Tim Fenn

Tim Fenn

Building Real Ecotowns: NW Bicester Ecotown

Tim Fenn

November 2009

88 St James’s Street

London SW1A 1PL

What do most people expect when large scale housing developments

are announced?

Past Design Criteria

• Units per acre

• Cars/traffic/parking

• Cheapest available building materials

• Existing supply chains and skills

• Socio-economic environment

• Size & location

• Amenities and 106 agreements

• Local architecture & design guides

• “No Triple-bottom-line” thinking

Problems & Public Concerns• Traffic congestion

• Strain on local services

• Loss of open-space/urban sprawl

• Negative visual impact

• Environment & loss of diversity

• Increased flood risk

• Loss of community

• Loss in house value

• Poor house performance

• Unsustainable

Renewable Energy

• Zero Carbon

• Energy from Waste

• Community Energy Centre

• Micro-energy generation

Water Management

• Recycled water

Waste Management

• Zero Waste

• Waste as Resource

• Materials from waste

Sustainable Construction

• Low Energy Building/Zero carbon

• Local Materials

• Climate Change Resilience

• Retro-fit Existing Stock

Sustainable Transport

• 50% reduction in car travel

• Cycling/walking

• Public Transport

• Biofuels

• Electric Vehicles

Local Employment

• 1 Job per house

• Virtual Business Centres• Recycled water

• Rainwater harvesting

• Green Roofs

• SUDS

• Water catchment management

• Virtual Business Centres

• Entice Green Businesses

• Promote Green Economy

Healthy Lifestyles

• More Exercise

• Organic Food

• Access to Open Spaces

• Healthy Buildings

Bio-diversity

• Green roofs

• Community Gardens

• Social Forestry

Open spaces

• More Exercise/Healthy Living

•Social Forestry/Biomass

•Linkages to the Country-side

Local Food

• Urban Agriculture

• Community Supported Agriculture

• Community Orchards

Applicable Eco-town Standards

� Zero Carbon buildings

Efficiency:

� Highest standards of energy efficiency e.g.

insulation, lighting, appliances.

� Energy use information systems (e.g. Smart

meters) & develop awareness /ethos.

� Low energy livelihoods. Local food, transport etc

Renewable Energy Generation:

� Energy Centre based on Anaerobic Digestion

and biomass with community/local authority

partnership. CHP

Energy

� Zero Carbon buildings

� 2t CO2/yr total emissions

partnership. CHP

� Optional micro-renewable energy add-ons to

buildings, capitalising on forthcoming “Feed-in

tariffs”.


� Homes within 10 minutes walk of public

transport & services

� Access to and through the Eco-town priority to

TransportPromote More Cycling!

Bicester’s flat

Amsterdam 284 km of cycle-ways 28% bike.

York 22% through improved cycle-ways

and traffic calming

Hull 16% by bike

Copenhagen 26%

Basel 16%� Access to and through the Eco-town priority to

walking, cycling and public transport modes

� The design of the Eco-town should enable at

least 50% of trips originating from the site to be

made by modes other than the car

Basel 16%

Hanover 16%

Holland: 36% increase in 17 years

Cycling also promotes more walking and

has obvious health benefits.

Bicester? 60% of people commute!

Promote More Cycling!

BUT.....

Transport

Needs design , planning and

enforcement/culture.

“Promoting cycling without improving

facilities is meaningless”.....

Transport

� Wide Cycle lanes

� Dedicated cycle-ways

� Traffic calming

� Bike storage at schools, shopping

centres, businesses and train/bus stations.

� Linkages to town centre and villages

� Bike trailers at shopping centres

Transport

Then there’s the Velomobile.....

Ice’s (Inspired Cycle Engineering ltd, Cornwall) recumbent trike with Rainforest Designs ltd (Canada)

fairing producing high speed velomobile.


� CSH 4 or 6 – 105/80l/p/d for water use

� Zero increase in net rainwater run-off

� No development outside Flood Zone 1

Key strategy opportunities

� Reduce potential for flooding in Bicester

through storm water catchment management

providing amenity and biodiversity.

Water Management

� Waste water/AD integration. e.g. Zero water

closed system.

� Design drainage networks to accommodate

effects of climate change.

� Low household water consumption devices


� Provision of local services and

amenities including 40% open

space..

� Local food production

Key Strategies & Opportunities

� Open Spaces for food

production/community supported

Agriculture.

Open Space, Amenities & Community Supported Agriculture

Agriculture.

� Biomass for energy e.g. willows

� Cycling, hiking, sport, leisure, tourism

development

� Eco-graveyard

� Environmental education/Eco-school


� 1 job per household (5,000 jobs) that can be

reached by walking, cycling or public transport.


� Incorporate into master-plan including waste

management, housing, energy, transport, business

development tourism, leisure & education.

� Manufacture houses at a Bicester Factory.

The Green Economy

� Ensure ?% of local content thus create demand for new

local products.

� Promote innovation for SMEs e.g. Centre for Sustainable

Design, Innovation Hubs, Environmental Investment

Network (EIN).

� Create commercial centres for green business e.g.

Community business centres, “The Goods Shed”, Virtual

Offices, zero carbon commercial/educational.

� Encourage eco-tourism e.g. University of Chichester

� Promote Bicester: Corporate Social Responsibility/Triple

Bottom Line thinking to organisations.


