Domestic homes consume huge amounts of energy relative to
transport and industry. A large proportion of this energy can be
eliminated by very cheap means. Consideration of energy consumption
at the stage of house-design offers even more scope for
reductions.
Houses can be designed to collect as much as solar energy as
possible whilst losing as little heat as possible just by putting
large areas of low-emissivity glass on south-facing walls and
smaller windows on north-facing walls. Installing insulation at the
time of construction is much cheaper than insulating existing
buildings. Temperature fluctuations from day to night or even from
summer to winter can be evened out by incorporating high-thermal
mass. This can be done using large amounts of stone, earth or
concrete in the construction incorporating large reservoirs of
water inside the house or building houses into deep banks of
earth.
For a co-housing community there are also opportunities to "club
together" and supply heat centrally via a district heating scheme
which generates heat and electricity at optimum efficiency using a
combined heat and power (CHP) plant. The cost of buying and
installing solar water-heating systems, solar electric systems,
wind turbines or heat pumps can be reduced by ordering materials in
bulk and putting the same systems onto many people's homes.
Passive solar gain
solar panel heating systems
photovoltaic cells and possibly a combined heat and power plant
Technologies available for making more efficient use of water,
such as; low-flush loos, rainwater harvesting and grey-water
recycling, can also become more affordable when implemented on a
large scale. Compost loos could also be incorporated into house
designs. More sustainable methods for treating waste-water are also
available for groups of homes which would be very difficult to
implement for individuals. Reed-bed sewage-treatment can result in
water which is cleaner than the river into which it is poured, this
could also be recycled for grey-water applications we aim to do
this if space and water levels permit
Car-pooling can be difficult to organise, especially if members
of the scheme are too geographically dispersed. A car-pool in a
co-housing community could drastically reduced the need for car
ownership, whilst offering more choice about the kind of transport
available. And because of the proximity of friends, workshops,
open-space, community-organised entertainment and the bulk delivery
of food and other essentials, the need for transport would be less.
An organised community could also lobby more effectively for
improvements in public transport, cycle routes and pedestrian
access to other parts of the city.
More About Environmental Sustainability
*Social interaction encourages pro-environmental behaviour.
Research has indicated that influence, exchange, cooperation and
support all contribute to increased levels of pro-environmental
behaviour in cohousing communities.
*Efficient use of land. Cohousing provides the opportunity for
higher-density, yet family oriented socially and sustainable
development. Typically sites are chosen within easy access of
public transportation and walking distance from many services.
*Transportation alternatives. Substantial bicycle storage and easy
opportunities for car sharing because of the socially connected
community have created a documented reduction in automobile
ownership and usage.
*Organic gardening. Wherever possible organic gardening is
incorporated, providing the opportunity for a locally generated
food source.
*Native species in the landscaping. This enhances the local
ecosystem and requires less maintenance, fewer pesticides and
reduced water use.
*Preserving natural habitat. Where communities have located in
areas with more land, care has been taken to preserve as much
natural habitat as possible and cluster the housing in order to
have a lower impact on the environment.
*Effective waste and water management. Construction site recycling
is typical for new development. In completed communities composting
and recycling are taken to another level by including community
collection systems for waste that is not typically picked up in the
"blue box" program. At Quayside Village gray water recycling has
also been incorporated. Rain barrels at Cranberry Commons further
reduce demands on potable water supplies.
*Energy efficiency and use of alternative energy sources. Cost
benefit analysis has caused Cranberry Commons members to pay a
higher capital cost for an in-floor radiant heating system using an
energy efficient boiler augmented with solar hot water panels.
*Material choice based on analysis of embodied energy and
environmental impact. High volume flyash concrete was used at
Cranberry Commons, reducing greenhouse gas emissions associated
with the production of cement by 50% while providing a constructive
use for a waste product from burning coal. About 10% of the wood
used for construction at Cranberry Commons was reclaimed timbers,
which reduces our impact on the forests and effectively answers
concerns about how the wood was harvested.
*Sharing resources and bulk purchasing. Extensive common facilities
shared by the community supports the social fabric, which makes the
sharing of resources a daily reality.
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Co-housing Bristol Click Here
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