FEBRUARY 2011 |www.opp.org.uk WORDS | Gordon Miller


BUSINESS


BUSINESS Sustainability | 45 Movers & shapers


If your business wants to get involved in the sustainable residential sector, be warned. It is being shaped not by invisible forces but by four primary factors: legislation; economics; market forces and demand; architects and master-planners. Gordon Miller offers some timely advice on how to get through the maze.


egislation is, of course, the starting point. Regulations such as the Code for Sustainable Homes (which is the national standard for the sustainable design and construction of new homes in England, Wales and Northern Ireland) aim to reduce carbon emissions and create homes that are more sustainable. Similar, but not as far-reaching, codes exist in most developed countries, including France, Spain, Portugal and the USA.


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The economics of sustainable development are entwined with market forces. Indisputably, it costs more to build sustainably than not to do so. How much more is a matter of the degree of sustainability built in. It all boils down to what, if any, price premium can be placed on a sustainable home. I have seen traffi c grow by 300% on whatgreenhome. com in three years since the site was launched. That indicates to me that there is an increased interest in eco homes out there amongst the property buying public.


Others, at the sharp end, like John


Tranmer, the developer of Sustain Worldwide founder member and multi-


“The economics of sustainable development are entwined with market forces”


award winning eco resort AlmaVerde Resort & Spa on the Algarve, Portugal, feels public demand for eco homes is in its early days. “As yet, we do not see strong market demand,” he says. “Buyers fi rst have to become aware of the issue. Increasing energy costs will nudge buyers towards considering performance as a buying criterion.”


Other factors are beginning to impact the public too. Here’s ten reasons that


Thinking | ahead should bring about a natural and beautiful integration of design


the future of the built residential environment is architects. Any architect or master-planner worth his salt these days is conceiving the current and future generation of homes, resorts and communities in a sustainable fashion. In doing so, they will include consideration of the end user, the site, the buildings’ site position and orientation, the materials and products, and energy, water, waste and transport strategies. Architect and master-planner


Miguel Ruano says the role of the architect is key because they usually keep abreast of new developments in


architects and master-planners play a key role in educating developers, planning agencies, and even the wider public (via the media) on what needs to be, and can be done.” The point is a vital one. Developers necessarily should develop, and architects and master-planers should conceive, design and shape the homes, resorts and communities. Each to his or her own specialism. Through Sustain Worldwide I regularly speak with member developers – people who are attuned to sustainability issues – and a common theme is they don’t have the


might compel the public to consider purchasing a sustainable home for their next primary residence, second or retirement home, or investment property, over a conventional one: 1. Save money - on fuel bills; 2. Make money - on feed-in-tariffs; 3. Make money – higher selling price; 4. Look good – stylish & modern; 5. Look good - virtuous ‘Prius effect;’ 6. Feel good - better for health; 7. Feel good - better for well-being; 8. Independence – potential to be self suffi cient for energy; 9. Better for one’s kids - reduced CO2 emissions; 10. Better for everyone – climate change reduction. The fourth factor that is shaping


applicable regulations and available technologies - more so than most developers. “Many developers are still reluctant to embrace sustainability principles, particularly on the environmental side, often citing misconceptions such as higher costs, lack of readily available know-how and technology, or absence of a clear market demand. “Even developers sympathetic (for


moral, legal or commercial reasons) with sustainability can sometimes fi nd it diffi cult to do ‘the right thing’ – because they do not really know what ‘the right thing’ is ... or how to accomplish it. Thus, in the often confusing and rapidly evolving context of the sustainability agenda,


in-house experience, knowledge, or time to expend on bringing themselves up-to-speed on legislative and technological sustainabilty issues. But even, or especially amongst the architectural fraternity, debate exists about what path sustainability should tread. It’s not a simple question of saying ‘let’s build sustainably’ and then disengaging. Marion Baeli, an associate at PD+P said: “There seems to be a real divide in the industry between people thinking that reducing our energy demand is the top priority and


“Even developers sympathetic with sustainability can fi nd it hard to do the right thing”


others that reducing our energy demand can only be done in combination with sustainability in full, including enhancing the biodiversity of cities, managing water etc.”


Richard Hywel Evans, principal of Studio RHE, has a clear vision of the future. “Expect more awareness and a clear design reaction regarding travel distances, from transport hubs to solar paths. The demand for highly insulated enclosures will see architecture heading away from designs with acres of unimpeded glass walls towards solid sculpted objects with intriguing surface textures ... embracing recycling, renewable energies and absorbing them into the building’s make up.” Baeli of PD&P says, “The design of


our buildings must naturally, seamlessly, discreetly and beautifully integrate all sustainable aspects.” In the hands of architects like Hywel Evans, Ruano and Baeli the future not only looks bright it also looks integrated, textured, easier on the eye, energy effi cient, healthy, viable and - not least - sustainable. Thank goodness for that.


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