Let's do the right thing

The World Wildlife Fund is concerned that the environment will be the casualty in the race to build more houses in the Thames Gateway. But building homes that are good for people and the planet need not delay development or cost more.

The WWF report, One Planet Living in the Thames Gateway, published this month, compares the build costs and energy savings of various models for environment-friendly communities.

BRE's environmental construction standard – EcoHomes – is considered the most comprehensive and successful sustainability assessment tool available.

It rewards dwellings built with insulation levels in excess of minimum Building Regulation requirements. It also gives credit for locating homes with good access to public transport and amenities, and building them of materials with low environmental impact.

Building homes to its "very good" standard costs, on average, 2% more than building a typical new house to Building Regulations. This is hardly a prohibitive cost, especially given the opportunity to offset this cost through planning gain.

Even if a small proportion of this extra cost were passed on to the homebuyer, this would be offset by sizeable reductions in expenditure on energy and water. A resident in a typical new home spends £197 on energy every year, compared with £127 in an EcoHomes "very good" house.

The Bioregional Development Group – of BedZED fame – has developed Z2, a vision of a series of well-connected smaller sustainable communities that do not use fossil energy, such as coal and gas, and generate minimal waste.

These communities would integrate residential, commercial and leisure uses so that most facilities are within walking distance and run car clubs – making it easier to live without a car. Heat and power would be generated locally and there would be space for growing food and wildlife habitats.

The build costs for a Z2 development are estimated to be 10% more than houses built to current Building Regulations. Half of this could again be offset through planning gain.

Energy bills in Z2 homes are 48% lower than those in typical homes. The environmental savings are even better: a 99% cut in carbon dioxide emissions, a 65% drop in water use and a 76% reduction in the amount of household waste sent to landfill.

Our report estimates that £1.2bn will have to be invested every year for 20 years to create the infrastructure for 200,000 homes. But the same amount could be spent on making significant environmental savings. Investing in public transport, cycle networks and car clubs will reduce the reliance on cars and result in the need for fewer roads.

The government must intervene to ensure that development throughout the Thames Gateway and other growth areas meets the highest possible sustainable development standards. It adds up environmentally, socially and economically.