Bedzed - a Report on Energy Efficient Design Principles Applied to Beddington Zero (Fossil) Energy Development at Beddington, Sutton
B E DZ E D
A report on energy efficient design principles applied to Beddington zero (fossil) energy development at Beddington, Sutton
Otman Gusbi
Introduction
Beddington Zero Energy Development (BedZED) is a housing development designed by Bill Dunster Architects (now known as Zed Factory) in partnership with the Peabody Trust and the BioRegional Development Group. BedZED is the UK’s largest carbon-neutral housing development and was the first of its kind in the UK when completed in 2002. BedZED is a mixed-use, mixed-tenure development that incorporates many innovative approaches to energy conservation and environmental sustainability. For this review I am going to examine how the designers of BedZED have used various technologies and design principles in their pursuit of making BedZED a truly carbon neutral development. The areas I am going to look at are the building’s fabric and the materials used in its construction, how the building utilises passive solar design, and finally the HVAC and building systems utilized in the development.
Building Fabrics & Materials
Through the materials used in its construction and the design of its fabric, BedZED has tried to reduce its environmental impact in two ways. The first is by reducing its energy consumption and the second by reducing the embodied energy in the materials used to build the project. Despite being a zero carbon development, the first thing that struck me when visiting BedZED was that it didn’t look like an experimental piece of architecture. The houses were clearly different to a standard housing development, but they looked modern and contemporary rather than a laboratory for testing new products and principles, only the slight glimpse of a wind cowl on the roofs and the photovoltaics (PVs) scattered on the façade gives this impression as you walk around the site. Inside, the interiors are pleasant and only the deep reveals on the windows and the exposed soffit gives you a clue that this
A report on energy efficient design principles applied to Beddington zero (fossil) energy development at Beddington, Sutton
Otman Gusbi
Introduction
Beddington Zero Energy Development (BedZED) is a housing development designed by Bill Dunster Architects (now known as Zed Factory) in partnership with the Peabody Trust and the BioRegional Development Group. BedZED is the UK’s largest carbon-neutral housing development and was the first of its kind in the UK when completed in 2002. BedZED is a mixed-use, mixed-tenure development that incorporates many innovative approaches to energy conservation and environmental sustainability. For this review I am going to examine how the designers of BedZED have used various technologies and design principles in their pursuit of making BedZED a truly carbon neutral development. The areas I am going to look at are the building’s fabric and the materials used in its construction, how the building utilises passive solar design, and finally the HVAC and building systems utilized in the development.
Building Fabrics & Materials
Through the materials used in its construction and the design of its fabric, BedZED has tried to reduce its environmental impact in two ways. The first is by reducing its energy consumption and the second by reducing the embodied energy in the materials used to build the project. Despite being a zero carbon development, the first thing that struck me when visiting BedZED was that it didn’t look like an experimental piece of architecture. The houses were clearly different to a standard housing development, but they looked modern and contemporary rather than a laboratory for testing new products and principles, only the slight glimpse of a wind cowl on the roofs and the photovoltaics (PVs) scattered on the façade gives this impression as you walk around the site. Inside, the interiors are pleasant and only the deep reveals on the windows and the exposed soffit gives you a clue that this
Bibliography: Reports BioRegional Development Group, BedZED Total Energy Strategy inc. Green Transport Plan, November 1999 Dunster, B., BedZED General Information Report, Housing Efficiency Best Practice Programme Lazarus, N., Beddington Zero (Fossil) Energy Development: Toolkit for Carbon Neutral Developments Part I, Department for Trade & Industry publication Lazarus, N., Construction Materials Report: Toolkit for Carbon Neutral Developments - Part II, Department for Trade & Industry publication Websites www.arup.com www.bioregional.com www.exusenergy.com www.peabody.org.uk www.zedfactory.com