Mata de Sesimbra Endorsed One Planet Living Community

Sustainability Action Plan

The Mata de Sesimbra project has a Sustainability Action Plan based on 10 principles of One Planet Living which cover the environmental, social and economic dimensions of sustainability. The plan sets ambitious but realistic and verifiable targets for each which will help it achieve the overall objective of being a "One Planet" community.

1. USE OF SUSTAINABLE BUILDING MATERIALS

The base building material that will be used at Mata de Sesimbra is a low-energy pre-fabricated polystyrene building block that has very high thermal insulation properties. Building using this CFC-free material is very low-impact and produces almost no waste. The inner frames of the blocks are made of recycled plastic, and this is then filled with concrete that incorporates a high proportion of fly-ash. The concrete is reinforced with reclaimed iron, and the cement component can also include zero-CO2 material. As the material can be expanded to 50 times its original size it is an efficient use of resources. It is non-toxic and can be completely reclaimed and recycled. The block has an Energy Star rating and is LEEDS-approved . Paints and solvents will be non-toxic, and other materials used will be - wherever possible - reclaimed, recycled and certified eg. FSC.

TARGETS:
- Use a minimum of 50% recycled materials eg. cement
- Reduce toxic materials by 90%
- Reduce embodied carbon in buildings by at least 30%.

2. ZERO CARBON PLAN

A number of inter-related strategies have been developed to deliver a zero-carbon community at Mata de Sesimbra. They include the Sustainable Building Materials plan (see above), a Sustainable Transport Plan (see below) that will reduce private car use, and a Renewable and Efficient Energy plan (see below). The buildings plan aims to reduce the incorporated carbon to very low levels, and this is complemented by the use of bio-climatic architecture to reduce energy demand, and pre-installation of low-energy, high-efficiency domestic electrical appliances. The site and houses will be powered by renewable energy. The Water Conservation Plan (see below) will also reduce energy demand by reducing the amount of water that requires heating, further contributing to the zero carbon plan. The Fauna and Flora Conservation Plan (see below) has begun to recover 4,800 hectares of degraded forest and quarries, restoring them to native Mediterranean woodland in a massive replanting programme.

TARGETS
- Reduce energy use from lights and appliances by 40% by installing A-rated appliances and designing buildings to maximise daylight
- Reduce ventilation by 44% by using natural wind-driven solutions
- Reduce water heating energy use by 60% through use of flow restrictors, spray taps, efficient shower fittings, and use of solar water heating
- Reduce space heat/cooling by 95% by use of passive solar heat, glazing and insulation, and south-facing facades and shading solutions

3. ZERO WASTE PLAN

The development aims to reduce, reuse and recycle resources during the building phase and throughout the development's lifecycle. Items such as local produce that are sold on site will avoid the use of packaging. Domestic waste will be separated at source within individual houses, and collected from each home by electric vehicles. Up to 90% of all organic waste will be composted on-site, and the total amount of waste produced will be reduced by 25% in comparison with normal households. Only 5% of waste will go to landfill. There are also innovative strategies for dealing with different types of waste - textiles and clothes can be handed in to collection centres on site where they will be repaired and donated to charitable causes, whilst electrical goods can also be collected and repaired.

TARGETS:
- Reduce waste production by 25% by eliminating and reusing food packaging, promoting reusable packaging, and discriminating against disposable products
- Ensure that a minimum 25% of all waste is recycled, and 0% incinerated
- Compost over 90% of organic waste
- Reduce landfill to 5% of the national average

4. RENEWABLE ENERGY AND ENERGY EFFICIENCY

The development aims to be 100%-powered by solar energy. On-site solar generating stations are expected to cover an area of approximately 15 hectares. Residents and visitors will be encouraged to use energy more efficiently through awareness-raising campaigns and an "eco-points" card which rewards environmentally-friendly behaviour: for example, reducing energy consumption within the home will earn discounts at local restaurants or on orders of locally-grown food. The design of buildings and the electrical appliances installed are designed to reduce energy demand (see above).

TARGETS:
- Achieve 100% renewable, non-fossil energy production by including photo-voltaics in architectural design
- Employ solar thermal design, use small-scale biomass heating, and use rainwater catchment ponds for space cool system

5. USE OF LOCAL RESOURCES

Food miles account for a large proportion of the European ecological footprint. Reducing the distances between the service or resource provider and the final destination has the advantage of supporting local economic development. The plan envisages ensuring that at least 50% of products and services are sourced from within a radius of 50km. A OPL accreditation system is under development to ensure that the majority of the demand for products and services can be met locally, and that they meet standards of quality and environmental sustainability defined in a 16-point management and production charter. Training will also be made available. As well as supporting the local economy, it is envisaged that this can help revive threatened or disappearing traditional crafts and local industries.

TARGETS:
- Minimum of 50% of food consumed within the development to be sourced from within a 50km radius by organising network of local product and service suppliers
- Minimum of 15% of key services provided locally, by offering preferential contracts for purchasing and hiring of local services, and supporting the development of those not currently available
- Employ 6,000 people from local area, and develop skills training programmes

6. SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORT PLAN

The principal objective of this plan is to eliminate private car use within the centre of the development altogether through both good design and physical barriers, but also by providing a high-quality "eco-shuttle" transport service that interfaces with a much-improved regional public transport network.

