Sustainable Housing

Written by experts using case studies of latest practice, Sustainable Housing: Principles and Practice presents new perspectives on residential sustainability. This book is based upon the 'Housing and Sustainability' conference at the RIBA in October 1998. It is intended to guide action into the next century, setting down key principles, providing important new technical information, and setting UK practice in a European context.

Perceptions of sustainable housing have moved from the importance of the individual dwelling to the issues facing neighbourhoods and communities. Transportation and urban form are essential elements of sustainability and with the broadening of interest comes the need for holistic models of living, working and leisure.

This book is not about the autonomous house but how to achieve self-sustaining communities. It looks at recent built projects (such as Hulme in Manchester) and ambitious schemes on the drawing board (the Greenwich Millennium Village). Since housing is responsible for 27 per cent of CO₂ emissions in the UK, the design of residential areas has a key role to play in addressing global warming.

But housing is also about social cohesion and the introduction by Hilary Armstrong (Minister for Housing and Local Government) sets down the importance the government places upon the links between sustainable development, social welfare and the regeneration of inner cities.