What will your house look like in 2050? How will new developments in science inform the way we’ll live? These questions are the theme of BBC Radio 5 Live show The Naked Scientists this week. TOWN Director Jonny Anstead was interviewed on the show to talk about TOWNhus’s experience at K1 Cohousing, Cambridge.

In the midst of a national – and global – housing crisis, new houses need to be built tremendous scale if people are to be housed decently, and affordably. But how can this be achieved, when the single overriding global challenge is to drastically reduce the emission of climate changing gases. After all, the building sector is itself responsible for up to 30% of all annual green house gas emissions.

This was the theme explored by the most recent edition of The Naked Scientists, a weekly radio show recorded in Cambridge and published both as a podcast and on BBC Radio 5 Live.

The programme looked at the issues from a range of principally scientific angles, from the farming of genetically-modified strains of timber to produce improved construction-grade wood, to the use of radically more efficient solar cells to power homes. The programme also explored the various measures being implemented by the University of Cambridge at its North West Cambridge development.

Jonny was interviewed on the show to talk about whether community-focused housing developments have a role to play in responding to the wider challenge. Drawing on plans for K1 Cohousing, Jonny explained some of the thins that will make K1 Cohousing different from more conventional developments.

K1 Cohousing has many technical sustainability features, including high levels of insulation, triple glazing and renewable energy. But the closer sense of community involved in cohousing also has a major role to play in making K1 Cohousing a more sustainable place to live.

At K1 Cohousing, many residents have been actively involved in planning the community. Residents will know their neighbours, and benefit from a set of communal facilities including a Common House, a workshop and a large shared garden. So those living at K1 will be able to eat together, grow their own food, and share anything from tools to laundry facilities. This makes not only for a more friendly and pleasant neighbourhood to live in, but has some real environmental benefits – less waste, less intensive use of resources, and reduced car dependence.

The Naked Scientists show is available here.