One Planet Communities

Overview

BioRegional's One Planet Communities programme is a network of earth’s greenest neighbourhoods, where people can live a healthier, high-quality lifestyle within a fair share of our planet's resources.

Working with developers around the world, the programme currently has award-winning endorsed projects in the USA, UK, and Portugal, with others planned in South Africa, China, Australia, and Canada. Use the tabs above to find out about these projects and the leading developers that are behind them.

The One Planet Community independent endorsement is a sign of the highest achievement in sustainable design and operation, and is based on the 10 principles of one planet living.

Visit the One Planet Communities website to find out more.

United Kingdom

One Brighton

One Brighton is a development by Crest Nicholson BioRegional Quintain LLP.  The development comprises 172 apartments – from eco-studios to 3-bedroom units – plus office and community space and is the greenest apartment scheme constructed in the UK.

Construction comprises a green concrete frame (a post- tensioned frame with 50% cement GGBS replacement, 100% recycled aggregate), natural clay block and wood fibre insulation.  An on-site biomass boiler and PV panels provide approximately 50% of energy requirements with the remainder purchased as guaranteed green electricity through One Brighton Energy Services company. Green lifestyle features include roof top allotments, communal sky gardens, a car club and a green caretaker.  

Construction started in September 2007 and first residents will move in during summer 2009.

For more information visit the One Brighton website.

One Gallions

This scheme by BioRegional Quintain and Crest Nicholson PLC was selected by the London Development Agency to be the Mayor of London’s flagship zero carbon scheme in the Thames Gateway.

Located in Gallions Park in the London Borough of Newham, One Gallions will accommodate 260 apartments, community space, and a One Planet Living exhibition centre.

The scheme will meet all of its heat and power needs from an on-site wood fired combined heat and power plant managed by a community Energy Services Company. Wood fuel will be sourced from trees within 30km.

For more information visit the One Gallions website.

Developer links

www.bioregional-quintain.com

www.crestnicholson.com

North America

Sonoma Mountain Village

North America’s first endorsed One Planet Community combines new urbanism with deep sustainability in this $1billion redevelopment of an industrial site. Codding Enterprises is working with BioRegional North America to redevelop the 81 hectare site, forty miles north of San Francisco. It will accommodate 1,892 homes, 26,849 m2 of office space and 16,955 m2 of retail and commercial space. A $7.5 million, 1.5 megawatt, 8,361 m2 photovoltaic array is already installed to power 1,000 homes. Full construction is underway and the first residents will be moving in during 2010.

The project achieved recognition early in 2008 when the Governor of California, Arnold Shwarzenegger, awarded Sonoma Mountain Village with the ‘Governor’s Environmental and Economic Leadership Award’.

The One Planet Communities programme is working with Codding Enterprises to ensure that the entire 1,900 home community will thrive in 2020, with a sustainable average ecological footprint. No resident will be more than a five minute walk from groceries, restaurants, day care and other amenities that will in turn offer local, sustainable and Fairtrade products and services.

Construction is now underway, with zero waste supply chains for construction materials and 1,900 jobs being created. A non-profit business incubator and other investments in long-term management will carry this benefit forward past 2020.

For more information visit the Sonoma Mountain Village website.

Rest of the world

Mata de Sesimbra, Portugal

This is a €1 billion integrated sustainable building, tourism, nature conservation and reforestation programme by developers Pelicano. South of Lisbon, the 5,300 hectare site will contain a 4,800 hectare nature reserve and native pine and oak forest restoration project, alongside a 500 hectare tourism development comprising around 5,000 units.

The reforestation project has been underway for a number of years, and final planning permission is awaited for the development area. The development will go on to meet ‘zero waste’ targets, while 50 per cent of food will be sourced locally.

Emerging communities

Masdar, UAE

In September 2008, building began on the world’s greenest city, Masdar City, a zero-carbon zero waste and car-free community in Abu Dhabi.

Designed with the principles of a traditional Arabic walled city, this high density mixed use development will house approximately 50,000 people and up to 1500 businesses focusing on sustainable products and services.

The city is being developed by Mubadala. Masterplanned by Foster & Partners and will include a university, innovation centres and manufacturing facilities for sustainable technologies and renewable energy supply. It aims to enable One Planet Living through a range of infrastructure and design features set out in the Sustainability Action Plan in a process led by the One Planet Communities team at BioRegional.

Sibaya, South Africa

Working with South African developer Tongaat Hulett the One Planet Communities programme is in the process of integrating the 10 One Planet principles into a unique 855 hectare development. The project combines tourism, business and residential areas with a view to creating the most sustainable project in South Africa, proving a model for urban development that protects and enhances the natural landscape.