The British government’s recent Eco-town Programme represents a challenge in the way we develop new housing and new communities in the United Kingdom.
The programme seeks to address the principles of sustainable development, build sustainable communities and achieve sustainable living through new urban developments and expansions. It seeks to balance smarter land use, housing construction, access to public transport and local work; with social integration and principles of social inclusion and affordability. State-of-the-art green building, energy and transport technologies and materials are to be used in an urban development context.
The task is to ensure zero-carbon housing and that energy efficiencies are achieved through waste reduction, energy conservation technologies and use of more sustainable sources of energy. Eco-towns are to be the communities of the future.
Eco-town report - Learning from Europe on eco-towns
