Self-Sufficient Housing Communities

On our blog, we frequently discuss topics related to self-sufficient homes or dwellings, particularly regarding single-family houses, as it is usually individuals who take the initiative to build a home in harmony with the environment. However, what about self-sufficient housing communities?

Are there developers today willing to undertake the promotion of a self-sufficient housing complex?

Are there public initiatives promoting subsidized or social housing buildings and complexes that are self-sufficient?

Today, we are shifting scales to address an innovative field: self-sufficient housing communities.

Achieving self-sufficient housing communities—capable of self-supply and operating normally through sustainable consumption patterns, passive energy production strategies, and, above all, promoting a lifestyle based on respect for the environment and its resources—will be the challenge of the coming decades. We cannot expect to meet current energy consumption standards solely through renewable energies; the solution lies in reducing consumption. In this regard, zero-consumption houses and, by extension, zero-consumption housing communities play a key role.

What is a self-sufficient home?

Let us start at the beginning by describing what a self-sufficient home is, in order to better understand self-sufficient housing communities.

A self-sufficient house is, as the term suggests, a house capable of supplying its own needs. These dwellings are also known as passive houses or off-grid houses.

We are referring to homes with zero or near-zero consumption that do not need to be connected to any external energy source or resource to meet the vital needs of their inhabitants.

Furthermore, we must not confuse self-sufficient homes with ecological ones. In the first case, a self-sufficient or passive house could be built with non-natural or non-ecological materials, such as petroleum-derived insulation, whereas the second typology only admits natural or ecological materials.

Requirements for a self-sufficient home

A self-sufficient home must meet certain requirements to be considered as such.

Firstly, it must ensure the comfort and total supply of the family unit living in the house.

If one chooses to live in this type of house, we must embrace a lifestyle change that reduces individual energy and basic resource consumption, supported by strategies for control, reuse, recycling, and passive harvesting.

Generally, these strategies are specifically designed to work in temperate climates like the Mediterranean or similar ones; however, they can be applied anywhere on the planet if we apply logic and prioritize certain strategies based on the local climate.

Are self-sufficient housing communities viable?

Let us delve into the subject of self-sufficient housing communities and their viability in both the short and long term.

At first glance, one might think that investing in or promoting a self-sufficient housing community would be complicated and lack market demand. However, the reality is that society is gradually becoming aware of the advantages of these types of houses, where the initial investment is amortized in less than 10 years thanks to total disconnection from increasingly expensive supply grids.

In today’s society, anyone understands that if the cost per m² is similar or slightly higher but can be amortized relatively quickly, it is more coherent to live in communities that are in harmony with the planet. A neighborhood or housing community also allows for the establishment of social relationships and contact with neighbors, which, for human beings, fosters positive relationships that generate happiness.

Furthermore, these types of communities provide workspaces for independent professionals as well as access to basic services such as shops, medical centers, or schools.

In fact, examples of these self-sufficient housing communities already exist in Europe.

Since 1999, British architect Bill Dunster has led a platform called ZED Factory (Zero Fossil Energy Developments). This ‘factory’ for zero-fossil-fuel housing developments works across various scales of real estate projects, always emphasizing zero carbon emissions and a sustainable philosophy of life based on self-sufficiency, zero consumption, and zero waste production.

ZedFactory

As its name suggests, ZED – Zero Fossil Energy Development, the company seeks to develop architecture or architectural planning where consumption and emissions are zero, resulting in minimal environmental and energy impact on the planet.

They work worldwide, particularly in the United Kingdom, China, and Brazil.

Its scope of work ranges from the construction of small single-family homes, renovations, or minor interventions to ECO Neighborhoods and large-scale urban planning / master plans.

They focus on renewable energy sources such as the sun, wind, and earth, as well as passive harvesting systems: inertia, insulation, and energy-capturing or accumulating materials.

Thanks to its sustainable advances and proposals, ZEDFactory champions self-sufficient housing communities and carries out works that demonstrate the viability and future of these types of urban plans and buildings.

For a building to be considered a zero-energy building, it must be guaranteed that its net energy consumption is zero or near zero throughout the year.

To achieve this, it must have its own renewable energy sources. These must cover the total demand of the building to supply all its users.

Self-sufficient housing communities like BedZED are formed from these types of buildings. Specifically, BedZED is a complex of 92 homes of various types. It incorporates businesses and community services, forming a sustainable residential complex in an ecological and highly energy-efficient environment.

The most interesting aspect is that the neighborhood is built on a former waste treatment plant. Thus, it can be said that the project has successfully converted the site into a global benchmark for sustainable housing and self-sufficient housing communities.

One of the primary objectives of the BedZED project was to create a neighborhood with zero fossil fuel consumption (coal, gas, and oil). To this end, it utilizes passive solar strategies, makes intelligent use of the climate, uses recycled materials, and promotes recycling, composting, and responsible water use. In conclusion, it represents a completely sustainable and environmentally friendly way of life.

Passive solar strategies include, in addition to the installation of solar panels, cross-ventilation systems, ventilation chimneys, green roofs, natural lighting, adequate thermal insulation, and the optimization of openings according to their orientation (smaller on the north and larger on the south), etc.

These solutions or strategies allow for a significant reduction in energy consumption from non-renewable sources such as heating, air conditioning, etc.

This philosophy is also applied to urban planning and design. Three-story residential blocks are combined with service spaces, commercial premises, or work areas. Work zones are located in the lower sections of the south-facing facades and feature garden roofs, providing excellent lighting conditions and green spaces with direct access from the homes. The aim is to create mixed-use spaces to balance consumption equally throughout the neighborhood.

Advantages of living in self-sufficient housing communities – Lifestyle

Having seen this clear example of a social system for living in self-sufficient housing communities, we are more aware that it is a feasible choice at an economic, business, and social level.

Living in a community is a benefit for many people who, despite needing to escape the hustle and bustle of a frantic and unhealthy city lifestyle, seek to continue sharing their daily lives with others in a more relaxed environment.

Offering this alternative, while following the foundations of sustainability through self-sufficient housing communities, is entirely advantageous.

Living in a community is always better. It is known that after the devastating Hurricane Sandy swept through entire towns in New York, many people were able to survive thanks to the help provided by neighbors, who organized to share available resources and assist those who could not help themselves (the elderly, children, the sick, etc.).

This is an intrinsic human trait: if we organize and distribute tasks, we can take on greater challenges and evolve. This is how human history has unfolded, though it has changed in recent years due to new technologies and the apparent low cost of living provided by fossil fuels. However, the reality is that we function better when we help each other.

When a mother has a child, people often speak of postpartum depression; what often happens is that the mother spends 4 or 5 months alone at home without help during a transcendental moment in her life. Humans are a social species and we need a solid network of family and friends to be happy.

If this network is also utilized to create a self-sufficient community that supplies its own needs, it seems we have found the path toward global sustainability.