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In terms of

achieving

global

sustainability,

time is

certainly

not on our

side, but

technology

and many

smart and

enthusiastic

minds are

European, we would need three planets

to sustain us.

These statistics are enough to

make even the most blasé amongst us

to sit up and take notice, but when we

consider that the size of this global

middle class club is in the process of

exploding, the prospect of managing

a hugely unsustainable planet rears

its head. Most of us are intuitively

aware that the global middle class

is expanding rapidly, but the actual

figures are quite astonishing. Between

140-170 million people are joining

annually, adding approximately 20%

to the current 3.2bn total by just 2020.

The prospect of the potential

consumption levels from this enlarged

group is daunting. It is therefore vital

that the way in which this section of

the world lives changes dramatically

if we are to avoid significant global

issues. While re-thinking practices

within the property and construction

worlds can only ever offer part of

the solution, it is clear that we are

contributing significantly to the

current problem, and it is incumbent

upon us to devise solutions.

However, Pooran doesn’t leave

us with challenges; he offers

demonstrable solutions in the form

of his One Planet Living concept.

Starting with the BedZED eco-village

in south London, Pooran and his team

have helped deliver schemes from

California to the Serengeti using his

guiding principles of sustainable, zero

carbon development. These include

features such as car clubs, roof-top

allotments, renewal energy, the cultural

induction of construction workers, and

self-sustaining communities.

Beyond the clear environmental

benefits Pooran points to: community

benefits (the average resident in

BedZED knows 19 neighbours by

name) and health benefits (weight

loss is encouraged through a focus on

walking and healthy eating options).

However, importantly he also cites

strong financial performance,

describing ‘latent demand’ for

sustainable products as underpinning

the price point, and driving pre-

sales / take-up rates beyond that of

conventional developments. There

is perhaps an underserved market

segment here, which has previously

been ignored due to cost issues.

With the backdrop set by Pooran,

we moved on to Andrew Waugh’s

presentation about Cross Laminated

Timber (CLT) and how his company,

Waugh Thistleton Architects

is helping to build increasingly

impressive and sizable structures

using this ecologically sound material.

CLT is a strong and durable

material made using the same

secondary grade timber that is used

in paper production. And it was this

relationship that provided one of

Andrew’s most remarkable statistics:

the amount of secondary grade

timber used to construct Waugh

Thistleton’s 121 unit Dalston Lane,

CLT built development is equal to that

used for just one day’s worth of free

newspapers handed out in London.

Perhaps someone should issue a

challenge to Messrs Osborne and

Young along these lines, as I’m sure

we could all survive without our free

paper for a day.

Other quite remarkable statistics

followed regarding decreased build

time, shallower foundations, CO2

savings etc, which will certainly

be of interest to those appraising

the financial viability of schemes.

Andrew’s passion for the subject

was evident in his detailed responses

to questions regarding supply-

chain provenance and lending/

insurance issues. However, it was

the one question that was on most

of our minds that provided possibly

the most important response –

flammability. Andrew described

how the slow burn-rates, the

predictable behaviour of a CLT fire,

and the favourable fire fail point

of a CLT built structure compared

with steel and concrete equivalents,

combine to make building in CLT an

incredibly safe option. His response

comprehensively put to bed any

lingering worries a number of the

audience would no doubt have had

regarding this issue.

The growth in using CLT as a

construction material appears rapid,

with mainstream adoption of this

practice sure to accelerate once more

schemes of this nature are built out

and analysed. This will allow us to

further understand the benefits from

both an environmental and occupier

perspective. Of equal importance we

can also then clearly establish how

the latent demand for ethical and

healthy buildings will fuel demand,

whilst saving cost.

In summary, what was clear from

the whole event is that in terms of

achieving global sustainability, time

is certainly not on our side, but

technology and many smart and

enthusiastic minds are.

Andrew Waugh at The Future of Living

Pupils at Credo High School in California, which is working towards becoming the world’s

first One Planet School.

Pooran Desai at The Future of Living

CUSHMAN & WAKEFIELD

16

FUTURE OF LIVING