Sue Riddlestone's brand new townhouse in south London is part of a project designed to show how to live a modern lifestyle and reduce the amount of greenhouse gases that accumulate in the atmosphere.
"I've got children and care about what happens in the future and I'm quite worried about climate change," she said. "I feel like we're really doing our bit here."
Riddlestone and her family bought into a housing complex called ZED, which stands for zero emission development.
"You look around and the views are fantastic – the shadows the photovoltaic panels make when the sun shines in the conservatory, the wind cowls going round and round – it's just a really lovely living space," Riddlestone told CBC News.
It's not only a bright, airy living space with rooftop gardens, it's also designed to have the lowest possible impact on the environment. The goal, from the insulated foundation all the way up to the rooftop solar panels, is to avoid emitting pollutants.
The house walls are 30 centimetres thick, packed with insulation to reduce heating and cooling costs. Solar cells help generate electricity. Other features are designed to make people think twice about using energy. Water and electric meters are inside every unit – in very visible locations .
"While I'm at the kitchen sink I can see how much energy we used yesterday, I can see how much water we're using," Riddlestone said. "It really makes you aware just seeingthat everyday."
Appliances look standard but are the most energy efficient available. Throughout the home there are dozens of small features that save energy.
But it doesn't stop there.Ford's TH!NK city electric car.
ZED also tackles another big contributor of greenhouse gases – transportation. It's a short walk to the nearest train station. Also, instead of owning individual cars, residents share a small fleet of electric vehicles.
"It makes us think, because we know we pay by the mile, should we cycle? Should we take the train? Should we hire the car?" Riddlestone said.
The person behind ZED is architect Bill Dunster. His overriding philosophy is that people shouldn't have to sacrifice convenience in order to make environmentally sound choices. Instead they should be rewarded, with either cash in their pockets or a better lifestyle.
"What we're trying to show here is that you get a better quality of life through making these changes, so why not do it?" Dunster told CBC News.
Dunster's zero emission housing development sold out before the units were finished at a cost only marginally higher than nearby conventional housing. It's proof, he said, that people want a greener lifestyle.
"Everybody seems to think the obstacles going to zero fossil energy are all technical. This is just patently not true," he said. "All the technologies... are just subtle adaptations of very common, existing products on the market. It doesn't cost very much more to do.
In Canada, plans to implement the Kyoto accord have met fierce resistance from the oil and gas industry as well as some provincial governments. They predict the costs will stall economic growth. There's also some resistance in Britain, but it's countered by growing public concern about the potential disaster of climate change.
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Sara Eppel is the head of policy at the Energy Saving Trust, a government-funded agency whose goal is to get consumers to use fossil fuels much more efficiently.
"The UK approach is to reduce energy use in households and industry through energy efficiency, then we can reduce our carbon emissions and that will help us meet the conditions of the Kyoto agreement," Eppel said.
The Energy Saving Trust oversees a number of programs, including a multi-million dollar plan to give rebates to people who buy energy efficient appliances and home heating systems. Eppel says it's best to mix cash rewards with an environmental message.
"People obviously like to save money and that's fine, that's what we want them to do," she said. "But at the same time tell them they're doing something good for the environment; make them feel good about it."
Another tactic is to punish drivers who insist on using cars that spew pollutants. People now pay a road tax based on emissions.
"The carbon dioxide emissions of your vehicle are directly relevant to how much road tax you pay," Eppel said. "So suddenly it hits people's pockets and that has been a motivator. They're thinking, 'I could reduce my road tax by 50 pounds if I choose a more efficient car.'"
Other programs target emissions coming from industry. Initially, they're being encouraged to cut back, but the government promises to intervene if targets aren't met.
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