In these challenging times of climate breakdown, biodiversity loss and a global pandemic, some of the main ways we can become more resilient are to build community, reduce our carbon footprint and share resources.
Our commitment to environmental sustainability runs through every aspect of the project, including:
- the design and energy efficiency of the houses
- the renewable energy system
- reducing, reusing and recycling to minimise waste and water use
- maximising the biodiversity of wild species on the site
- community food growing, group buying and shared meals
- care of the soil through growing food according to permaculture and organic methods
- reduction in dependence on fossil fuels through shared transport and use of electric cars and bikes
Shared resources, common facilities
Our goal is to reduce the community’s carbon footprint by 40% over the first five years of living at Hazelmead. Neighbours save energy and resources by helping each other out with anything from washing clothes to getting around, or even hosting others’ friends and families.
Many things are held in common to make it easier to work together and steward our land and site effectively. Eventually we hope to have some multi-use guest accommodation that will join our other common facilities – all of which help lessen our impact on the environment.
Eco-homes
The homes are timber-framed and have been designed to meet the AECB Standard, with near PassivHaus levels of insulation. There is no gas on site – hot water is supplied by air source heat pumps and every home is fitted with small electric panel heaters for the cooler months. All of our energy supply is renewable; every residential building has photo-voltaic panels generating electricity that feeds into a microgrid. This stores electricity in a giant battery and is also connected to the National Grid.
Our environment
Set within an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and built on former farmland, we are acutely aware of the need to create the very best habitat possible for wild species. Our common areas are have been planted with native varieties of trees, and plants that provide food and habitat for birds, reptiles and mammals. Sparrow and swift boxes are attached to the terraces and bat boxes to the larger trees. A wildflower meadow and fruit orchard are becoming established.