The cost of buying or staying at Mata de Sesimbra will include a package of sustainable transport options such as high-quality hybrid shuttles from the development to local towns, the beach and Lisbon, and a car club for journeys further afield. The different centres of each part of the development are designed so that all services and facilities are within easy walking and cycling distance, and that access to them is easy through the comprehensive network of cycle routes (and provision of free bicycles) and walking paths but much harder by car. Only cars with 3 people or more sharing will be allowed into the development, and parking space will be severely restricted. The "eco-points" card will reward making use of the different options available to visitors and residents.

The regional transport improvement scheme is a €90 million programme that will be financed by the Mata de Sesimbra development, and includes the creation of dedicated public transport routes and lanes, and park-and-ride facilities linking the development, the coast, local towns, and regional train services to Lisbon and elsewhere.

TARGETS:
- Reduce car use to 0% in the built-up areas of the development through the use of hard barriers and promoting alternatives such as walking and cycling
- Implement a €90 million public transport infrastructure network for the region, including park-and-ride schemes and exclusive bus lanes
- Increase average number of passengers per car to 3-per-vehicle through a car-sharing scheme
- Include access to hybrid car club and eco-shuttle in the house sale/holiday packages

7. CONSERVATION PLAN FOR FAUNA AND FLORA

The project site has a Conservation Management Plan that was developed by assessing the existing eco-systems and habitat corridors, and then calculating the area's potential native vegetation according to soil type, climate etc.

There are 11 sand quarries in the area - all of them will be shut down, and restored to nature. Of the remaining area, much of it is forest, of which 90% is exotic pine and eucalyptus for wood pulp, paper and timber. This will be replaced by native Mediterranean woodland and maquis species, such as cork oak, holm oak, juniper, strawberry tree and the native umbrella pine.

A series of habitat corridors will be created and preserved throughout the entire project area, including through the development. Nesting areas will be protected and expanded, and measures to improve habitat and feeding resources linked to migratory bird routes. The end result will be a huge quantitative and qualitative increase in biodiversity. The initial restoration measures will cost €20 million. This is complemented by a 50-year agreement with all the local landowners to manage and conserve the area at a cost of €100 million, which will also be met by the return on the development. A further €5million is expected to become available for nationally important conservation causes by the raising of a 'green levy' on the sale of homes and hotel stays.

TARGETS:
- Invest €20 million in restoring sand quarries and converting existing degraded monoculture forest to native oak woodlands
- Create local habitat corridors within, through and around the development, and connect these to regional ones eg migratory bird routes
- conserve and increase sensitive wetlands and dunes
- Conserve and improve conservation status of target and vulnerable species, such as Bonelli's Eagle; and protect and regenerate pockets of biodiversity eg. Cork forest and Mediterranean maquis, and important habitats such as bird of prey nesting sites from disturbance
- Nursery to propagate and replant disappearing varieties

8. WATER CONSERVATION PLAN

Unsustainable water use and wastage in the home and in public spaces is a serious issue, not least in the Mediterranean region. This plan will reduce overall domestic water consumption by 25% in comparison with similar dwellings in Portugal. Water for irrigation of all public spaces, including outdoor leisure facilities and golf greens, will be provided entirely by the recycling of waste water and the collection of rainwater from roof surfaces stored in 40 lakes built on site specifically for that purpose.

The design of outdoor spaces will include innovative measures such as "brown" golf greens, using drought-tolerant varieties of grass and shrubbery, inserting water absorption materials in soil to maximise water retention, and using automated sensors to ensure watering only when necessary. Within the home, air-flow taps will reduce water consumption by an estimated 50%.

TARGETS:
- Reduce overall water consumption by 25% by use of greywater recycling, low-flush systems, and low-flow taps
- Build a network of 40 rainwater catchment lakes for non-potable water storage, and to irrigate public areas and outdoor leisure facilities
- Apply Audobon Society rules to achieve major savings in sports and leisure-related water consumption

9. QUALITY OF LIFE PLAN

The Mata de Sesmbra project aims to be a living example of the OPL goal of simultaneously ensuring environmental sustainability and a high quality lifestyle. The project has developed specific indicators, such as the promotion of healthy lifestyles (eg walking, cycling), the physical environment (natural and built), awareness of local identity, and identification with the aims and objectives of OPL. Community-building and feelings of ownership in the Mata de Sesimbra experiment have also been identified as important goals. Regular surveys will be undertaken to assess the degree to which these measures are successful, and if and how they can be improved.

TARGETS:
- Use environmental quality indicators, such as air and noise pollution, to measure quality of physical built and natural environment
- Invest €100 million in a programme of sports, leisure, cultural and educational activities and facilities
- Establish minimum targets for area of social facilities, open spaces and green areas per capita
- Implement a programme designed to achieve positive values among residents/visitors in terms of attitudes towards the facilities and the community as a whole
- Monitor stress levels among residents/visitors, and implement programmes to reduce/reverse these through participation in and communication of the project's core values

10. HERITAGE PLAN

A sense of place, and awareness of an area's historical and cultural roots, is a vital part of a strong, sustainable community. The Mata de Sesimbra project has developed a specific programme to preserve and promote local cultural, natural and historical values, and to raise awareness of the region's environmental aspects that are perceived as important by the local community.

The "eco-points" card includes a number of promotions and 'credits' linked to the area's heritage. There will also be a programme of environmental education and training around the principles and specific projects of the One Planet Living initiative.

TARGETS:
- Preservation and educational programmes to promote local heritage and the area's natural, cultural and historic values
- Promote, advertise and market places to visit, heritage, facilities, products eg. Crafts
- Promote OPL awareness through One Planet Living Centre

Last updated 12th March 2008