throughout time, “we have created community systems to meet our needs as human beings. Our cumulative needs are the drivers of unsustainable activities that are moving us at an accelerating rate towards global destruction” (Hallsmith, 7). Community systems are necessary as “we depend on communities to meet our needs that we cannot meet as individuals” (Hallsmith, 7). Communities are the backbone for individual prosperity as they support the needs that individuals “cannot meet” on their own. Thus, creating healthy and strong communities is vital to human existence, but such communities must also promote environmental sustainability, not degradation. Many various case studies taken from across the world prove that community redevelopment through sustainable efforts is effective in restructuring social, economic, and environmental ramifications to improve individuals’ lives while minimizing impacts on the natural world. One fundamental example of sustainable community development is Beddington Zero Energy Development, or BedZED. Within the deep south of London lies an ecovillage dedicated to maintaining a status of zero carbon emissions with an entirely sustainable lifestyle in its community. According to BioRegional, a charity group committed to promoting practical sustainable solutions, BedZED “is the United Kingdom’s largest mixed-use sustainable community” (BioRegional, 2011). BedZED was initially built on the site of a sewage works system by a development team interested in capitalizing on its low prices to create this highly experimental village. Farr explains that true sustainability is dependent on lifestyle factors as well as efficient infrastructure, and “BedZED incorporates several elements designed to foster a community with a sustainable conscience, reinforcing green buildings with green behavior” (Farr, 214). BedZED meets various key sustainable urban thresholds, like car sharing and minimizing commute. Units from which one can both live and work have entirely eliminated the work commute for many of its residents. For those still needing access to a car, BedZED provides access to electric cars powered by solar panels through a car-share program. The village also maintains sustainability through efficient building mechanisms. The structures “are designed to combine a highly efficient building envelope with usage of 100 percent renewable energy” (Farr, 214), and are made from recycled resources. Inside, efficient “fixtures and appliances have also reduced usage of potable water and electricity” (Farr, 214), allowing energy consumption to drop drastically. Home efficiency is “augmented by green infrastructure that provides renewable energy” (Farr, 215), like the usage of a biomass system to supply heat and power. Overall, these energy effective strategies “have produced savings of 30 percent in water usage, 90 percent in space heating, and 25 percent in electricity in general” (Farr, 217), proving that energy-saving techniques are highly efficient. Social sustainability also plays an important role in BedZED development. The issue is addressed through social housing—affordable units that are rented to citizens. The success of BedZED is “due largely to the tight-knit community that has formed there through shared facilities and an interest in sustainability” (Farr, 217). Neighbors support each other in their sustainable endeavors while creating an inviting and welcoming place to live. BioRegional interviews 132 | Urban action 2012
Above: BedZED units combined with work spaces to minimize need for commute.