� Plan for Zero Waste

� View Waste as a Resource

� Integrated Resource & Waste Management

� Consider Total Waste


� Waste to energy – anaerobic digestion (CHP)

Resource & Waste Management

� Exemplar internal and external waste storage

including underground waste storage e.g. Septic

tanks, recycling centre.

� Community benefit from business opportunities

(e.g. Recycling, waste to building

materials), employment and energy security.

� Waste prevention – education and awareness

campaigns creating a community ethos.

� Zero waste to landfill

Key Design Features• Flexible system for range of designs

• High standards of energy efficiency (Passivhaus)

• Rapid erection and zero waste

• Air-tight construction

• Internal thermal mass to prevent overheating

• Products made from recycled materials & linkages to job creation/waste management

• Low embodied energy in manufacture.

• Low life-long costs

The Modular Framing System

• Low life-long costs

Kirkland Frazer Moore

What could an look like?

• Affordability

• Energy & Water Efficiency

• Desirability & Use

Design Criteria and Opportunities:


� Zero Carbon/Passivhaus

� 30% Affordable Housing

• Biodiversity and Landscape

• Durability (100 year plus)

• Sustainability & Embodied Energy

• Resilience to Climate Change

• Building Materials from Waste

• Employment, Skills & Rehabilitation

Energy use in buildings

Energy in homes: 4 Bed, 5 people

Appliance Weekly Energy Use KWh Cost £ %

Kettle 8.80.95 2.6

Hairdryer/tongs 21.32.30 6.3

Washing Machine 14.71.59 4.4

Tumble Drier 73.57.94 21.9

Lighting 92.710.01 27.6

TVs/DVD’s 21.52.32 6.4

Computers 13.41.45 4.0 1.45 4.0

Ironing 6.30.68 1.9

Other kitchen app 6.90.75 2.1

Fridge/Freezer 40.34.35 12.0

Dishwasher 7.60.82 2.3

Vacuum cleaner 0.750.08 0.2

Oven/Hob 14.11.52 4.2

Microwave 3.30.36 1.0

Other 11.21.21 3.3

Total 336.35 36.33

Energy Efficiency Why is energy important?

• CO2 emissions and climate change

• Era of cheap energy is over.

• Oxfordshire high energy use, Shiplake highest CO2 emissions in UK

• 5 million people in the UK suffering from energy poverty & rising

• Power stations coming to end of life, possibility of power cuts

2500

3000

3500Future Heating Energy Costs

Ecotown vs other

600

700

800

900Future Heating Energy Costs:

Within Ecotown

Part L House 3%

Bicester Eco-town: Resilient, bankable and desirable

0

500

1000

1500

2000

20

10

20

12

20

14

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16

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20

30

£ p

er

ye

ar

Part L House 10%

increase in heating

cost per year

Code 4 house 10%

increase in heating

cost per year

ECO2H2O house in

Ecotown 3% increse

in heating cost per

year0

100

200

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400

500

600

£ p

er

ye

ar

Part L House 3%

increase in heating

cost per year

Code 4 house 3%

increase in heating

cost per year

ECO2H2O house in

Ecotown 3% increse

in heating cost per

year

Year

Eco-refurbishment

• Upgrading existing housing stock creates link to existing town.

• Links to sustainable construction training, job creation etc..

• Each house type will require different insulation strategy.

• Renewable energy strategy site dependant

GreenBook/Card: Institute of Sustainable ConstructionEmployer Led Sustainable Construction Training & Accreditation

Requirements of an Eco-build Training Framework

• Primarily focussed on up-skilling existing workforce

• Promotes Multi-skilled workforce development.

• Promotes Specialist training/learning

• Encourages companies/individuals to undertake training

• Promotes/rewards life-long learning

• Acknowledges short courses & on-site experience

• Leads to highest accolades in training achievement (degrees)

• Promotes self esteem and status of construction workers

• Leads to “real” recognition of skill level• Leads to “real” recognition of skill level

• Leads to higher standards

Training Framework

• Employer led Scheme (Leitch report)

• Sustainable Builders Green Card

• New skills relevant to Eco-refurbishments

Sustainable Construction Skills Training

Opportunities

• Construction led Green Jobs/Businesses

• Retro-fit/Eco-refurbishments role-out to existing stock

• Improved Standards

• Bicester: centre of green technology and innovation

• Lower CO2 emissions on existing housing stock

Sustainable Construction Skills Training

Core Awareness & Skills• Airtight construction/ventilation:Importance, testing, issues

• Energy in Buildings: Insulation, windows/doors, CO2 emissions

• Water & Waste management:Water use, dealing with waste, regs etc

• Technology: Renewable energy, lighting, materials etc

Green Builder Training Framework

Awareness Understanding Operational Knowledge Competence

Craft Operative Site Manager

Buildings :

New Build, Retrofits, Commercial,Government

Awareness

• Energy in buildings


• Water & waste

• Technology

Understanding


• Airtight construction

• Waste & Water

• Technology

Operational Knowledge



• Waste & Water

• Technology

Competence



• Waste & Water

• Technology

Renewable

Energy

•Solar thermal

•Thermal Storage/PCM

• Micro-Wind

Passivhaus

Design

•PHPP

•Thermal Mass

Modern

Methods

•Framing Systems

•Modular Construction

Other Regional

Construction

Training Groups

Organisational Framework: Green Builders

Institute Sustainable Construction

Additional TrainingPassivhaus

Trust UK

Tim Fenn

Technology

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