Apr 16 2007
An interactive website and social network which allows neighbours to get to know their communities online has been unveiled this month. Developed in response to the Government's call for housebuilders to create more sustainable communities, the site offers neighbours a private forum through which they can share information and swap advice over the 'virtual garden fence'.
The brainchild of UK housebuilder Miller Homes, 'mymillerstreet' acts as both an online information source and communication tool, elements of which will be available to both Miller Homes residents and the general public. All Miller homeowners will be offered the opportunity to register their details on the site and view those of other registered residents, however, joining is optional and only residents from the same development are able to view each other's details or contact one another.
A 'My Neighbours' page allows residents to explore a map of their development and see at a glance who lives nearby by hovering their cursor over each plot. Meanwhile, a restricted access messageboard enables neighbours to communicate with each other directly and post their own discussion topics. Through this, it is hoped that the site will act as an ice-breaker, encouraging neighbours to forge stronger ties and improving community spirit on Miller Homes' developments in the process.
Users are also encouraged to develop a more sustainable lifestyle through the inclusion of a dedicated 'My Environment' section, accessible to all visitors to the site. Here, a range of tests can be undertaken which assess the impact users have on their environment - from measuring their carbon footprint through to gauging their water usage and commitment to recycling. Crucially, the site offers users tips and advice on how to become more environmentally friendly in the future.
Further benefits include a 'My Locality' section, again available to all visitors, which is connected to a wide range of information about the users' local area, including local schools, property prices, services and transport.
Philip Hogg, Marketing Director for Miller Homes, explains the wider thinking behind the concept: "One of the biggest issues we as a society now face is the breakdown of communities in the traditional sense. The introduction of the internet has widened our horizons and allowed us to interact with people on the other side of the world through the likes of MySpace and YouTube - yet, ironically, many of us do not even know the man next door.
"As housebuilders, we have an obligation to our customers to make the community in which they live as harmonious and as safe as possible. However, we cannot do this alone - it is the people who live there and their relationships with one another which ultimately make or break a neighbourhood.
"Mymillerstreet takes the concept of an online social network one step further so that it works on an actual as well as virtual level. By providing our residents with this technology, we hope to have given them the tools with which to build their own successful communities."
As Tim Hough, Miller Homes' Chief Executive, points out, the site is more than just a social tool - its emphasis on sustainability and the environment is equally important. He explains: "As a company we are already making a serious commitment to improving our green credentials, but the buck doesn't stop there. We see it as our duty to promote sustainability at every stage of the housebuilding process, and this includes the way in which our homes are lived in once they have been constructed.
"Through mymillerstreet, we are encouraging people to think more critically about their lifestyles and how the way they live impacts on the world around them. We are not dictating, but educating - ultimately, living more sustainably is a choice which people must make for themselves. We are simply seeking to facilitate that process."