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Portugal planning large-scale eco-village
October 2004
One way to measure sustainability is in planets. For example, if everyone in the world were to enjoy a lifestyle equivalent to the average American, five Earth-like planets would be needed.
Similarly if everyone were to enjoy the lifestyle of the average European, three planets would be required. At least that is the reckoning of the UK-based BioRegional Development Group, an independent environmental organisation specialising in the development of sustainable "products" - including entire community developments.
In partnership with the Worldwide Fund for Nature (WWF) it has created the "One Planet Living Program" (OPL) to develop communities where people can enjoy a high quality of life - but leave an ecological footprint that is only a third of what it is today.
The first major OPL project will be a unique Portuguese eco-tourism project near the coast south of Lisbon. Other eco-villages are also planned in the US, China, South Africa and Australia - although OPL's Communications Officer, Jennie Organ, told TransScan, the group would not be able to give details of the possible Australian site until later this year.
The Portuguese project, Mata de Sesimbra, will cover 5300 hectares and will combine a 4800 hectare Cork forest restoration project with a 500 hectare tourism development comprising 6000 accommodation units - enough for 30,000 people.
The entire project, the first stage of which will be completed in 2006, is expected to cost one billion Euros - about $1.6 billion. It is being funded by local forestry interests and Portuguese developer, Pelicano. It will be developed and managed under OPL principles for sustainability. That means:
- Using 100% renewable energy;
- Sourcing 50% of food from local sources and so cut "food kilometres" and revive local agriculture and fisheries;
- Creating up to 6000 new jobs; and
- Creating a sustainable transport network designed to "virtually eliminate private vehicles".
The environmental management plan is just as radical. As well as seeking to preserve and restore ecological corridors, it will "substantially reduce exotic pine plantations" and "recover traditional land uses and products" - such as "dry orchards and agro-silvo-pastoral".
Part of the Mata de Sesimbra design will also be taken from another BioRegional Group project - London's so-called BedZED project. BedZED - or the Beddington Zero Energy Development - is an eco-village of 82 high-density homes, working spaces and community facilities.
Since it was completed two years ago, BedZED space heating demands have been 90% less than average London dwellings.
Meanwhile according to a briefing note from Britain's Department of Planning, BioRegional has begun talks with the Welsh Development Agency to build a solar-powered eco-village of 1000 dwellings on a brown-fields site in Cardiff.
