Oct 12 2006
Award winning environment charity, BioRegional Development Group, have launched a new sustainability exhibition and eco-chic show home within their offices at the BedZED eco-village in south London. The exhibition was designed by celebrity designer, Oliver Heath and his team of sustainable design specialists. Developers, planners, architects, students and anyone interested in sustainable living are invited to find out how they can live a “one planet lifestyle” and be inspired by the practical sustainable projects, such as sustainable communities and wood chip for energy that BioRegional are developing.
Sue Riddlestone, Director of BioRegional said: Our new exhibition shows the full breadth of BioRegional’s work, from the BedZED and One Planet Living3 sustainable communities to sustainable textile and paper production and woodchip for energy. Visitors will be able to find out more about our real-life working projects which show that living within our means or “One Planet Living” is not only cost effective and possible right now but can bring us a higher quality of life and be stylish too.
The exhibition is based around the concept of One Planet Living www.oneplanetliving.org. The ecological accounting tool eco-footprinting shows us that if everyone in the world lived as the average UK resident does, we’d need three planets to support us. Exhibition visitors can work out their own eco-footprint and learn how to take steps to reduce it.
In the revamped BedZED show home all materials have been chosen for their environmental sensitivity such as kitchen cupboards made from recycled vending machine coffee cup plastic, natural flooring and low toxicity ecopaints to reduce allergies, organic, fair trade bed linen, and bathroom towels made from bamboo, a more sustainable alternative to cotton. The exhibition is open 9.30-5pm weekdays. In-depth guided tours of both BedZED’s interior and exterior can also be arranged.
Designer, Oliver Heath commented: "It's been exciting to work on a project that show cases eco chic in a way never seen before - beauty and elegance with an inherent level of sustainability. The exhibition design shows a sense of community sustainability, energy and fun, while we aim for the show home to inspire people to bring the principles of One Planet Living into their own homes in an aspirational yet practical way."
The exhibition launch is coupled with the launch of BioRegional’s new Continuing Professional Development (CPD) training programme called BedZED and Beyond. The 1 day CPD course, features seminars and workshops from senior experts from within BioRegional and guest speakers, all experts in their field. BedZED and Beyond is, like the exhibition, based on “One Planet Living”. The course will help developers, planners, architects and individuals to gain an understanding of sustainability and will show how to use the ten One Planet Living Principles3, such as Zero Carbon, and Zero Waste, as a framework for planning sustainable developments from single houses to eco villages with hundreds of homes.