How Green is my City?

Nearly half of the UK’s energy consumption comes from the ways in which our millions of buildings are lit, heated and used. Creating sustainable design solutions are among the most urgent issues for architects and designers in the capital. We need to address now how we can build in a greener way while integrating good-quality design.

There is now much wider interest in carbon-saving technologies, materials and designs in the urge to ‘go green’. But how do we find out what has worked? Open House helps to answer the question by showcasing some of the most innovative green buildings, both new and retrofitted. These include schools, offices and community buildings as well as new build and retrofitted eco-homes.

You can find out more about the green buildings featured in this year's event through the buildings search.

We want you to tell us what you think about green design through our Green Design Poll!

Open House London also works in partnership with a number of organisations to help embed green design and thinking into our everyday lives. New for this year are:

Sustainable Southwark

This brand new guide, sponsored by the London Borough of Southwark, explains how Southwark buildings are leading the way in making a greener, cleaner, well-designed city. Highlighting key eco-exemplars in the borough taking part in Open House London, the guide also looks at some of the green initiatives currently underway on the south side of the Thames, and is packed with useful information to help you find out more about sustainable living in the capital today.

Look out for the Sustainable Southwark guide in and around Southwark buildings and libraries, and in other key locations. Keep checking back here, where the guide will be available to download from September.

How green are London’s public buildings?

Until recently, making our homes greener has been the focus of attention, but from 1 October 2008 public buildings around the UK will be required to display their green credentials through new Display Energy Certificates (DECs). This new form of energy labelling is part of the government’s drive to make all the UK’s building stock more sustainable. Look out for DECs in the public buildings opening their doors this year – a handy guide, sponsored by Communities and Local Government, will be available to download in the run up to the event.

Love London

Through a linked campaign with Love London, we are working to promote and champion sustainable design exemplars and to build a better understanding of how design decisions impact on our quality of life.

Love London is London’s greenest annual festival. During the Love London Festival, hundreds of exciting green events take place across the capital. These events provide fun days out as well as innovative ways of getting people interested and involved in creating a more sustainable London. The Love London festival takes place in June each year, and coincides with World Environment Day.

To find out more visit Love London's website.

Coming up! Green Sky Studios

24–26 September 2008

You can find out more about green design in London through the Open House Green Sky Studios event which will be taking place for the very first time this year in the week after Open House London.

This exciting new programme focuses directly on the pressing need to design and build green and forms part of our new two-year sustainability programme, Green Sky Thinking.

London’s emerging and established architects will be hosting informal events in their own studios, explaining their fresh thinking about sustainable design – even if their proposals are still on the drawing board. This is a great opportunity to explore and debate ideas about how we can make our cities greener.

Keep checking back on our sustainability page to find out more details of which studios are taking part and how to obtain a visitor’s guide.

 

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