This question was posed by Pete Halsall and Richard Simmons, and discussed at One Planet One Day on the 3rd December by representatives from the ADAGE Environment, Best Foot Forward, BioRegional, BioRegional Quintain Ltd, Brighton & Hove Council, CAMCO, HTA Architects, Medway Renaissance, MITHE Engineering Services, the New Economics Foundation, Place Design + Planning Ltd, PRP Environmental, Robinson Low Francis, Sentinel HA, Simons Construction and Tristans Architects Ltd.
Three Key Lessons
Developers don’t currently have the skills and investment models to set-up and manage community assets such as renewable energy technology, the buildings themselves and community...
This question was posed by Pooran Desai, and discussed at One Planet One Day on 3rd December 2008 by representatives from the BioRegional Quintain, Bio-intelligence Service, Denne Construction, the Homes and Communities Agency, Islington Council, the London Community Recycling Network, the New Economics Foundation, Pierre & Vacances Développement, Sutton Council and Vertigo.
Three key lessons:
Local authorities need to listen to communities, and base strategies and performance monitoring on what really matters to people;
Communities will contribute best if they can frame and develop local government strategies, rather than being consulted on someone else’s...
This question was posed by Kevin McCloud, and discussed at One Planet One Day on 3rd December 2008 by representatives from ARUP, BioRegional, bissec, CABE, Colliers CRE, FACIT, Kings College London, Norman Duney & Young, Place Design Planning, RAfe Bertram, Studio Egret West and the University of Southampton.
Three key lessons:
Design needs to start with good, participatory management structures to coordinate and possibly own shared assets;
There are many good models to build upon, from car clubs and allotments to libraries and university common rooms;
Major barriers include status anxiety, individualism, inconvenience and the low “throw away” price of many...
This question was posed by Pooran Desai and Geneva Guerin, and was discussed at One Planet One Day on 34rd December 2008 by representatives from the Church of England, Crest Nicholson, EPFL, Hilson Moran, Indigo, Sentinel Housing Association, Vulcan, Westminster Council and WSP Environmental.
Three key lessons:
Regulations in the UK are too complex and often lead to the wrong outcomes by over-specifying. They should focus on performance instead of approaches;
More sustainability experts in higher positions in local government would mean regulations could allow more flexibility and creativity;
Incentives such as reductions on public land costs or “green mortgages” on high...
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Response
In reply to David - building sustainable communities can actually reduce infrastructure costs by reducing car parking and road provision (improving the public realm at the same time). However, I think you are right about trying to harness the benefits of avoided costs - such as crime reduction in sustainable communities (eg mixed use communities which are naturally policed night and day do reduce crime) and less car dependent communities should improve health (if people are walking and cycling more). Developers may be able to start harvesting the avoided costs in some subtle ways - eg if we can collect data on increased levels of exercise, we might be able to offer special deals to...
Response
With great difficulty! There is no doubt that, with current technology, we need significant behaviour changes to avert the worst of climate change.
Others have touched on your question in other questions. Part of it will include: inspirational examples that make sense to our every day lives, and that promote a more attractive way of living; community organising to help people strengthen their communities and make a shift away from materialistic status symbols in the process; and of course regulation to force the issue.
Just a quick example - at BedZED, probably the most advanced and holistic sustainable community in the UK, the average resident flies three times the UK average. You get...
There is wide acknowledgement that massive changes to global economic and industrial systems must occur within the next few decades to avert deep human poverty and avoid most irreversible environmental damage. The speed of this change is an exciting opportunity for a few, but to most it is threatening or hard to comprehend. This gap often separates us, and it has the potential to separate One Planet Communities from other projects.
How can we change this equation so that our work on One Planet Communities bridges this gap rather than widening it? How can our example be one that immediately connects to the lives of everyone? How can our work foster comfort and relief as much as...
Response
This is such an important challenge. In telling the story of our One Planet Communities, I think it is the day to day, functional practicalities that bring the ideas to life. For example a car club may sound exotic but once people get the opportunity to hear the details -
you have a swipe card in your wallet, the car is right there, always clean and ready to go, it's £4.95 per hour, billing is automatic and no hassle, etc
then the idea can become real and accessible. The secret is in talking about specific measures and their practicalities.
Going further than that, we need our communities to be as open as possible so people can come and see what one planet living...