BedZED, Beddigton Zero Energy Development
The BedZED complex in London designed by the studios of London architect Bill Dunster with Arup offers an example of response to the challenge posed by the principle of sustainability, combining the criteria of environmental efficiency and compatibility. This high density residential complex, built in 2002 in London's Beddigton district, responded to demand for new housing with the ambitious goal of pursuing the principle of Zero Energy Development, that is, zero polluting emissions and energy consumption, while redeveloping an abandoned industrial zone.
The project pursued the goal of environmental efficiency by selecting low impact materials with attentive design aimed at reducing energy and water consumption throughout the complex during use.
In all components preference was given to short supply chains, that is, locally made materials, supporting the local economy and limiting the impact of transport.
Certified materials were used, such as lumber from managed, controlled forests, reusing load-bearing steel structures and wooden beams from a previous construction project so that they would not end up in a landfill.
A number of features of the buildings' design pursued the goal of energy efficiency:
- use of solar greenhouses to make the most of free solar energy,
- distribution of space in the residential units appropriate to the building's orientation,
- resort to building methods with high thermal mass and reduced thermal transmittance, limiting dispersion of heat in winter and overheating of the rooms in summer,
along with use of a thermal station burning woodchips with reduced CO2 emissions for production of hot water (for tap water and heating), these measures reduced the building's energy requirements to about 10% of the normal energy consumption of a home of the same size.
Installation of 777 m2 of photovoltaic panels for generating electricity and the possibility of supplying any surplus energy to the national electricity grid made the development self-sufficient in terms of electricity, if not a net energy producer.
But the environmental efficiency of the BedZED development involved not only energy efficiency but water consumption, thanks to inclusion of an on-site wastewater treatment plant known as the living machine, which considerably reduces water consumption.
The BedZED project is not only environmentally efficient, but also emphasises comfort indoors, with a system of natural ventilation and section of materials for interior finishes which do not emit any substances harmful to human health. All the floors, for example, are finished with easily washable tiles or linoleum.
The urban planning of services was also approached with an eye to sustainability. Along with the public authorities, the developers came up with an urban mobility plan aimed at reducing the environmental impact of transportation, using ecological forms of public transportation integrated with a car-sharing system for residents. Moreover, a plan was implemented to encourage services to move to the area, and a zero kilometre food distribution system was developed which not only reduces the impact of transportation of people and goods but promotes development of the local economic network.
In conclusion, attentive planning of buildings, urban development and services in the BedZED district brilliantly solved the environmental, economic, social and ethical issues inherent in the concept of sustainability.
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