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Judges say that
“it is perhaps the most influential of all housing projects
so far this century”
The UK Solar Awards 2001, held
this month, saw Beddington Zero Energy Development (BedZED) collect
an award as a winner in the commercial enterprises category for
it’s inspiring use of renewable energy.
A co-development between the Peabody
Trust, BioRegional Development Group and Bill Dunster Architects
- Beddington Zero Energy Development (BedZED) is a ground-breaking
development of 82 eco-homes and workspaces in South London, addressing
every area of sustainable living. It is the largest and most ambitious
eco-development in the UK.
The awards run by Energy 21, an
educational charity with the mission of generating a greater awareness
and understanding of renewable energy, were awarded to inspiring
renewable energy projects.
Why did BedZed win an award?
*The BEDZED urban system reconciles high-density three *story
city blocks with high residential and workspace *amenity.
*Workspace is placed in the shade zones of south facing *housing
terraces, with skygardens created on the *workspace
roofs, enabling all flats to have outdoor *garden
areas, with good access to sunlight, and *providing
well daylit workspace without problematic *summer
overheating.
*The combination of superinsulation, a wind driven *ventilation
system designed to retain heat, and solar *heat
stored within each flat in it’s floors and walls which *are
1 foot thick - reduces the need for both electricity *and
heat to the point where a wood fuelled combined *heat
and power station (CHP) can meet the energy *requirements
for a community of around 240 residents *and
200 workers.
*To avoid over sizing the CHP unit, solar panels provide *enough
solar electricity to power 40 electric cars, some *pool,
some privately owned.
*The community has the capability to lead a carbon *neutral
lifestyle - with all energy for buildings and local *transport
being supplied by renewable energy sources.
What the Judges said
“BedZed is a remarkable scheme that has really lit the imagination
of a generation of young students with regard to the 21st century.
It has significant impact on the zeitgeist of a young generation
of architects and is perhaps the most influential of all housing
projects so far this century. The use of renewable energy is elegant
here.”
Notes
Energy 21, the UK branch of Eurosolar,
is an educational charity whose mission is to generate a greater
awareness and understanding of renewable energy. It is a grass-roots
membership organisation and its intention is to build a renewable
energy park near Stroud, to enable people to see and understand
the vision of a future based on sustainable energies. It has close
links with Local Agenda 21 and raises awareness through conferences,
events and publications. Last year it became the UK branch of Eurosolar,
the European Solar Energy Association, which has as its goal the
replacement of nuclear and fossil fuels with environmentally sound
energies such as sunlight, wind energy, biomass, hydropower and
ocean energies.
UK Solar Prize Awards 2001
The Eurosolar UK Prizes are awarded to inspiring renewable energy
projects with categories for local authorities, companies, individuals,
non-profit organisations, architects, media and transport.
In the context of these awards, solar energy or renewable energy
means energy derived from the sun, whether directly or indirectly,
through weather systems (such as wind and hydropower) or crops.
The aim is to promote renewable energy for widespread replication
and public acceptance.
Other winners included:
Category A Local Authorities
WINNER: Halton Borough Council
Electric Water Heater Replacement with Solar for 8 Storey Council
Building
Category B Commercial Enterprises
WINNER: Solar Century: Big Brother's Power for Leicester School
Children
Category D Not-For-Profit
WINNER: Earth Balance 2000: Integrated Renewable Energy System
HIGHLY COMMENDED: Friends of St. Nicholas Fields
York Environmental Community Centre
Category E Solar Architecture
WINNER: Ove Arup and Partners: Jubilee Campus, University of Nottingham
Category F Media
WINNER: Sheffield Hallam University: Public Awareness Presentation
HIGHLY COMMENDED: Institution of Mechanical Engineers
"Transport in a Renewable Era"
Category G Transport
WINNER: Engineered Solutions: Renewably Powered Narrow Boat
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Photo: Bill Dunster Architects
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