Book a BedZED guided tour – Bioregional (original) (raw)

The one-hour tour includes a walk around the entire BedZED site and covers all aspects of the eco-village, with plenty of time to ask questions. Tours generally occur once a quarter, but please visit our Eventbrite page for all upcoming tour dates.

Please note that to minimise disruption for BedZED residents, we are unable to offer tours to groups larger than 20 people.

£38 for full-price tickets, or £20 for concessions (students, pensioners and those who are on benefits). (Eventbrite processing fees will be added on top)**** ** Thursday 24 October 2024, 11:00 am >>

Thursday 20 February 2025, 11:00 am >>

**Thursday 22 May 2025, 11:00am >>**Wheelchair accessibility: The site is wheelchair accessible.

Getting there: BedZED has good bus, rail and tram links and limited car parking space.

Can't make any of our current dates? Sign up to our newsletter and be the first to hear about new tour dates.

Adults

For groups of 10 adults or more it may be possible to organise bespoke tours on any weekday between 9.30am and 4pm.

Timing: Up to 1.5 hours
Pricing: £38 per person (£20 concessions)

To enquire about a bespoke tour booking, please fill out this form.

Students

Tours of 15 or more students can also be arranged. Students must bring student ID with them.

Timing: one hour
Pricing: £20 per student

To enquire about a bespoke tour booking, please fill out this form.

Refunds/Cancellations

In order for us to cover the costs of running tours, please note that monthly tours may be cancelled with at least one days' notice if we do not have sufficient numbers. A full refund will be issued if this happens.

Please note if you wish to cancel your tour, refunds will only be made up to two days before the tour date. After this point, we are not able to provide a refund.

Disclaimer: We do our best to keep the risk to a minimum but Bioregional assumes no liability or responsibility for any injury, loss, damage or inconvenience sustained by any person using its services, nor to their property.

Do you host tours on weekends?

No. All tours take place on weekdays only.

How accessible is BedZED?

Most of the site is wheelchair accessible, particularly all communal spaces. Most homes have some number of stairs, with the studio apartments having the most. But there are several ground-floor homes which have no steps or curbs.

Who's responsible for maintaining BedZED?

Peabody maintains the site but there is a service charge for residents which varies, just like any other leasehold.

Are people often reluctant to buy because they assume BedZED sounds too good to be true?

No, people have a lot of interest and homes are quick to be snapped up.

What do homes typically sell for?

Price ranges depending on the housing type and any refurbs that have been done. BedZED homes are at a similar price to those in the surrounding area, with some selling for a small premium compared to others in the area.

When did BedZED's Combined Heat and Power Plant (CHP) shut down?

The CHP has not been in operation since 2005.

Is there a reason geothermal technology wasn’t used to provide the site’s electricity and heating demands?

The UK isn’t actively volcanic and doesn’t have many geothermal reserves. While its potential is currently being explored, the technology wasn’t there at the time BedZED was designed and built. But it is used at Les Villages Nature.

Is there battery storage to store unused energy?

There is no battery or storage, all energy from BedZED's solar panels are used directly.

Why was the Living Machine placed where it is today?

The Living Machine was put in a greenhouse environment to provide a more pleasant setting for the plant life. It was placed in a prominent position to make sure its presence was apparent. You can still see it on the top floor of the Pavillion, BedZED's community building.

What's the composition of the walls?

Brick, block, Rockwool insulation, block.

In terms of the design, have any other buildings acted as inspiration?

The oak weatherboarding and use of bricks tie BedZED into the local heritage - cottages and other houses in the area use these materials.

How does indoor air cooling and warming work in the winter with no electricity?

BedZED's wind cowls only help with ventilation - they don’t aid in cooling or warming the air.

But in the summer months, cooling occurs through fresh air entering the house, as well as the tiles and unplastered concrete blocks.

Residents manage the rest of the process themselves by opening windows, closing curtains, and turning off the boiler.

Is there any rationale behind the plants used onsite?

Besides the drought-tolerant sedum plants on the roofs (used to attract biodiversity, retain water, and aid rainwater harvesting), there hasn’t been a conscious decision behind the planting we have.

Residents decided to take ownership of the communal field, transforming the grassy field with pockets of wildflower meadows, and edible fruit trees.