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- the Practice of Sustainable Neighbourhoods
Site Layout.
Co-Housing Bristol envisages the development of the site to be one of mixed uses. We anticipate public open space, nature conservation, environmentally sensitive buildings, wider community engagement and significantly reduced car usage.
Built environment & the wider community
Co-Housing Bristol will ensure a development of high architectural and aesthetic standards, that raises the quality of the urban fabric, and enhances the town scape, the layout reflecting excellent practice in sustainable community design. There will be a range of accommodation ranging from small flats to 4 bedroomed houses, possibly containing live/work provision. These will be available as a mix of tenure, providing long term affordable housing. These residential units will be arranged sympathetically to the public areas, which will include the common house. Office and workshop facilities will be available to local small businesses and community and voluntary groups. A communal library and IT facilities would be valuable resources; training and educational services, community networking and development and greater dissemination of housing services generally can be enjoyed by the wider community. Local training and employment opportunities would be a feature of the development. As well as training in building construction and its associated employment, Co-Housing Bristol aims to involve its members in developing skills in housing maintenance.
Transport and Access
Car-dependency will be actively minimised. Schemes such as a vehicle ownership club will be encouraged. The site layout would minimise the amount of conventional carriageway and emphasise low-speed shared-use surfaces and fully pedestrianised areas. The intention is that the development will be set out as a Home Zone, with all cars being kept to the periphery of the development.
Co-Housing Bristol would encourage the design of cycle and pedestrian routes within the site, connecting to the city-wide cycle network. Special sheltered storage areas will be provided for bicycle storage.
Architecture
It is widely reported that one third of the fossil fuel consumption and CO2 emissions in the UK are attributable to domestic energy use: minimising these emissions must therefore be a priority for any sustainable development. We will seek to use materials and technologies that reduce energy use and pollution, both in energies embodied in the construction and in fuel consumption over the lifetime of the building, and to meet the BRE EcoHomes excellent standard. This however, is not a sufficient end in itself (particularly with regard to net energy use and carbon emissions), and we aspire to go beyond this, toward Bioregional Development Trust Z2 and AECB Silver Standard
All building materials will be assessed. Wherever possible, materials used will be local, renewable and involve low impact on the wider environment and on the people handling them. The entire life cycle of each material will be assessed from extraction through processing, transport and installation to final recycling or disposal. Where new wood is required, only supplies with FSC accreditation will be chosen. Where materials or products have to be sourced from less developed countries, trade relationships will be scrutinised, to give preference to fairtrade certificated products.
Our architecture will aim to take best advantage of current understanding of passive solar gain for space heating, natural lighting of internal rooms and passive ventilation. Living areas may have a southerly aspect and potentially, full-height, triple-glazed conservatories to maximise the benefits of solar gain. On the north side, envelopes can be very highly insulated (probably with warmcell in the walls) to reduce heat loss. Insulation throughout the development will be of the highest feasible standard. Construction will seek to provide thermal mass adequate for several days' storage of heat to even out temperature fluctuations. This Bioclimatic approach integrates lowered energy costs into the fabric of the dwelling, ensuring minimised CO2 emissions throughout its lifetime, as well as providing very light, comfortable habitats.
Co-Housing Bristol envisages integrating passive solar with; active solar-thermal hot water systems and Photovoltaic panels or tiles. A locally sourced, biomass powered Micro Combined Heat and Power plant or a central boiler, maybe in partnership with the RSL, and possibly micro wind turbines. The development could be linked to the Grid to import and export electricity according to supply and demand.
Grey water separation will be maximised for recycling water for domestic and for horticultural uses that do not require water of potable quality. If space and levels permit, the site will support a reed bed sewage system to re-cycle water on site, and/or a Sustainable Urban Drainage System.
Co-Housing Bristol seeks to produce a very habitable, mutually supportive and stimulating environment. The distinctive identity of Co-Housing, as opposed to other housing cooperatives and intentional communities rests in the Common House, an innovative building type for Britain; this represents an exciting opportunity, not only for members of the co-op, but also for the wider community and the city of Bristol. Not only does the Common House act as the focus for cooperation among the inhabitants, but also as the interface with residents and workers from the locality, as the site of likely workshops, offices, meeting and educational facilities. Together with the internal laying out and finishing of walls, it represents the chief opportunity for self-build and basic construction training.
Public open space
Some of the site should remain open and be used as Public Open Space. Elements here could include play and activity areas for toddlers, older children and young adults. Provision could be made for recreational open space with new tree planting, seating, etc. If sufficient land is available, sustainable small-scale projects like permaculture gardening and poly tunnel food production and other forms of horticulture could be developed.
Nature Conservation
Nature conservation should remain a dominant part of the development, the specifics of which will be contingent on the site.
Community Land Trusts
A Community Land Trust (CLT) is a mechanism for democratic ownership of land by the local community. Land is taken out of the market so that the impact of land appreciation is removed, thereby enabling long-term affordable and sustainable local development. The value of public investment, philanthropic gifts, charitable endowments, legacies or development gain is thus captured in perpetuity, underpinning the sustainable development of a defined locality or community.
Activities of Community Land Trusts include:
Developing affordable housing to rent or buy for members of the community;
Enabling residents on lower incomes to acquire an economic interest in the success of their community;
Developing land for affordable workspace and retail units;
Providing and maintaining community facilities for social and public services;
Managing green spaces, conservation areas and providing access for new entrants to farming;
Promoting resident involvement, local democracy and active citizenship.
CoHB believe that a Community Land Trust can deliver both the affordable housing in perpetuity and the management of the open space/woodland. In the case of The Orchard the site remains in public ownership; CoHB, local residents and businesses become trustees with the local authority ensuring the continued sustainable use of the land.
More details about Co-housing Bristol Click Here
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