To give more emphasis to the concept of self-sufficiency and sustainability we now summarise a list of alternatives and items to be considered in assessing the most suitable energy management system as follows:-
ENERGY MANAGEMENT PLAN:
- Power generation systems - solar collectors:
- power
- light
- hot water
- space heating
- heat pumps
- hot plate collectors
- micro turbine
- slow combustion stoves
- Power sources -
- sun
- wind
- rain (water)
- geothermal
- bio mass
- Mains Infrastructure - back up and returning power to the grid
- power
- water
- sewerage
- roads
- communications:
- phone
- postal
- cable
- Single service trenching -
- authority requirements
- design concepts.
The use of high energy efficiency rating fixtures and fittings for use in the construction and use of the built environment of the Town Centre will conserve water use as well as electrical demand.
To achieve sustainability the Master Plan integrates the use of land, energy, water, food and materials consumption, waste and transport so that the ecological footprint of the Town Centre is reduced as far as possible to the area of land available.
A sustainable development supports the needs of its community using the land and resources where the community lives. It provides the food to sustain life there, it generates the least use of transport, and it replicates the pre-development hydraulic regime.
Worldwide, there exists 1.4 biologically productive global hectares per person.
The average ecological footprint in Australia is 9.6 global hectares per person. We would need more than four earths to sustain everyone on the planet at the level of the
Australian average lifestyle.
Energy is important for the ongoing use and costs to the Town Centre as well as the viability and sustainability of future growth.
The journey to self-generation and zero carbon for the Town Centre needs an expert to assess our options and needs.
Byron has many such people who could contribute to this discussion.