Taking the role of a Sustainability Consultant you are asked to prepare a report offering guidance to your client (Oman Eco-towns) as they seek to establish a future development strategy for establishing an Eco-town near Muscat. The basis of the guidance is provided by an evaluation of the three high profile Eco-towns two in the UK, and one in the UAE and the report should explore lessons which can be learnt for your client. The three Eco-towns are: BEDZED (South London), North West Bicester (Oxfordshire) and Masdar City in Abu Dhabi (UAE).

Background to the three Eco-towns

BEDZED

The BedZED was the UK's first Eco-development at a neighbourhood scale and has acted as the premier demonstration project in the UK for the development of low carbon living in residential environments since its completion in 2002/3. The aspiration was to try and take big steps towards delivering sustainability as opposed to the incremental steps often seen in projects of this time but despite acting as a successful demonstration project on many levels and informing government policy it has had many critiques arguing that it tried too much innovation in one project and has seen many criticise its eventual cost.

North West Bicester

In 2007 the UK Government announced plans to develop four designated eco-towns to new guidelines under Planning Policy Statement 1. In 2011 it was revealed that only North West Bicester would continue to be developed in line with these guidelines and a master plan was established and then approved with construction starting in April 2014 on an examplar phase for 393 homes. The aim for the UK's first Eco-town was to establish a new sustainable community that is vibrant, resilient and truly integrated. The master plan for 6,000 inhabitants on agricultural land to the north west of the town of Bicester was developed in line with the Governments Planning Policy Statement 1 which called for eco towns to be zero carbon, adapted for climate change, reflect lifetime homes, green transport, green infrastructure, net gain for biodiversity, water efficient and promote quality. A key focus for the Eco-town is not only around promoting ecological health but also with a strong focus on community and economic development. The examplar phase sought 40% green space with 119 affordable homes, 274 private homes, a primary school, eco-pub and community centre with £6 million from Home and Community Agency, reflecting amongst other aspects an energy centre with district heating and housing built to zero carbon standards. Many have argued that Bicester when compared to the other three proposed eco-towns enjoyed a clear advantage in terms of its location beside transport infrastructure and its connectivity. Located in Oxfordshire in England the site is near junction 10 of the M40 motorway which has been adjusted to accommodate the development.

North West Bicester seeks to promote innovation in design and construction, but based on traditional architectural influences which are deemed to be commercially sympathetic. The development team is represented by A2Domainion who have brought Willmott Dixon as prime contractor, with a range of consultants and specialists including BioRegional Development Group as sustainability consultants who have applied their One Planet Living Principles which were established following their evaluation of the completed BEDZED.

Masdar City
First conceived a decade ago, Masdar City was intended to be the first planned Sustainable City and a high profile demonstration of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) plan to diversify the economy from fossil fuels. Intended for completion in 2016 it is argued by many to be in danger of failing to achieve its Zero Carbon City objective and a commercial level is in danger of being a failure as well. The master plan outlined an attempt to produce a car free city scape with electric cars and buildings construction with shading and smart technology to help the buildings adjust to the dessert climate and remain energy efficient. Today only about 5% of City is complete and is now viewed with a completion date of 2030 and there is concern regarding the extent this will align with the original sustainability principles.

Brief for the report

You are asked to take the role of a sustainability consultant providing advice to a developer called Oman Eco-Towns who are establishing a future development strategy for an Eco-town near Muscat which is reflective of the principles of sustainable development but importantly is commercially viable.

Your report should include:

- A critical appraisal of each of the three Eco-towns reflecting on their alignment to principles of sustainable development, their government's climate change and sustainable construction agenda's, commercial viability and how they relate to emerging best practice for promoting sustainable cities.

- Contrasting the three Eco-towns identify the key lessons which relate to their location, scale of development, sustainability principles applied, and the commercial viability of the different models.

- Develop a set of guidelines to shape the future development strategy for Oman Eco-towns including recommendations on the nature of the site sought (greenfield or brownfield), potential locations near Muscat (urban (inner city, suburban); rural), design principles and density levels, degree of engagement with sustainability principles (strong or weak module), construction methods and practices, and the business model you intent to follow to ensure it is commercially viable. Ensure to make your guidance reflective of the local context and needs of the market.

The report should fall around 2,500 words and should be fully referenced using the Harvard style.