The developer behind Schooner Bay says the community has "without a doubt" emerged as the greenest community in the country. Strategic construction and a number of alternative energy initiatives have reduced average household power consumption by 50 percent, according to Orjan Lindroth, the head of Lindroth Development Company Limited. "It makes the most economic sense," he told Guardian Business. "Look at failed developments in this country. They follow a certain pattern. This works, because the concept is authentic and rooted in the reality of the place."
Schooner Bay in Abaco includes 20 finished houses and 11 others at various stages of completion. Around 20 more should begin construction in 2013. Each dwelling has been linked into an intricate geothermal system whereby air conditioning needs are slashed considerably. Solar water heaters have also been hooked up to the houses, Lindroth said, which helps eliminate one of the biggest guzzlers of energy. And a rain tank capable of holding an incredible two million gallons of water provides a natural system to create pressurized water. "Without a doubt it will be the most efficient community in The Bahamas.
A lot of the time, when we talk about efficiency, we mention appliances. It's a complex equation. You can't just give me gizmo green," he explained. "There are mansions marketed as green, and all they do is have efficient appliances and expensive windows. But if you look at the basic house itself, the materials that went into it, it won't last long. The lifetime cost analysis is much higher." To boost this lifetime cost analysis, Schooner is taking into account all materials used in construction and even the positioning of the houses, giving residents access to natural shading, for example.
Through the introduction of more and more green initiatives, Lindroth hopes the houses will guzzle just 30 percent of the energy used at average dwellings in New Providence. While energy efficiency is always an admirable pursuit, it is perhaps even more significant in The Bahamas. Bills for the average Bahamian consumer have been described as a "second mortgage" by citizens, politicians and businessmen, exasperated by a general lack of efficiency and costly dependence on foreign oil.
Lindroth believes energy and a lack of environmental awareness have even influenced how Bahamians build their communities in recent times. "We are destroying our sense of place. Universally, I would say that is a problem," he said. "We are moving into enclaves of one-dimensional communities. The diversity and fabric are disappearing." In the past, Schooner has argued that it will save more than $300 million through its measured, environmentally conscious approach to growth. It has termed this its "ecological dividend". That includes using the natural assets of the 320-acre property, from the recycling materials produced during construction and excavation to the reuse of rain water for flushing toilets and irrigation.
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