Reporter: The green towns of tomorrow
443 views · Published 30 October 2012 · 4:17 · Indexed 31 October 2026
Channel: European Parliament · 2012 · News & Politics
The EP has committed itself to a gradual reduction in C02 emissions, the main gas responsible for global warming. The aim is to reduce carbon gas emissions in the EU by 80% by 2050. So what will tomorrow's green towns look like? Since 2002 the area of Beddington in the South London suburbs has been a model for sustainable development applied to housing. In the heart of the neighbourhood is the BedZED complex. Its advantage is that it doesn't use more energy than it produces. This environmentally-friendly complex is made up of 82 homes. On the roofs are coloured chimneys which are ventilation systems. The 250 residents of BedZED have adopted a greener way of life. We've reduced the energy needed to run the home. So we have insulation, we have low-energy appliances, low-energy light bulbs. The homes need no central heating. You don't have to be an environmentalist here. The idea is to make sustainable living easy for everybody. If it's laid on, people will participate. At BedZED everything was designed to achieve that objective. The homes were built with recycled or renewable materials produced within a radius of 50km. The so-called 'green' roofing helps to protect biodiversity and to collect rainwater. Each resident has a garden and there's even a shared allotment. Solar panels were installed on roofs and windows, resulting in energy bills 85% lower than the UK average. Helen Woolston is environment coordinator in the company that manages London's transport. For her, moving to BedZED was an opportunity. She makes large savings for the following reasons. The first and most important thing is that there are really thick concrete walls which keep the heat in the building. So any heat from cooking or general living stays within the building really easily. We also get a lot of heat from the sun because we all face south. We have glass windows and that comes in and tops it up. We very rarely need to try and keep the place cool. But BedZED didn't deliver all its promises. Initially, workspaces were included on the north-facing sides of buildings which are warmed less by the sun. People don't have to travel far between where they live and where they work. Suburbs are a 20th-century invention. They are unsustainable without petrol to drive people around them. But the plan wasn't successful and some of the offices were converted into homes. But BedZED continues to attract many who are curious. Since it opened, the site has received over 30,000 visitors, often architects and public decision-makers, showing the innovative nature of this eco-development. It's very good. It's developing well. I was worried it would age badly, but it's aging well. It's lacking some vegetation on the terraces and in gardens. It's minimal. I know it's winter, but there could be more lush, rustic planting. Just a bit more vegetation. I was very impressed. I'd like to see a few more trees though. Ten years after construction, the BedZED model has emulators. Sweden and the Netherlands have also constructed eco-developments. Portugal and Spain are studying the question. High-carbon growth is not a serious growth option. Low-carbon growth, on the other hand, brings innovation and creativity. It brings investment opportunities and employment opportunities. So I think the low-carbon growth story is the only viable growth story. There isn't really any serious alternative over the medium term. In order to combat global warming, CO2 emissions must be reduced at the global level. The latest indicators aren't encouraging. Greenhouse gases in the atmosphere increased by 6% in 2010. EuroparlTV video ID: b10852f1-5e52-4363-9492-a02200a196fa
