Greenest Block of Flats in London
Posted on: Tuesday, 3 April 2007, 03:00 CDT
By BO WILSON
A RESIDENT of London's first zerocarbon flats today described life in the capital's greenest homes.
The award-winning BowZED block supplies power to its sets of residents through solar panels and wind turbines, ensuring it has no overall impact on carbon emissions that fuel global warming.
Residents of BowZED - located in Bow, with the ZED standing for Zero Energy Development - said living there was comfortable and cheap as well as ethical. The four-flat block is heavily insulated, keeping flats cool in summer and warm in winter.
Hot water and backup heating for winter are provided by a single wood pellet boiler. Surplus energy created is sold back to the National Grid.
Tudor Hopkins, 32, bought one of the flats before building had finished two and a half years ago.
Although it has rocketed in value, he vows he will never sell. "Its charm for me initially was its location, and when they said it was zero carbon I thought it was an ecological bonus," he said.
"I have a monthly electricity bill of Pounds 10. It is so warm because of the solar panels and I hardly ever turn the heating on. I bought the flat for Pounds 210,000 two-and-a-half years ago and it is now worth Pounds 280,000 - but I will never sell."
Young film directors are being urged to make movies about global warming with the chance of winning Pounds 5,000. Climate charity Global Cool, backed by actress Sienna Miller, have launched the competition.
Check out globalcool.org or scenewon.co.uk for details.
(c) 2007 Evening Standard; London (UK). Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning. All rights Reserved.
Source: Evening Standard; London (UK)
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