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Under the Energy Savings Trust’s (EST) ‘Innovative Carbon Reduction Pilot’ programme, HHP have been awarded funding towards looking at the feasibility of its proposed project,

Autonomous - Zero CO₂ - Zero Heating Housing

If the feasibility study is considered promising enough it will be implemented in full with further funding from EST.

The project will lead to a set of tools, templates, publications, specifications (Super Regs.), a full set of working plans for three sites and with development of commercially built properties on at least one site. These will demonstrate that Autonomous, Zero CO₂, Zero Heating houses are attractive, cost-effective and lead to substantial reductions in carbon emissions.

The project will:

1. Encourage the elimination of all carbon emissions associated with the building and occupancy of residential households.

2. Encourage significant reductions in dependency on mains services to residential dwellings.

3. Examine the possibilities of incorporating renewable energy provision into the housing schemes.

4. Examine ways to minimise the use of privately owned fossil fuel vehicles within housing schemes.

5. And will achieve all the above without loss of amenity for the householders

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Solar Prize Winner

Since 1994, EUROSOLAR (The European Association for Renewable Energies) has awarded annually the European Solar Prize to individuals, municipalities, enterprises, and operators of installations using Renewable Energy as well as to organisations rendering outstanding service to the utilization and promotion of Renewable Energies.

We were very pleased to be informed this September, that the Hockerton Housing Project has been awarded the Solar Prize 2001 for the category Solar Construction – Buildings.

(This is a non-material award.)

Unfortunately we are not in a position to attend the Prize Awarding Ceremony on 5^th December in Berlin.

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Guide to Sustainable Housing Schemes

We are currently collecting information for a new HHP publication –

A Guide to Sustainable Housing Schemes in the UK

This is partly funded by the Government’s ‘Environmental Action Fund’, and is part of a larger two-year project, ‘The Sustainable Community’ managed by HHP since April 2000.

This publication will be an easy to use guide taking the reader through a broad range of projects, covering many aspects of sustainability and from all over UK. In the main section a page will be devoted to each project with quick reference to a whole range of information such as: Project Status; Key Features; Project Summary; Additional Services: Visitor Arrangements and Vacant Positions. A secondary section will cover other projects, but in far less detail, where there is less information or a similar example has already been covered as one of case studies. The case studies will be focused primarily on sustainability issues with community aspects an important element.

The style of the publication will be similar to HHP’s publication – ‘The Sustainable Community – A Practical Guide’. It is anticipated that the bulk of the publication will be in monochrome with an attractive colour cover similar to HHP guide. It is hoped that a number of images/ graphics will be available for many of the schemes.

If would like your project to be included in the publication, please contact us immediately – we will be finalizing which case studies to be included by the end of November.

In return for your help in providing us with information about your scheme you will receive a complimentary copy of the publication, as well as being considered for free membership of the newly launched ‘Eco Matchmaking Service’ (see update below)

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Match-making service – update

The service putting people in contact with sustainable projects or with other like-minded individuals looking to develop sustainable housing schemes

The first list of registered members of ‘Eco Matchmaking’ service has been compiled and issued to all its members. This included full profiles of all members. A new database has been set up to manage effectively the growth in membership numbers.

As well a number of discounts on current HHP products and services worth over £10, we are also offering all applications received before end of 2001, a complimentary copy of a new HHP publication, ‘A guide to Sustainable Housing Projects in the UK’ (worth £7.50), due our early 2002. This will include over 30 detailed case studies and a further 50-100 projects in less detail. It will include information about whether these projects can be viewed or visited, and whether they have any vacancies for new members.

The ‘Eco Matchmaking’ service will provide:

4 An updated contact list every 6 months of other people looking to establish/join an ecological scheme. (Including summarized details for each contact)

4 Detailed profiles available on request for each person(s) on contact list

4 Notification of new sustainable projects

4 Detailed profiles available on request for each project/scheme

4 Assistance (on request) in finding contacts to develop your plans, including;

· Green architects

· Green builders

· Manufacturers/suppliers of green materials

· Organisations/businesses providing specialist advice.

You will receive your first contact list soon after you have joined the service. In essence this will be an extra listing, since renewal will not be required until Jan 2003. In the meantime you can make use of a range of associated discounted publication offers and services.

If you are interested in this service please request an APPLICATION FORM by email.

