Kick the Habit: A UN Guide to Climate Neutrality

Lighting a house for a year (rich countries)

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5,5 Producing 100 Kwh of photovoltaic electricity at mid-latitudes

Some are encouraging the establishment of ecological housing develop- ments, where leases are granted with specific conditions attached about how the beneficiary should build and run their building. London plans to use this approach and it is already a reality in the south of the city at the BedZED development ( www.peabody.org.uk/pages/GetPage.aspx?id=179 ). “Eco-neighbourhoods” usually build on a holistic concept of sustainability, includ- ing minimal energy consumption and waste generation principles of social mixing and economic solidarity. At BedZED (the Beddington Zero Energy Development), only energy from renewable sources is used to meet the needs of the development, so it adds no CO2 to the atmosphere. BedZED provides 82 residential homes, and the project also includes buildings for commercial use, an exhibition centre, and a children’s nursery. Buildings are constructed from thermally massive materials that store heat during warm conditions and release it at cooler times. In addition, all buildings are enclosed in a 30 centimetre insulation jacket. The houses are arranged in south-facing terraces to maximize heat gain from the sun, an approach known as passive solar gain. Each terrace is backed by north-facing offices, where minimal solar gain reduces the tendency to overheat and the need for energy-hungry air conditioning. Heat from the sun and that generated by occupants and everyday activities such as cooking is sufficient to heat homes to a comfortable temperature. The need for space heating is therefore reduced or completely eliminated. Other well-known examples of sustainable neighbourhoods are Vauban in Freiburg (southern Germany), and Bo1 in Malmö (Sweden). You can find a list of American eco-neighbourhoods at www.treehugger.com/files/2008/01/ameri- cas_10_bes.php . Cities are sometimes able to subsidize zero-energy buildings, private initia- tives for solar and photovoltaic panels and geothermal heating. They can also encourage the renovation of private housing stock for rental by providing subsidies for improvements that help to save a defined percentage of energy.

KICK THE HABIT THE CYCLE – REDUCE

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