Tunza The UNEP Magazine for Youth - For Young People, by Young People, About Young People

by David Riddlestone

David Riddlestone
IMAGE: JENNIE ORGAN

I am a British part-time student, studying music technology - and a DJ in my spare time. Eighteen months ago I moved, with my mother and teenage brother and sister, from a typical British semi-detached town house in the south of London to Bed Zed, just 3 kilometres away but one of the most extraordinary places in the world to live. Bed Zed stands for Beddington zero-energy development and is pioneering sustainable living.

People are often confused by the term 'zero energy'. I am often asked: 'How can a house work with no energy?' Some people sarcastically comment: 'what about your television!' Simply put, Bed Zed uses no energy produced by fossil fuels - and consumes half the normal amount of energy. It is 'carbon neutral' and so does not add to the problem of global warming. It achieves this with a combination of renewable energy and innovative architecture. Electricity and hot water are supplied by a combined heat and power plant, which meets all the development's needs burning waste wood from a tree surgery, instead of oil or gas. Any extra electricity generated is sold to the national grid.

The development is specifically designed to generate and hold heat, and this helps give our house a unique character. The walls are 70 cm thick, so virtually no heat escapes through them - and we have windowsills deep enough to sit in. The entire south-facing wall is made of glass, and so provides solar heat even in the dead of winter, like a greenhouse - and gives us a conservatory on both floors. We don't have to open windows for fresh air because there are brightly coloured 'wind cowls' on the roof collecting air, which is then circulated around the house. In winter cold air coming in is heated by warm air going out, in what is known as a heat exchange system.

Our water is metred and this has made us more conscious of our usage. A green water system is used for the lavatory and garden hose. The water is recycled in reed beds, which is more sustainable than treating it in the same way as drinking water.

IMAGE: ARUP

For me, Bed Zed's best feature is the roof garden, opposite the back of our house and accessed via a small footbridge. I can't explain why it is different from a small ground-level garden, but it feels special.

The only problem with the house is a lack of storage space. There is no loft or basement and the small space under the stairs is not adequate for a family of four.

All this may sound somewhat futuristic and different to living in an average house - but I felt 'at home' much sooner than in our previous move. Bed Zed's concept and its exterior may be unique, but inside it is much the same as a normal house.

Above all there is a real community spirit: neighbours say 'Hello' and feel embarrassed about asking you to turn the music down! There are community activities such as aerobics and film clubs - and this summer there was even a festival. There is never any trouble, as this sense of community makes it very safe. It's a far cry from the situation on local estates, yet only a few yards away. I know people who live in very rough areas and they are constantly looking over their shoulders.

My mother is a director of BioRegional Development Group, an environmental organization that developed the Bed Zed idea. She is also a single parent and leads a demanding life, but she does not own a car. At Bed Zed there is a communal 'car club': you pay a small cost for the mileage and time you use and there is a user-friendly internet booking scheme and swipe card system. On-site recycling banks and an organic fruit and vegetable delivery service are also available.

The success of Bed Zed rests on how easy it is to lead a sustainable lifestyle when given the opportunity, and the main force behind the community spirit here is a common belief that living this way makes sense.

		IMAGES: LEFT BILL DUNSTER RIGHT BIOREGIONAL DEVELOPMENT GROUP BOTTOM BILL DUNSTER BACKGROUND: BIOREGIONAL DEVELOPMENT GROUP

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