BedZED, zero energy city !!!

What is BedZED?
BedZED, the Beddington Zero Energy Development, is an environmentally-friendly, energy-efficient mix of housing and work space in Beddington, Sutton.

Unique is an over-used word, but BedZED deserves it. There are a number of small, one-off projects based on sound environmental principles. However, to our knowledge, BedZED is the first to incorporate up-to-the-minute thinking on sustainable development into every aspect of the scheme, from the energy-efficient design to the way the houses are heated.

Why ‘Zero Energy’?
BedZED will only use energy from renewable sources generated on site. It is the first large-scale ‘carbon neutral’ community - i.e. the first not to add to the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. BedZED shows how housing can be built without degrading the environment.

Easy, affordable and attractive
BedZED is a long way from the hair shirt image that bedevils green living. It aims to be a beacon, to show how we can meet the demand for housing without destroying the countryside. It shows that an eco-friendly lifestyle can be easy, affordable and attractive – something that people will want to do.

The site
BedZED turns a former sewage works into a community of:
• 100 properties for sale and rent,
• Childcare facility
• Plenty of green space, including private gardens.

Key BedZED features include:
• Where possible building materials selected from natural, renewable or recycled sources and wherever possible brought from within a 35-mile radius of the site.
• A combined heat and power unit able to produce all the development’s heat and electricity from tree waste (which would otherwise go to landfill).
• Energy-efficient design - with the houses facing south to make the most of the heat from the sun, excellent insulation and triple-glazed windows.
• A water strategy able to cut mains consumption by a third - including installing water saving appliances and making the most of rain and recycled water.
• A green transport plan which aims to reduce reliance on the car by cutting the need for travel (eg through internet shopping links and on-site facilities) and providing alternatives to driving such as a car pool.
• Recycling bins in every home.

The BedZED team
BedZED is being developed by the Peabody Trust, working with environmental consultants BioRegional and architect Bill Dunster, who jointly developed the zero energy concept.

Housing of the future
BedZED provides an answer to many of the problems facing planners and politicians as they try to meet the demand for housing in the 21st century:
• It is an excellent example of creative use of brownfield land.
• IIts mix of living and work space cuts down on commuting and helps boost the local economy.
• The mix of homes - for sale and rent - on affordable and market terms will attract high and low incomes which are the basis of socially inclusive communities.

Visit BedZED