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Bedford Talk

In September, The Renewable Energy Forum (Bedford) requested a talk on the Hockerton Housing Project to enable its members to find out about the latest developments in sustainable living initiatives. The audience was made up of interested individuals as well as professionals working in the field such as sustainable development officers and planners. Simon Tilley, one of the residents of the Project, gave an interactive presentation presenting his experience of the successes and stumbling blocks of "Eco living" – of course all in a down to earth and friendly way!

The presentation told a story of how the houses where constructed and now, how they are currently being lived in. A natural flow of questions asked by the audience peppered the evening, which enabled Simon to tailor the talk to their interests as he went along.

Feedback from the talk, in answer to the question, “What did you find most interesting?” Included:

· "All was fascinating"

· "Details of the water systems, wind power, energy consumption figures, insulation details"

· "The way people live modern lives with little impact on the environment"

· "It was all interesting. Highly practical"

This is an example of the many talks that HHP do each year to professional groups, university courses and interest groups.

If you would like one of our speakers/residents to provide a talk/presentation or to run an appropriate workshop session for your organisation, please contact us to discuss arrangements.

We do ask for at reasonable fee to cover time and expenses.

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Wind turbine (update)

A very short update………………………..

The footings are in place. We are simply awaiting delivery of the tower and turbine.

We will provide a detailed report for next bulletin.

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Zero Emission Network (update)

The Zero Emission Network aims to assist designers and promoters of zero emission housing projects to identify and develop markets for their services. It will establish a working group of organisations interested in the development of zero emission housing and produce a directory for a zero emission network.

Brief Update

We have now completed the research phase and are now developing the directory and guidance elements of the project. As a result of feedback and a review of the best way to present the information, we have decided that website technology offers the best solution. This will allow us to provide:

· A directory that can be continually updated, both to reflect changes of circumstances as well as allow new members to join on an ongoing basis through self-registration

· Increased opportunities for you to promote your activities/services

· Notification of key events/news, new links, and useful publications

· Ongoing submission of members' articles

· Development of discussion forums.

To achieve this ambitious plan, we have teamed up with website experts at The University of Nottingham’s innovationONLINE team (IOL). The IOL website was initially set up to support clusters of innovative companies by providing them with expertise and relevant information to help them innovate. The members of ZEN, the ‘ZEN Community’ will be a self-contained group within a much larger membership of businesses and organisations on the IOL website. This means that members will benefit both by being part of a defined group (and therefore only receive relevant information that has been targeted towards your interests), whilst being able to tap into a wider network of companies who may be interested in your products and services.

Visit the Hockerton Housing Project, a zero emission development

Thursday January 24^th2002 - The next date for a tour of Hockerton Housing project for building professionals and others interested in a longer, more technically focused visit (ultra low energy housing with zero heating requirement).

All guided tours include:

· a slide presentation showing history of project development from conception to completion of construction

· tour of one of the passive solar homes focusing on energy saving features and eco-design

· site tour with particular emphasis on autonomous water services

· small exhibition and light refreshments

· opportunity to purchase a limited range of HHP and related publications

· small selection of human powered vehicles and electric car will be on view during the site tour (subject to weather).

· an opportunity for informal discussion.

· The tour guide will be Nick Martin, the project developer and a resident of one of the homes.

The tour will last approximately 3 hours and cost £20.00 per person. All money is used to allow us to further promote sustainability. We are a not-for-profit organisation. Your booking will be confirmed with directions on how to reach us on receipt of full payment.

If you would like to join this tour please email us with numbers you wish to bring – we will then confirm if there are sufficient places remaining and send you further booking details.

If you are unable to attend on the above date we will try to offer an alternative later in the year

Prize Winners

Anyone completing all sections of the ZEN questionnaire earlier this year were entered into a free prize draw for three copies of ‘The New Autonomous House – Design and Planning for Sustainability’ (Brenda & Robert Vale).

The winners were (with brief details of their involvement in sustainable construction):

· Tarsem Flora from Agenda 21 Architects, Croydon

I have been involved with Design With Nature since 1965. The first scheme ever to be built on this principle was the Green Spring and Worthington Valleys, North of Baltimore in USA. It covered some 70 sq. mile area. Since then I have applied the concept in most of my designs. Redditch new town in 1967-8 But not very successfully as the authority was reluctant to accept the principle of not building on stream courses and floor plains. I have also successfully applied it to a new town in Malaysia and also a holiday centre in Jamaica.

· Jon Fox (Senior Planning Officer) from Lincoln City Council

Jon was very much involved in the drafting of the Council’s supplementary planning guidance document – ‘Green Design in Planning’.

