Build Eco
Development
Beyond - A stunning Eco-Living Development
South Australia's award winning Beyond development, which boasts 73% open space, including 60 hectares of wetlands and native forest as well as parks and reserves; is renowned as Australia's leading environmentally sustainable development.
With the Urban Development Institute of Australia (UDIAsa) one of the most recent to recognise the impressive Beyond development, this ESD business has already planted more than 120,000 trees in the past four years. Amongst numerous initiatives, Beyond has implemented best practice water use with a wetland system that catches more than 250 million litres of stormwater from the surrounding catchment area of approximately 20sqkms, so that it can be stored and naturally filtered through reed beds and native grasses, then used to nourish the abundant streetscapes and reserves.
"More than enough rainfall occurs on an annual basis if we actually capture and store stormwater. At Beyond much of the stormwater we catch comes from the existing roads and developed area of Hayborough where swales and slotted pipe systems are used to ensure every drop of rainfall is utilised. What would normally be wasted and let flow to the ocean can now be utilised" says Adam Wright sales manager for the family business - Environmentally Sustainable Developments.
Every home incorporates rainwater tanks that will harvest a minimum of 10,000 litres of water to be plumbed throughout their home, and many residents are installing as much as 25,000 litre underground tanks.
Beyond design guidelines, developed by ESD and award winning architect John Maitland of Energy Architecture, incorporate the latest in energy efficiency and sustainable products and practice. These include:
- Each parcel of land is positioned to maximise the natural benefits of the sun whilst eliminating any overshadowing from neighbours;
- Renewable energy initiatives (solar or wind);
- Natural ventilation- providing substantial savings on heating and cooling costs;
- Solar hot water systems- each system saves approximately 3.5 tonnes of green house gas emissions each year;
- Large rainwater tanks;
- Energy & water efficient appliances and lights;
- Thermal mass in foundation and walls- keeping homes warmer in winter and cooler in summer;
- High levels of insulation;
- Low toxicity materials used in construction;
- Prohibiting the use of old growth forest timbers (unless recycled);
- Precision placement of windows and ceiling fans to provide warmth, light and flow of air.
Beyond Builders: (Beyond purchasers are at liberty to elect other builders, designers and architects providing buildings remain within the criteria of the urban design guidelines)
For more information visit the Beyond website
7 April 2009
