One Planet Communities: A Real Life Guide to Sustainable Living [Paperback]

Starting from first principles and using the practical experience of developing sustainable communities cost–effectively, One Planet Living cuts through the confusion. It presents a clear and simple framework that will allow students, developers, surveyors, engineers, policy–makers, architects and planners to structure their thinking. It will no doubt be the standard introductory text for design professionals and the development and planning industry.

Can we take deep green concepts about building sustainable communities to the heart of our economic mainstream? From practical experience, we know we can - and do it in a way which can be cost-effective, delivers higher levels of health and happiness and, as a property developer myself, a better product to offer the customer.

I write this from my home in the BedZED eco-village in South London, completed in 2002. We are in another cold spell - yet our home remains warm with minimal heating. Two car club cars are parked outside which means I don't own a car for everyday use. I feel insulated against rises in oil prices and safe because of the strong community spirit. My neighbours are ordinary people, not necessarily green fanatics. Not everything has worked yet it is, truly, a great place to live.

It has been an amazing journey. We have monitored everything from greenhouse gases to financial costs and social indicators. We have learned some hard lessons. Our most important lesson perhaps is that to truly create communities we must look at our whole ecological footprint and to think as much about green lifestyles as green buildings - the software of sustainability as well as the hardware. Communication is as important as measuring carbon, and success will depend on how all aspects of sustainability are brought together coherently.

This book describes BedZED and the next step in our journey, working with leading developers and municipal authorities around the world to apply the One Planet Living framework. The book is both a story and, hopefully, a guide. I am grateful for the opportunity to share our learning and that of our partners.

Pooran Desai, February 2010

John Wiley & Sons publishes a wide selection of architectural titles from the UK, covering subjects ranging from architectural history, the environment, interior design, landscape architecture, urban design and new technologies. It is the publisher of the prestigious international journal Architectural Design, which is published bi–monthly in book form and is available on subscription. It also produces other high–quality, illustrated architecture books. For a further selection see www.wiley.com

Architectural Design:

Territory: Architecture beyond Environment Guest–edited by David Gissen ISBN: 978–0–470–72165–0

Other John Wiley & Sons titles include: The Urban Housing Handbook Eric Firley and Caroline Stahl ISBN: 978–0–470–51275–3

Design through Dialogue: A Guide for Architects and Clients – Karen A Franck and Teresa von Sommaruga Howard ISBN: 978–0470–72190–2, 978–0470–87071–6 --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

How can we create sustainable zero carbon communities cost–effectively at the same time as increasing the probability of people leading happy and healthy lives? Written from the perspective of practical experience gained from world–leading projects such as Beddington Zero fossil Energy Development (BedZED), One Brighton and Masdar City, this book provides a clear overview and simple insights for students, interested individuals and professionals in all areas of the property development and planning industries – including architecture, planning, engineering, surveying, development management, finance, legal, sales and marketing and estates management. It combines leading edge thinking with simple practical advice in this fast emerging field.

In the often confused realm of sustainable development, the book starts with the question of how to turn sustainability from an abstract concept into a clear framework on which to base practical design, development, long–term management and governance decisions. It describes One Planet Living, the approach which links the science of ecological footprinting to a simple framework of principles, and how the framework is being applied to create a coherent approach to projects in the UK, Europe, USA, South Africa, the Middle East, China and Australia, It also draws on other examples of best practice from around the world.

′Essential reading for the industry′ Khaled Awad, Director of Property Development, Masdar.

′...gave us the framework to create a world–renowned sustainable community′. – Brad Baker, President and CEO, Codding Enterprises, California.

′...gives a clear analytical direction to follow ...reads like a historical detective story.′ – David Nelson, Head of Design, Foster + Partners.

Pooran Desai, OBE, is co-founder of award-winning environmental organisation, BioRegional Development Group, where he originated the term `One Planet Living' and leads BioRegional's One Planet Communities programme. He is also Sustainability Director of UK sustainable property development company, BioRegional Quintain Ltd. Living and working at the BedZED eco-village in south London, he brings personal as well as professional experience to bear on his work.