· Clive Jones & Associates, Architects

Environmental friendly/ Energy conscious/ healthy designs. Key achievements in low energy design include:

(1) Designed and built own energy efficient, environment friendly home in 1984

(2) Designed and supervised environment award winning health centre [low energy, healthy building] 1993

(3) Designed and supervised low energy 10 Pin Bowling Centre in refurbished warehouse, also won an award, 1995

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Not all Houses are Square

The Hockerton Housing Project was the last housing scheme to be covered in a 3 day series of programmes, ‘Not all Houses are Square’ on Channel 4 in October.

Charlie Luxton takes a look at those who go it alone with their personalized houses, assessing examples ranging from successful eco-homes at Hockerton, to unusual town houses built on small strips of land rejected by developers – projects that have beneficial implications for the whole housing sector. (Channel 4 website)

Apart from a few factual errors, reference to commune and hair shirts, it gave a good sense of life at the Project. More importantly the example of HHP along with many others over the three programmes challenged the assumption that houses have to be so unimaginative, conventional and wasteful on natural resources. Homes can be far more interesting and pleasant places to occupy without costing the earth!

Other media involving HHP coming up soon include; Channel 4 Education; Lincs FM (report during ‘Energy-Efficiency Week’, and an article in a Turkish architectural magazine (please don’t ask for copies!)

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Dripping with Honey

This year has been one of our most productive for organics and honey. With no late frosts in the spring or early autumn, the growing season has been extended this year by several weeks – Is this connected with global warming? I am sure many of you ask this question. We have had the warmest October in the UK since records began. Although this seems like good news to many food growers, I cannot help worry about the more sinister affects it maybe having on the natural cycle of the seasons. What problems is it creating that make take time to show up. What about the recent floods.

Anyway, avoiding getting gloomy, it has been our best year for honey. Our four hives (that temporarily grew to five during the summer, courtesy of a captured swarm) produced over 350lbs of honey. This created quite a problem with finding enough jars. It has also been a bumper year for fruit, in particular cherries, plums, damsons, greengages and apples. In mid October we used many of the apple windfalls for juicing and to start some cider making – no doubt this will go a little way to temporarily easing worries over climate change!

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The Sustainable Community – A Practical Guide

52 pp paperback,
b&w illus and photos

The Sustainable Community: A Practical Guide (Members of the Hockerton Housing Project). In a densely packed, magazine format guide, the Hockerton Housing Project have distilled their experiences of putting into practice the principles of ecological living. From questions of "What is a sustainable community?" through to "Are you ready to live in a small community?" to "Selecting green furnishing and household goods", the guide takes you step-by-step from the depths of your armchair to the door of your own eco-community. A veritable eco-friendly mine of useful information. (Edge of Time)

Available now
£8.50

To order, please send a cheque made payable to ‘HHP Trading Ltd’, and send to:

The Hockerton Housing Project, Gables Drive, Hockerton, Southwell, Notts NG25 0QU

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New website links

We have recently added website links to a number of environmental organisations – Why not check them out?

Positive Power Positive Power is a UK based web portal focusing on renewable energy, bridging the gap between the companies and organisations involved with renewable energy and people wishing to use it.

Low Impact Living Initiative (LILI) - LILI is dedicated to helping protect the global environment by promoting sustainable alternatives to various aspects of everyday life. Contact us to find out more about our installations, workshops, presentations and manuals. Low-Impact Living Initiative, Redfield Community, Buckingham Road, Winslow, Bucks, MK18 3LZ. Tel / fax: (01296) 714184

Shared Garden - The site provides information about a community garden project in Nottingham and has an interest in organic, bio-dynamic, healthy living, community services and related topics.

Sustainable-scotland.com An interactive site where you can learn about sustainable development & the environment in Scotland on a national and local level............even on your doorstep. This site was designed to present integrated information about Scottish and local environmental initiatives TO inspire people to care for the environment and their surroundings. The site further supports the Freedom of information initiative and provides links to main environmental initiatives in Scotland in an easy to navigate site.

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Other Sustainable Community news

Uk Earthship cleared for landing

Brighton and Hove City Council (UK) has granted planning permission to build Europe's first official Earthship in Stanmer Park.

Earthships are buildings, which work with the planets natural systems. They do not make use of greenhouse gas emitting power stations, nor do they rely on mains water or waste services. They are autonomous and therefore cheap to run -using the sun's energy and rain to provide heat, power and water. They are built from a massive waste problem - discarded tyres filled with compacted earth.

The Earthship is a unique opportunity for Brighton and Hove to demonstrate its commitment and capacity for innovation in the face of climate change. It will also fulfil a vital local role in the communication of sustainability and permaculture by providing meeting space for Brighton Permaculture Trust, Stanmer Organics and the Low Carbon Network.

