Affordable / Sustainable Housing

Bermuda certainly has a standard of living that is above most other countries let alone other islands. It's amazing that a 21 square mile island can literally be draped in white roofs everywhere. The building code stipulates that nothing must rise above the steeple in Hamilton? And some 3 storey homes are denied permission even though they are in valleys because they don't want the island to appear cluttered or be overcome with tall buildings? Stopping people from building an extra storey is ridiculous considering the surroundings. Stopping skyscrapers, yes, but the building code desperately needs to be re-evaluated.

Developers, designers, companies and even people building their own private homes need to be rewarded for considering compact living spaces and designs which step out of the typical Bermudian home boundary. I understand that Bermuda has a "style code" so to speak but let's face it, there are a lot of ugly, derelict buildings in Bermuda and to make matters worse exuberant rents, very little low income housing and even with that, a housing crisis leaving many with no home at all.

What a disgrace for such a rich country. We can provide better! With a little bit of open mindedness, forward thinking and smart design.

Compact Living and Smart Design

The M - CH

"The micro compact home [m-ch] is a lightweight compact dwelling for one or two people. Its compact dimensions of 2.6m cube adapt it to a variety of sites and circumstances, and its functioning spaces of sleeping, working / dining, cooking and hygiene make it suitable for everyday use."

Check the website for extensive design details and future projects.

http://www.microcompacthome.com/company/

Obviously this isn't the perfect solution for Bermuda's housing crisis. Bermuda really needs its own solution for our own climate and needs but this example offers us with proof of how much we can downsize, how little room we actually need and how we can use modular architecture to create communities from combining single dwelling units.


Shipping Container Design
This isn't the perfect solution for Bermuda either and with building code as is, it would be a miracle to get container architecture passed though planning. But WHY?! It can be beautiful, inexpensive, safe, converted and fit into designs not made entirely of containers. It seems to me that since containers remain on job sites, not even bolted to the ground through hurricanes, remain intact. A tree falling often won't even dent one. So why shouldn't they meet our building codes requirements? I had heard the building code was getting a revamp but I haven't seen it yet. Nor have I seen a proposal or even a talk of the possibilities for container architecture here in Bermuda.

Abandoned
The lack of extreme design tactics is not the only thing lacking in Bermuda. So many buildings are not maintained by owners, some empty for years, some just entirely unlivable now. It's a crime in itself. There should be a code which has to be followed to maintain the ownership of your property and if you choose not to maintain to a specific standard then your home will be released to be sold by government. Some might say that's unfair but many may say it's unfair to let a home sit derelict for any other reason than family disputing ownership. No house should be empty for more than 6 months. No roof should go unpainted for more than 2 years. We are far to small of an island to allow buildings to disintegrate due to owners who simply refuse to take responsibility for their property and refuse to to sell.

Water Conservation

If your Bermudian, you've seen him. Mr. Drippy is Bermuda's #1 in Conservation.
Many seem to think that because we catch our own water there's no need to conserve it and in the winter months it certainly seems like we could stand to waste some. But! Conserving water will save on not only your water bill but your power bill to.

Some things you can do -

-Install low water-use fixtures
-Inspect water tanks and plumbing fixtures regularly
-Repair leaks quickly
-Use a bucket, not a hose, to wash cars
-Take quick showers, not full baths
-Minimize lawn and garden watering
-Do not let water overflow or run after use
-Wash full laundry loads or set the washer to appropriate load size
-Do not order more water than is necessary

Toilets can use both salt and well water, saving you a fortune on fresh water and conserving as well.
Well water is used mainly used for toilet water and should never be used for drinking water.

Unfortunately wells and salt water connections aren't used often enough. A change in building code requiring it of new homes and offices that are capable of installing such systems, seems more than necessary.

Reducing Imports

Every one seems to automatically think that because we are smack dab in the middle of nowhere that EVERYTHING must be imported. So far from the truth. We will never be able to remove ourselves entirely from importing goods but we can take measures to eat healthier produce, provide for less fortunate Bermudians, provide more jobs and ultimately develop a greater sense of responsibility and community on this island. Building after building goes up in Bermuda without the slightest concern of multiple use spaces, uncollected water run off, or gray water use. It's been going on for as long as we've been here but only in the last couple years has it truly become an apparent problem and a problem that is so easily addressed, it's pathetic. We are lucky that we don't have to worry about rain water run off, among other things which is exactly why we should take advantage of what we can.

Bermuda has nearly endless options in terms of what we can grow here. So why is it we grow barely any of our own food? Why is it that it's hard to find the sign that says "Bermuda" in the grocery store among all the signs for "Mexico", "Chile", & the "USA"? Let's not even get started on the fact that most of those imported fruit and vegetables are genetically modified to the maximum and drenched in chemical pesticides as "FOOD, inc." and "How Will We Grow Our Food?" discusses.

Fact is, it would we quite simple to start incorporating the growing of our own produce. First by making homeowners more aware of what they can grow and how easy it is. Of course this is a small section of the market as many people don't want to be responsible for a garden. So how could we grown enough? Or at least a significant portion to reduce the importation of produce already being supplied to the island?

Community garden projects? -

This has worked several times over, in places much larger than Bermuda.

A bartering system with the community? -

Gardeners selling their goods to local grocery.
What else? Where else? -
When ever I see a new building being stacked up in Hamilton and now Southside I can't help but imagine all the food they could provide from the planters on rooftops or nearby poly culture gardens instead of monoculture grass and hedges. Or to think that places like the Salvation Army don't have gardens to supply some food to its homeless shelter residents, is just absolutely ridiculous. Salvation Army isn't the only one. Other establishments that house less fortunate don't seem to have any gardening program in place either. I attempted to do my research but couldn't find anything of note in the end. Hopefully, I missed something and there's a fine example out there.

------------ !Must Sees! ------------

Food Inc.

How Will We Grow Our Food?
The World According To Monsanto