66 M. ISKANDARoVA AND A. GENUS
sense of community, the garden and conservatory-like ‘sunspaces’, the
‘green’ features of homes, the pioneering car club and reduced energy bills.
Monitoring shows that sustainable lifestyles account for around half the
eco-savings at BedZED, and energy demand is dramatically reduced compared with an equivalent conventional development. Small-scale, on-site
energy generation included a biomass CHP plant (this hadn’t reached the
agreed outputs and was replaced in 2005 by three conventional natural
gas-fired boilers) and photovoltaic panels (Schoon 2016). Homes are fitted
with energy efficient and water-saving appliances, visible meters and ‘super’
insulation. Critics of the initiative would, however, point to the high cost of
completing the development, and problems with the originally envisaged
on-site energy plant and water treatment facilities. Although the energy
consumption in the homes is much lower than average, residents living in
BedZED are unable to get to a ‘one planet living level’; residents had an
average ecological footprint of about 2.5 planets’ worth (with a potential
to reduce it down to 1.9–1.7 planets) (Hodge and Haltrecht 2009).
Nonetheless, BedZED demonstrates the value of a complex approach
that targets energy use along with other aspects of sustainable living (e.g.
water use, transport, waste). Professional design (though not by citizens) combined with financial contribution from households provided a
winning combination of expertise and involvement of residents. In the
BedZED example, energy use is treated as an outcome of material and
social organisation; an environment that is susceptible to more sustainable practices is created, and community building is seen as a crucial element of a sustainable living initiative. The BedZED example suggests
that a more holistic approach to sustainable energy could be effective if
adopted by policy-makers. Supporting sustainable/eco developments,
where energy is addressed and understood in the context of related sustainable practices, could make sustainable living (including energy consumption) more attractive and easier to achieve.
ConCLuDing remarks
It is recognised by the UK government that the participation of a diverse
range of actors can facilitate the development of a more efficient smart
and flexible energy system. In a recent consultation, BEIS announced
the aim of the reform as maximising the ability of consumers to play
an active role in managing their energy needs (BEIS/ofgem 2016).
However, the emphasis is on communicating effectively the benefits of
sense of community, the garden and conservatory-like ‘sunspaces’, the
‘green’ features of homes, the pioneering car club and reduced energy bills.
Monitoring shows that sustainable lifestyles account for around half the
eco-savings at BedZED, and energy demand is dramatically reduced compared with an equivalent conventional development. Small-scale, on-site
energy generation included a biomass CHP plant (this hadn’t reached the
agreed outputs and was replaced in 2005 by three conventional natural
gas-fired boilers) and photovoltaic panels (Schoon 2016). Homes are fitted
with energy efficient and water-saving appliances, visible meters and ‘super’
insulation. Critics of the initiative would, however, point to the high cost of
completing the development, and problems with the originally envisaged
on-site energy plant and water treatment facilities. Although the energy
consumption in the homes is much lower than average, residents living in
BedZED are unable to get to a ‘one planet living level’; residents had an
average ecological footprint of about 2.5 planets’ worth (with a potential
to reduce it down to 1.9–1.7 planets) (Hodge and Haltrecht 2009).
Nonetheless, BedZED demonstrates the value of a complex approach
that targets energy use along with other aspects of sustainable living (e.g.
water use, transport, waste). Professional design (though not by citizens) combined with financial contribution from households provided a
winning combination of expertise and involvement of residents. In the
BedZED example, energy use is treated as an outcome of material and
social organisation; an environment that is susceptible to more sustainable practices is created, and community building is seen as a crucial element of a sustainable living initiative. The BedZED example suggests
that a more holistic approach to sustainable energy could be effective if
adopted by policy-makers. Supporting sustainable/eco developments,
where energy is addressed and understood in the context of related sustainable practices, could make sustainable living (including energy consumption) more attractive and easier to achieve.
ConCLuDing remarks
It is recognised by the UK government that the participation of a diverse
range of actors can facilitate the development of a more efficient smart
and flexible energy system. In a recent consultation, BEIS announced
the aim of the reform as maximising the ability of consumers to play
an active role in managing their energy needs (BEIS/ofgem 2016).
However, the emphasis is on communicating effectively the benefits of