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Sustainable estates are commonly associated with systems or projects that follow “green” practices meant to preserve and protect the environment.
Beyond that, however, these masterplanned estates and spaces are built to provide what the community needs while having long-term goals and systems that reduce negative impacts on the environment.
Sustainable estates are designed, built, and managed in eco-friendly ways, highlighting energy efficiency and reduced carbon footprint, while also maximizing their purpose and economic value.
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The Sustainable City
Dubai, UAE
One of the globally known eco-districts is The Sustainable City (TSC) in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Established in 2015 and launched in 2016 by Dubai-based Diamond Developers, TSC covers around 46 ha in the outskirts of Dubai. According to the website of Diamond Developers, the TSC was the first community designed to achieve net zero-energy in the Middle East.
The TSC is surrounded by 2,500 trees scattered in multiple layers serving as a buffer zone to protect the community from pollutants. It also has 11 biodome greenhouses and 3,000 sqm for urban farming. TSC likewise powers all its buildings and parking lots using solar panels.
Aside from the 500 villas grouped into five residential clusters, the TSC has a 15,000 sqm mixed-use area comprising five low-rise blocks with shops, restaurants, cafes, offices and apartments available for lease. The aim of the retail area is to provide sufficient services for the community to sustain their families and provide destination facilities to encourage other residents of Dubai to visit.
The TSC houses its own Mosque that can accommodate up to 700 worshippers and integrates innovative design technologies to minimize energy and water consumption. This state-of-the-art mosque is well insulated to prevent thermal heat gain, fitted with LED lighting, and is cooled using high-efficiency AC systems.
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Whisper Valley
Austin, Texas
The award-winning Whisper Valley community is located approximately 25 minutes from downtown Austin in Texas.
The 2,063-acre masterplanned community was a project aimed to make sustainable housing affordable through EcoSmart Solution, an innovative green energy service provider. Every home connects to a geothermal energy supply system that can reduce energy consumption by about 65 percent. This geothermal loop system was installed prior to the land development process.
At full capacity, Whisper Valley includes 7,500 affordable and sustainable homes, two million square feet of commercial space, two schools, and the 600-acre Whisper Valley Park. Planned future neighborhood services include village-type restaurants, retail, office areas, two school campuses, an emergency services center, and a transportation center. Whisper Valley was voted as Green Builder Sustainable Community of 2019.
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BedZED
London
The Beddington Zero Energy Development (BedZED) is an environmentally friendly housing development in Wallington, a suburb of London.
Dubbed as one of the first major sustainable communities in the United Kingdom, the BedZED village in South London was initiated by Bioregional and developed by Peabody Trust in partnership with Bioregional and ZEDfactory architects. Completed in 2002, this large-scale, mixed-use sustainable community comprises 100 homes, office space, a college and community facilities.
Over half of the construction materials for the structures were sourced within 35 miles—considerably one of the closest, compared to the construction industry average. Around 3,400 tons of construction material, 15 percent of the total used in BedZED, were reclaimed or recycled products. Even the land the eco village stands on is recycled. It was used for many years for spreading sludge from the nearby sewage works.
Solar panels provide some of the BedZED’s electricity and energy-efficient appliances are used by residents, contributing to lower electricity bills. BedZED homes also use water-saving appliances like dual-flush toilets, aerated flow taps and shower heads, and water-efficient washing machines.
Most homes meanwhile have private outdoor space and almost every house has a small land or sky garden and a double-glazed conservatory.
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ParkRoyal Collection Pickering
Singapore
The ParkRoyal Collection Pickering is a hotel-in-a-garden concept with design inspired by rice paddy terraces. The iconic structure, which spans around 15,000 sqm, is a four-story building with numerous sky gardens, reflecting pools, waterfalls, planter terraces and cascading vertical greenery.
WOHA Architects incorporated crevasses, waterfalls and gullies into the design. These features are designed to be self-sustaining, taking advantage of Singapore’s abundant rainfall to irrigate all those plants through a drip system.
Sources: Inquirer Archives, CNN, www.thesustainablecity.ae, diamond-developers.ae, ecosmartsolution.com, www.whispervalleyaustin.com, www.zedfactory.com, www.bioregional.com, www.visitsingapore.com