BedZED

BedZED is a mixed use 'solar urban village' of housing and work spaces in Beddington, South London.

The energy-efficient housing (82 dwellings) consists of a mix of flats, maisonettes and town houses. The work space totals 2,500sqm and incorporates community accommodation including a nursery, organic cafe/shop and sports clubhouse.

Orientation

For maximum benefit from both passive and active solar gain, all dwellings face south, is arranged in terraces to optimise construction costs and minimise heat loss, have glazed southern facades and extensive roof lights to the north to ensure very high levels of daylight and sunlight. A sunspace 'buffer zone' on the south of all buildings provides around 25% of a typical home's winter heating needs through passive solar gain.

Water conservation

Reductions in mains water use has been achieved via low-flush WCs and spray taps; collecting rainwater for sky garden irrigation; using grey water for WC flushing; surface water draining to maintain on-site pond.

Ventilation system

Natural ventilation via a wind-driven passive stack principle. Specially designed non-mechanical wind cowls, with heat exchangers below, rotate to catch the slightest breeze and pull stale air out of buildings.

Photovoltaics

At peak times PV cells will generate 309kWp of clean electricity, saving over 200 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions a year.

Transport

The design and location of BedZED offers an alternative lifestyle without compromising mobility. The need to travel is also reduced by on site provision of live/work space, a cafe/shop, dentist's surgery and pre-school nursery.

Materials

Materials, products and skills were sourced where possible from within a 35-mile radius of the site. Principal external materials are brick, timber and glass with dense concrete inner walls and concrete floors and roofs. A 300mm insulation jacket wraps around the buildings, passing within wall cavities, beneath the floor slab and above the roof slab.