The Brighton Earthship is non-residential, being used as a training and office resource. But its layout and size make it big enough to demonstrate its applicability to housing solutions.

Europe's first Earthship, built in such a strategic location, will act as a multiplier for this approach and the 'low carbon' technologies associated with it'. Members of Brighton's Low Carbon Network have worked very hard on this application, and it's great that the Council has been so supportive at this crucial stage. We now need to tackle the next hurdle and will be turning our attention to fund raising!

Steward Wood

Woodlanders told their lives not sustainable - Devon group intends to fight ruling by planning authority (Tania Branigan -Guardian Unlimited - Thursday September 6, 2001)

To the inhabitants of Steward Wood, it represents an idealistic vision. To nearby residents, Dartmoor national park authorities and the planning inspectorate, it is a naive and unwelcome experiment. After 16 months, innumerable arguments and thousands of pounds in legal bills, an eight strong community attempting to live sustainably
on the land has been told to leave its home. The members, whose ages range from 24 to the late 50s, set up the
project near the Devon village of Moretonhampstead in April last year, hoping to find a simpler, more responsible way of living. They stumped up £50,000 to buy the unused 32 acre plot, but did not apply for residential use of the land until two months after they moved there. Four months later that was rejected. Now, after more months of debate, the planning inspectorate has backed the park authority's ruling. The group said it will continue to fight and plans to take the case to the high court on the grounds that the planning process infringes their rights under the Human Rights Act, but is running short of cash having already spent £6,000 on legal bills.

"I don't think anyone's got any objection to their principles, but there's a right and a wrong place to carry this out and we didn't think this was the right place for it," said James Aven, enforcement officer for the authority. "Obviously, neither does the planning inspectorate. It's an unauthorized change of use of the land and they didn't have planning permission.

"The residential use of the land falls outside what we allow. We are all aware of the need to reuse brown field sites and maybe that would have been a better option than moving into healthy land which has been there many years without any residence."

Project members argue that to manage the land while living elsewhere would defeat the point and that in any case they could not afford housing without taking on full time jobs which would leave them no time to work in the woods. But local residents share the authority's concerns. David Cannon, who lives in Steward Hamlet and whose garden adjoins the woodland, is worried by the precedent the community could set. "I agree with certain of their aims, but they are going about this the wrong way," he said. "If this was allowed to go through it would mean that any woods, any land anywhere in the national park or elsewhere in Britain, could be occupied. "They have been there a year and a half and nothing has been grown. They talk about sustainability, but they go up to the shops like anyone else."

The community members claim to be "surprised and disappointed" by the planning inspectorate's decision, but concede they always expected to run into difficulties. "We planned the project and moved on to the land in the knowledge that permission is very, very difficult to obtain and people who want to live like this end up leaving the country," said Ben Leary, who worked as a computer technician before joining the project. "The planning authorities get upset with anything that isn't a square box they understand and have policies for. "It is our human right to be able to live off the earth and to take responsibility for our own production and our own lives," he said.

While others argue that the community are naive idealists, the members point out that they have already survived one winter, and argue that they are well prepared for woodland life. They gained experience of coppicing, felling and other skills by working on similar projects such as Tinker's Bubble, Somerset. They are equally dismissive of conservation concerns, pointing out that the apparently pristine forest is in fact a former conifer plantation. "Its value for conservation comes through its potential for conversion back to broadleaf woodland. Otherwise it will just turn into bramble and sycamore," said Mr Leary.

For more information see website: http://www.stewardwood.org

Eco-Hamlet

“A group first met together in summer 2000. Our latest four day gathering at Easter 2001 was attended by 14 adults and 5 children, unable to attend were a further 8 adults and 7 children.

We are from various parts of the UK. We have a common vision of being part of an ecologically focused rural community. Central to the vision is that an individual or families, have their own self-built low impact dwellings, sharing a beautiful building/resource centre and gardens. We aspire to creating a vibrant communal spirit that is child friendly, secure but also adaptable to change.

Low rents, a high degree of self-sufficiency and voluntary low consumption should enable us to minimise outside paid employment. In the long term many of us want to make a living directly from the land we live on. Existing skills or aspirations include selling surplus organic vegetables, woodland management, furniture making, medicinal herbs, cider and fruit juices, edible forests, Wwoofers, group work and courses.

We are currently researching (or by the time you read this may have bought) land somewhere in England or Wales preferably with woodland (or access to it), rural but not too isolated and maybe by the sea.”

