BedZed: Trouble in Paradise
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 05.19.06
There are a number of ways to approach sustainable, low energy housing; "The Don't Really Change Anything but throw Solar Panels on the Roof" approach that Jeff discussed recently and that this TreeHugger rudely criticized; and the "dense, urban eco-community model with shared cars and rooftop gardens and heat from biomass and, um, solar panels on the roof" like BedZed that this TreeHugger goes gaga over. Except that at BedZed things are not running so smoothly. The Biomass fuelled zero-carbon heat system packed in last year and BedZed is back on the national grid. The "Living Machine" reed bed sewage filter system is out of operation. The developer, Bioregional, is fighting with the architect, Bill Dunster. Says one resident: "We're in the worst of all situations, buying all our gas, getting electricity from the national grid, and we're not even on a green tariff." Nonetheless, even with conventional power sources, the small, well-insulated units barely need heat, and the project still releases 40% less carbon and have lower operating costs than conventional buildings, the residents love it and values of the units are 15% above surrounding conventional projects. Perhaps they over-reached, but it is still a model for development. Says Bill Dunster: "In a year's time, the original ambition when we started this project will be on offer to residents," he insists. "All the people who have been detracting and knocking it for all these years are going to look very silly." ::The Guardian
You gotta start somewhere... Frankly I think it's a great start.
I remember looking through the BEDzed info a while back and thinking that this organization (Bioregional) is trying to do the right things but also thinking that some of the things were inappropriate. And I am not just thinking here about BEDzed but about some of the other projects they are involved with as well. However, the focus here is BEDzed, and it is clear to me that some of the green architecture concepts involved are not adequate at this scale and place - such as the reedbed system and the biomass heating that they are now having trouble with.
The reedbed system (I have one for my house) is most appropriate in warm areas where the plants won't freeze to death. The system also requires periodic maintenance for cleaning the filters and cutting excess vegetation. Not to mention that such a system is unlikely to survive if people are dumping toxic chemicals in the wastewater plumbing (how many people living at BEDzed?). And this system is best when the toilet wastes are seperated from the wastewater stream, such as through compost toilet use. I think reedbeds are a good idea in single family dwellings but inappropriate at BEDzed.
The biomass heat system (I also have one of these - a Tulikivi masonry stove) is also best at a single family house level and only for homes far away from cities. Trucking in biomass to a city like London doesn't make much sense to me. It is also a highly maintenance prone heating system. You have to have a lot of dedication and patience to put up with this kind of system.
I think the architect didn't take into consideration the practicalities of the day-to-day functioning of some of these systems and whether they were appropriate in the BEDzed case or not.
How's to say that 15% premium compared with similar property ? Where did that figure come from ?