 27% less. An on-site car club,
ample secure cycle parking, good public transport links and only 0.6 car
parking spaces per home resulted in reduction in travel-related greenhouse
gas emissions, which was 53% less Co 2 eq than the UK average (Schoon
2016). An earlier 2007 survey found that 17% of BedZED residents travelled to work by car, compared with the then Sutton average of 49%.
BedZED residents share an understanding of the initiative as a template for more sustainable living based on the unique design of the homes
(e.g. allows using more of daylight, passive ventilation, passive solar gain),
65
BedZED, a purpose-built eco-village, is located in the borough of
Sutton, in south London. The developer’s website describes it as the
‘UK’s first large-scale, mixed use sustainable community with 100
homes, office space, a college and community facilities’. Completed
in 2002, it has dwellings of various sizes and tenures, which include
82 houses, 17 apartments and 1405 m 2 of workspace. The aims of the
development are stated to be: to show what a ‘truly sustainable community looks like’; to reduce ecological footprint of contemporary living and reduce carbon emissions related to consumption of heating and
lighting, water, food, transport and waste. In addition to the sustainability of the finished BedZED product, every aspect of construction was
considered in terms of its environmental impact. Materials used in construction were selected for low environmental impact, sourced locally
where possible and from reclaimed and recycled materials where feasible.
Criteria for measuring performance include monitoring electricity, heat
and water consumption; car ownership and miles travelled, air miles travelled, bicycle ownership; number of households who grow their own food;
organic vs non-organic food consumption; recycling rates; proportion of
the foregoing in, and the total carbon footprint of BedZED. Though it is
prudent to exercise caution in interpreting any ongoing, and as yet relatively short-lived phenomenon, the BedZED initiative can be considered
to be a success. A survey in 2007 showed that BedZED’s total energy
consumption was 82.4 kWh/m 2 /year, compared with a UK residential
total of 275.3 kWh/m 2 /year; monitoring showed that BedZED households used 2579 kWh of electricity per year, which is 45% lower than the
average in Sutton (Hodge and Haltrecht 2009). BedZED (2007) related
carbon emissions were 19.9 Co 2 /m 2 /year, compared with the UK average of 63.3 Co 2 /m 2 /year (based on dwellings built in 2002). Between
2012 and 2015, BedZED’s annual gas consumption was 36% lower than
a typical conventional development in Sutton of the same size and mix,
and the annual electricity consumption was 27% less. An on-site car club,
ample secure cycle parking, good public transport links and only 0.6 car
parking spaces per home resulted in reduction in travel-related greenhouse
gas emissions, which was 53% less Co 2 eq than the UK average (Schoon
2016). An earlier 2007 survey found that 17% of BedZED residents travelled to work by car, compared with the then Sutton average of 49%.
BedZED residents share an understanding of the initiative as a template for more sustainable living based on the unique design of the homes
(e.g. allows using more of daylight, passive ventilation, passive solar gain),