There are currently two ways that you can get more involved with this project:

1. As a member of our core circle. If you share our vision and have the time and energy to commit to making it a reality then we would love to hear from you. Please contact us to find out more.

2. Join our circle of information and support. Please reply to us by e-mail or send us some S.A.E’s if you would like to be kept in touch with our progress (a donation towards photocopying costs would also be useful). We know that supporters are often able to offer invaluable expertise and practical help, so please let us know if you have skills that you can share. (To those of you who are already receiving updates from us by post, please also send a few SAEs if you’d still like us to keep you informed.)

Reply to: Mark and Michelle, Northdown Orchard, South Litchfield

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EVNUK

The EcoVillage Network UK (EVNUK) now have a desk in a small office and yes, we have entered 21st century
and got ourselves a telephone. We tend to be in on Thursday Mornings.

ECOVILLAGE NETWORK UK - http://www.ecovillages.org/uk/network/
Populating the Rhetoric of Rural Sustainability
PO Box 1410, Bristol, BS99 3JP
Tel: +44 (0)117 373 0346
Email: evnuk@gaia.org

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Diggers & Dreamers 2002/03 - The Guide to Communal Living

After 12 years and six editions Diggers & Dreamers is changing. The new format pocket book gives you an up-to-date directory of more than 80 existing and embryonic communities within the UK plus a basic introduction to the ideas behind communal living. Other features include:

Icons indicating how each community operates (on financial and sustainability levels)
Answers to Frequently Asked Questions
Listing of Networks and Support Organisations

This is your opportunity to find out how the social ecologies of sharing are being pioneered in intentional communities today.

Available late September 2001
£5.50 To order visit website www.edgeoftime.co.uk

224 pp paperback, b&w illustrations ISBN 0 9514945 6 2 D&D Publications

Edited by Sarah Bunker, Chris Coates, Andy Hill, David Hodgson, Jonathan How and Christine Watson

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Environmental Courses

Sustainable Living - Presented by Bob Harris

Join me at one of my courses starting in September, October January and February. They are radical in their approach and offer you new horizons. I aim for my classes to be enjoyable and informative and I respect the expertise of those attending. Contact me on 07956 341578 and I will return your call or email: robert.harris3@tesco.net

Richmond upon Thames College. (Agenda 21)

Enrolment: 11th 12th 13th Sept 6.0pm to 7.30pm at RUTC Egerton Road Twickckenham Middx. Or by phone on 020 8607 8000 - Substantial reductions for those on certain benifits. All participants need to pay an £18.00 Reg fee.

Eco Building. This is a specialist in-depth course in ecological building. It has ran for the past eight years. Designed for both amateurs and professionals it has a theme of self build.

Monday evenings 6.00pm to 9.30pm (held over 30 weeks) Starts 17th Sept. Cost £130.00 + £18 Reg. RUTC

Free presentations about these courses:

Wed 12th Sept Starting 2.00pm to 3.00pm at RACC Clifden Road Twickenham. hurs 13th Sept Starting 11.00am to 12.00 at RACC Clifden Road Twickenham.

Eco Design & Building. This course looks at a broader field of ecological design and focuses on the health aspects of ecological building. Designed to offer you a healthier home.

Thurs 6.15pm to 9.30pm (held over 13 weeks) Starts 18th Oct Cost £110.00 Course Code O76592 RACC

Introduction to Renewable Energy Weekend Course, Wales

Another Introduction to Renewable Energy Weekend Course will take place at the Centre of Continuing Education, University of Wales, Aberystwyth, in Mid-Wales on:

Friday 16 November, Saturday 17 November and Sunday 18 November.

The course will give an overview of the technology of renewable energy and outline the basic principles of small-scale wind power, solar electricity and microhydro-power and their applications for homes, businesses and farms. Post-Kyoto, this is an ideal way to learn about the nuts and bolts of this increasingly important range of technologies.

The course is aimed at those in the business, non-profit, public and academic sectors who wish to get a comprehensive introduction to renewable energy electrical technology in general, as well as those wishing to installing renewable energy systems in both urban or rural settings. The emphasis will be on how things work, what it is practicable to do, and
participants will have the opportunity to develop their own projects. At the end of the course participants should be able to do basic designs for renewable energy systems.

Visit the Green Dragon Energy website at www.greendragonenergy.co.uk for an overview of the technologies covered on the course. For information on the course contents please contact Green Dragon Energy on 01974 821 564 or dragonrg@talk21.com.

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