Currumbin Ecovillage

Currumbin Ecovillage on the southern end of the Gold Coast may be Queensland’s most sustainable residential development and is often viewed as a blueprint for future urban development. In keeping with the worldwide Ecovillage philosophy it is a residential community with a strong commitment to environmental sustainability and a sense of village living for its inhabitants. It is roughly half way into its implementation on a 300-acre (1.2 km²) site comprising 80% bushland, plus open spaces and 144 home sites.

How The Ecovillage at Currumbin compares to other ecovillages

Compared to other Ecovillages, the Ecovillage at Currumbin:

• has a higher population than most (450 residents at the moment, compared to 50-150 more commonly);
• occupies a larger site;
• abides by a fairly detailed set of codes stipulating how Environmentally Sustainable Design, amongst other things, will be realised;
• has a well-developed legal framework;
• is neither suburban nor rural, but rather on the fringe between the two; and
• appeals to a diversity of economic circumstances (but wouldn't generally be regarded as low-income housing).

Features

Environmental

House construction

• Utilisation of - in general - light-weight construction techniques, earth-coupled raised floors, and strategic use of thermal mass
• High levels of incorporation of recycled materials
• Commitment towards smaller housing (recognising that a large house with apparently good star-ratings is not as sustainable as a small house with average star-ratings - or better yet, a small house with good star-ratings).
• Elimation of certain building materials with high embodied energy, such as new bricks, metals (except under certain circumstances), excessive concrete, etc.
• A ban on imported materials except where no locally produced alternative exists.

Ongoing performance of houses

• Passive solar design used throughout (to the extent of no mechanical cooling, and in most cases no mechanical heating)
• 1KW photovoltaic electricity system on all dwellings, along with solar hot water and gas-only cooking (which, when coupled with the use of low-energy appliances, means the Ecovillage is a net exporter of electricity)
• The use of high levels of insulation, maximisation of cross ventilation (thanks to favorable valley breezes) and strategically located thermal mass combine to create houses that are comfortable year round with little or no powered assistance
• All potable water supplied by rainwater captured onsite
• All waste water treated and reused onsite
• localised food production
• No waste collections from house lots, in turn educating and providing motivation for residents to create less waste
• Use of advanced computerised monitoring systems to assist residents to self-manage consumption and automatically manage power consumption.

The application of the Ecovillage's environmental design codes means that dwellings are consistently demonstrating exceptional sustainability credentials. See Passive solar building design for more information. ^[1] Site development

• Almost no vegetation has been removed or harmed in the masterplan.
• Extensive ponding has been used to create a diversity of habitats and slow the movement of groundwater.
• Landscaping is composed entirely of native species appropriate to the climate.
• All houses must be designed to minimise visual impact across the valley.

Community

Community considerations include a hamlet-like approach to neighbourhood design (whereby cars are relegated to the outside of housing areas and priority is instead given to greenways, pedestrians and bicycles), significant commonly-owned facilities (such as the community hall, greenways, and recreation areas) and the fostering of an active community spirit. Many examples of "spontaneous social design" exist around the village that encourage residents to bump into each other, or at least foster recognition and safety. Examples include centralised postal boxes, conveniently located and inviting sitting areas, and the onsite cafe (yet to be built).

Healthy Homes

Homes are built so as to use a minimum of toxic materials such as glues, fillers and building materials. The aim is to create healthy homes as well as a healthy community.

Integration

Integration into the broader Currumbin Valley community is seen as important; as such, the Ecovillage is not a "gated community". Value is also placed on the incorporation of work and recreational pursuits into the Ecovillage site itself. To these ends, house designers are encouraged to include office spaces to enable working from home, in addition to the provision of several studio houses along the village's main street. A bakery / cafe will include office spaces for rent in addition to its other obvious community benefits. Recreational areas targeted at various age groups are currently being implemented, including climbing walls, a gymnasium, a children's play area including a mud patch, and a community swimming pool. A community hall - capable of seating over a hundred people, and complete with a commercial kitchen - has also been built for the use of both residents and the wider community. A bus stop within the site will bring public transport to the village.

Past, present and future

The Ecovillage at Currumbin has been in various stages of planning for over ten years. After the initial purchase of the land, local indigenous peoples were consulted as to the suitability of the site for a village development, followed by consultation with the broader local community. Having received much support at these levels, planning progressed, eventually leading to the first sales of house lots in 2007.

As at May 2008, roughly 110 house lots out of a total of 144 have been sold. Of these, 15 houses are completed, with a further 40 expected to be completed by the end of 2008. All homes and community facilities will be completed by 2011. The community hall has established itself as a resource for both the ecovillage and broader Currumbin community. Existing residents often report a wonderful sense of community, highlighting countless friendly offers of help, weekly softball matches, social events, and assistance with building projects.

Awards

The Ecovillage: Awards

Legal Structure

The Ecovillage is currently in transition from being steered by the original owners / developers to being governed by the community. House lots are sold as part of a strata title, which appears to strike the right balance between individual independence and community control. The house lots are divided into three zones that each have their own body corporate. These in turn report to the Principal Body Corporate, which oversees the whole site. All bodies corporate are composed of community members and are accountable in the usual ways. Individual hamlets have responsibility for designing and implementing their own greenways and associated works.

Land / Site

Eighty percent of the 300-acre (1.2 km²) Ecovillage site is dedicated to open space / conservation purposes and the Queensland EPA has contributed $61,000 towards the development of the interpretative centre.^[1] Ongoing landcare initiatives are improving the condition of the natural environment, especially along the Currumbin Creek. Ocean views are just possible along the ridge of the property, and many tracks through the bush offer a closer connection to nature. Dogs and cats are banned from the site so as to support the existence of indigenous fauna.

See also

	Australia portal
	Environment portal

• Currumbin Valley
• Official homepage of The Ecovillage at Currumbin

References

1. ^ ^{a b} Currumbin Ecovillage sets sustainable standard