Though with the accomplishment of the BowZED case study, we became more familiar with the issues of sustainable buildings, sustainability and methods and solutions to how sustainability can be achieved. Meeting the functionality of a sustainable building as BowZED is obvious that by using eco-friendly technologies such as photovoltaic panels, wind turbines, wind cowls and wood-pellet burning boilers the consumption of the two most everyday needed resources, water and energy, is being reduced. Generally observing how BowZED was designed, we better realize that sustainable buildings are able to bring together a huge array of practices and skills in order to eliminate the impacts that a non-sustainable building can cause on the environment and human health. As the majority of the locations immediately need to get involved with sustainability, buildings like BowZED could initially be transferred as an idea of creating sustainable installations in the areas including greenery and vegetation and partially started being applied sustainable techniques such as passive solar, active solar, photovoltaic panels, rain gardens and so on, and then started building from the beginning zero carbon buildings as their buying cost is not so affordable and there is a lot of progress that can be done with people’s acceptance of sustainability as the present and intense need.
Surely, we can all agree that BowZED has indeed been a successful project in London. However, could it still be as successful in another place? It is clear that this building requires a hot and windy climate. It would be hugely beneficial for BowZED to be constructed in countries in the Asia, Middle East and Africa. The PV panels would in fact generate even more electricity in these places than in London. On the other hand, interior wise, a wood-pellet burning boiler would not be as important to the people of Africa as heaters or hot water is not a concern for them. Economically, BowZED would help light the houses of many people in a hot country by just the solar panel itself. This could be a potential boom in electricity and economy for them. Hence, it is clear that BowZED has been a success in the urban city and can be greeted with a warm welcome in the countries of Africa where working with nature, reused and recycled materials has become a cultural trademark for them. BowZED can be deemed a huge success over there.
The designers may have had to make sacrifices in certain aspects of the design. The windows are modest in their size which means that they are modest in their size which means that the amount of natural light coming through is compromised. As the building is Carbon Zero and therefore highly insulated, heat loss needs to be minimised. The amount of space is also compromised as the 300mm thick walls reduce the amount of space and so an open-plan format is adopted by the architects.
Those in favour of the project include the actual residents who describe living in the block of flats as being “comfortable, cheap as well as ethical” and from their responses of living there, the BowZed project seems to have been a success story. (6)
However, there are still people who criticise the project. James Kafton of Yorklake homes it cost “£250 per square metre to build bowzed”, expensive in comparison to the £150 per square metre for a conventional home (26). Although the home owners of the BowZed flats would be expected to save huge amounts on energy bills, the profit that was made by Yorklake was a lot less than the profit you would expect from a less energy-efficient home. This outlines the fact that today, it is still very much difficult to get Carbon-Zero housing built, both in terms of cost, as well as in persuading local people and planners. (reference Chris Willford) For example, ZedFactory have recently been refused planning permission for eight flats in Highgate (26).
Finally, what could have been done differently towards the build of BowZED? As well as the transport issue mentioned earlier, there seems to be an inherited issue with ZED projects, there is always lack of passion for greenery involved in their work, BowZED’s only greenery is on the terraces. For further projects, ZED factory needs to consider gardens and greenery, which is a key point to make London’s urban infrastructure draw closer to nature. Furthermore, for a better sustainable back up, the building could have more boilers in it as only one boiler is provided for the whole house as a backup. In addition, water efficiency is not given enough attention as the only information provided towards rain water is that it goes towards sewage systems.
Surely, we can all agree that BowZED has indeed been a successful project in London. However, could it still be as successful in another place? It is clear that this building requires a hot and windy climate. It would be hugely beneficial for BowZED to be constructed in countries in the Asia, Middle East and Africa. The PV panels would in fact generate even more electricity in these places than in London. On the other hand, interior wise, a wood-pellet burning boiler would not be as important to the people of Africa as heaters or hot water is not a concern for them. Economically, BowZED would help light the houses of many people in a hot country by just the solar panel itself. This could be a potential boom in electricity and economy for them. Hence, it is clear that BowZED has been a success in the urban city and can be greeted with a warm welcome in the countries of Africa where working with nature, reused and recycled materials has become a cultural trademark for them. BowZED can be deemed a huge success over there.
The designers may have had to make sacrifices in certain aspects of the design. The windows are modest in their size which means that they are modest in their size which means that the amount of natural light coming through is compromised. As the building is Carbon Zero and therefore highly insulated, heat loss needs to be minimised. The amount of space is also compromised as the 300mm thick walls reduce the amount of space and so an open-plan format is adopted by the architects.
Those in favour of the project include the actual residents who describe living in the block of flats as being “comfortable, cheap as well as ethical” and from their responses of living there, the BowZed project seems to have been a success story. (6)
However, there are still people who criticise the project. James Kafton of Yorklake homes it cost “£250 per square metre to build bowzed”, expensive in comparison to the £150 per square metre for a conventional home (26). Although the home owners of the BowZed flats would be expected to save huge amounts on energy bills, the profit that was made by Yorklake was a lot less than the profit you would expect from a less energy-efficient home. This outlines the fact that today, it is still very much difficult to get Carbon-Zero housing built, both in terms of cost, as well as in persuading local people and planners. (reference Chris Willford) For example, ZedFactory have recently been refused planning permission for eight flats in Highgate (26).
Finally, what could have been done differently towards the build of BowZED? As well as the transport issue mentioned earlier, there seems to be an inherited issue with ZED projects, there is always lack of passion for greenery involved in their work, BowZED’s only greenery is on the terraces. For further projects, ZED factory needs to consider gardens and greenery, which is a key point to make London’s urban infrastructure draw closer to nature. Furthermore, for a better sustainable back up, the building could have more boilers in it as only one boiler is provided for the whole house as a backup. In addition, water efficiency is not given enough attention as the only information provided towards rain water is that it goes towards sewage systems.