Climate Positive - case studies

There are 18 projects of the Climate Positive Development Programme and, once all are completed, will impact the nearly one million people who will live and work in Climate Positive communities.

Antony Oliver
01 August 2014

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Planning

Sustainability

Infrastructure Intelligence takes a look at two developments that are leading thelow carbon thinking around the world

Case Study - LONDON - Elephant and Castle

Developer Lend Lease is working with Southwark Council to transform the traffic congested and run down Elephant & Castle area in south east London with a £1.5bn regeneration project.

Over the next ten years, the plan will see nearly 3,000 new homes built with more than 50 new shops and restaurants emerge following demolition of the huge concrete shopping centre – the first covered mall in Europe when opened in 1965 - and will include central London’s largest new park for over 70 years.

Lend Lease has set out to embeds low carbon designs to create a sustainable community that creates over 6,000 new jobs, invests £30M in transport improvements and £1.5M in local schools

Across the elements of the project such as the construction o new homes, transport infrastructure, business improvement and green spaces it has identified the so called “Elephant Effect” to create a truly sustainable and forward thinking community as part of delivering its Carbon Positive Development Programme. 

The Elephant Effect, explains Lend Lease, is about creating an opportunity to transform thinking about urban redevelopment and what it can achieve – not only on a local scale, but on a global one.

“It is a broad, lasting positive impact catalysed by our development that is felt not just in Elephant & Castle, but across the whole of London and in other developments around the world,” it explains.

HOMES

Nearly 3000 home delivered to the highest standards

• All homes will be built to Level 4 of the Code for Sustainable Homes as a minimum.
• Efficient building design and technology will improve insulation and air circulation – leading to 50 per cent energy savings for residents.
• All homes will maximise healthy living with a strong focus on natural light and fresh air.
• At least 50% of stormwater will be retained on site through sustainable urban drainage systems including extensive green roofs. Harvesting of rainwater will allow for the irrigation of gardens in the developments.
• The entire development will be constructed with 100% controlled, responsibly sourced FSC timber.
• All homes will be compliant with Lifetime Homes standards, which ensure our homes will support the changing needs of individuals and families at different stages of life.

Elephant Effect

“The energy efficiency measures we’re introducing in all of our homes will ensure that future residents will face much cheaper utility bills than the average home today.”

TRANSPORT

Regeneration plans will improve existing transport connections, make it easier for people to walk and cycle around the area and create an active, connected, safer and more hospitable community, with generous footpaths, landscaping and places to sit down along the way.

• Over £30M towards strategic transport improvements at E&C, including Northern Roundabout and Northern Line Ticket Hall improvements, and an extension of the Cycle Hire scheme
• Vastly improved pedestrian access including four new pedestrian crossings across existing major roads
• Provision of two new cycle routes between the New Kent Road and Walworth Road
• Provision of up to 19 new ZipCar club spaces (subject to demand) including 3 years free membership for new residents
• Over 3,000 cycle parking spaces
• 20% of car parking spaces provided on our development will be fitted with electrical charging points

Elephant Effect

“We’re promoting car clubs instead of car ownership. We’re creating secure bike parking spaces for every one of our new homes. We’re making it easier and more attractive to explore London on foot.”

BUSINESS

Plans hope to generate:

• Over £42M per year of additional household spend
• Over £600,000 per year in local spend by employees during construction
• Over £1M per year in additional local spend by workers employed in the completed developments

The Elephant Effect

“We want to make sure that we create the right mix of shops and we’ll take care to get the right tenants to ensure that we create a sustainable retail offer for the local community.”

GREEN SPACES

The landscape and public spaces will be a key feature of the completed development, playing a crucial part in mitigating the impacts of climate change, and creating a healthier and more pleasant environment.

• Central London’s largest new park in 70 years
• Up to 30,000 sqft of new publically accessible playspace, plus £300,000 contribution to upgrade nearby sports facilities
• Five new public squares
• Two new pocket parks
• New community garden
• Provision of 10 new routes through the developments in addition to existing routes
• Street lighting, street furniture, signage, and opportunities for public art
• Over 1200 new trees planted in the surrounding streets, parks, schools and estates

The Elephant effect

“After receiving funding from the Mayor’s Air Quality Fund, we are working with King’s College to carry out a study of air quality in Elephant & Castle. This will provide us with a baseline against which we can see how much the measures we are taking have actually improved air quality.”

Case Study - SAU PAULO - Parque da Cidade

The project by developer Odebrecht Real Estate Developments will create the Tower Office Park City a new mixed development with over 62,000 m² of green parkland and open to the public.

It is described by the developer as the perfect example of “how the economy and sustainability can go hand in hand”.

Creating a sustainable footprint across the development is a cornerstones of the City Park project and clearly critical to its place on the C40 Climate Positive Development Programme.

Initiatives such as selective rubbish collection, reuse of rainwater systems and other sustainable ideas are built in the project as economically viable and ecologically sustainable parts of the development plan.

The main tower will have 36 floors of flexible space to suit different sizes of companies, with quality infrastructure such as smart elevators, CCTV infrastructure, and an interactive building management system linking all the buildings in the development to monitor power and water consumption water