Environment & Sustainability

Introduction

Ensuring that new developments reach the highest levels of sustainability is at the heart of Cambridgeshire Horizons' work, along with its local authority partners. We will ensure that we deliver high quality, sustainable new communities in Cambridgeshire that meet the challenges of climate change. Growth will also deliver a range of benefits for all residents, including better public transport, new schools, leisure and community facilities, and enhanced green spaces. In delivering growth we must also confront the challenge of adapting to climate change. The growth agenda presents a major opportunity to translate policy into action, and Horizons are working with public and private sector partners to deliver a range of projects to support low carbon living in new communities.

The challenge

Our challenge is two-fold: building new communities that demonstrate the art of the possible in sustainable design and climate change mitigation; and harnessing the benefits of low-carbon growth to bring benefits to existing communities in Cambridgeshire.

The growth agenda must be part of the solution to climate change. This will require the commitment of all partners to deliver a huge programme of innovative infrastructure for new communities, which can then act as an example for behavioural change, with the benefits promoted across the whole of Cambridgeshire and beyond.

Key Projects

We work in conjunction with our partners on the following environment and sustainability issues:

Energy: Promote energy efficiency through sustainable construction methods and deliver projects to support a range of renewable energy technologies that can support zero carbon buildings. Find out more about the Shape East Zero Carbon living event we recently sponsored here.

Transport: Minimise CO2 emissions from growth related transport by supporting the delivery of high quality public transport and ensuring the provision of a network of walking and cycling infrastructure for new developments.

Water: Ensure all new homes are constructed to the highest standards of water efficiency, via a combination of site-wide solutions and individual products within the home. Read more about our Water Cycle Strategy and the Planning for Water conference we ran in early 2009.
Cambridge City Council, in association with CIRIA, are jointly sponsoring the first UK Sustainable Drainage system design competition. Find out more here.

Waste: Encourage residents to reduce, reuse and recycle with the ultimate goal of designing zero waste communities.

Sustainable Construction: Work to make Cambridge a national exemplar of sustainable construction methods, and training to ensure new skills are shared throughout the industry.

Green Space: Promote high quality green and open space to mitigate the effects of climate change and support habitats that can act as carbon sinks.

Cambridgeshire Horizons can act as both a broker and an innovator in this, facilitating dialogue between partners and taking a lead role in delivering innovative infrastructure projects that demonstrate the possibilities of a low-carbon future.