INFORM Built Environment
STANDARDS BRIEFS
Eco towns ‘should go through usual
■ INTERNATIONAL
Planned federal energy efficien-
cies could cut the US’s energy
planning process’, say councils
consumption by 10% by 2020,
according to the American
Councils opposed to eco town and climate change. We need to
Council for an Energy-Efficient
proposals put forward by the build more homes that are envi-
Economy. The council says US
government say the developments ronmentally sound, in areas with
energy use could be reduced
should be subject to the usual good transport links and along-
by 10.6 quadrillion Btus – about
planning process. Government side the public services which are
10% of projected energy use in
has tabled a list of possible sites needed to create places where
2020. These savings are more
for the eco towns, which aim to people want to live.
than the entire current energy
address the need for more hous- “It is not the concept of eco
use of the state of California.
ing while providing models for Opponents range from green towns that other local authorities
sustainable development.
building groups to NGOs
object to – it is the way the
■ FUNDING
The initiative has come under government is going about
A new deal will help promote
fire from many sectors, with local planning departments. deciding where they will be built.
energy efficiency in cities across
opponents ranging from green The LGA has sound legal “Eco town schemes should be
Europe. The European
building groups to NGOs. advice on the issue, asking John led locally and not imposed on
Commission (EC) has ear-
Most opposition has been Steel QC to refresh opinion he people by central government.”
marked €15M of the €96M
based on the argument that gave in July 2008 on the eco town However, the Department for
Intelligent Energy-Europe
refurbishment of existing housing proposals, in which he concluded Communities and Local
Programme for the project.
stock and regeneration of current that “the government is bypassing Government says the process is
The deal will co-finance
communities is more sustainable local democracy and planning legal. A spokesman said: “We
non-technology projects and
than building new, standalone processes to impose the schemes have made it absolutely clear
encourage renewable energy
towns in the greenbelt. on the public” and that the plans throughout that the eco-town
and green transport usage
Now the Local Government remain “unfair, illogical and promoters whose locations make
across the continent. It is the
Association (LGA) has joined unreasonable”. our final shortlist will have to
first time such support has
the list of those wanting to see a Cllr Margaret Eaton, chairman submit planning applications and
been provided for technical
revision of the project, saying the of the LGA, said: “Eco towns can these will have to be considered in
assistance for urban sustainable
eco towns should not be able to help the country tackle the twin the same way as any other major
energy for cities.
circumvent the authority of their challenges of the housing shortage development proposal.”
CASE STUDY
These seven new energy-
efficient affordable homes
are being built in Greenwich,
South London, by Osborne.
They will meet Level 5 of the
Code for Sustainable
Homes.
The Gallon Close scheme
follows on from the firm’s
Surrey development which
was the UK’s first 100%
affordable Code 5 housing.
Osborne is also working on
a Code Level 6 develop-
ment near Woking in Surrey.
The homes you see here
will benefit from improved
thermal performance, pro-
vided by Innovaré System’s
i-SIP (Structural Insulated
Panels) building system.
Warm air heating and
domestic hot water will be
provided by air source
heat pumps and renewable
electricity will be generated
via photovoltaic roof tiles.
IN FACT AVERAGE GLOBAL SEA LEVELS HAVE INCREASED BY BETWEEN 0.1 AND 0.2 METRES OVER THE LAST 100 YEARS DUE TO HEAVIER RAINFALL & MELTING ICE
Sustainable Business 7❘ May 2009
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