Maybe we're just scared about rising sea levels. When Brightonians aren't cycling, we're recycling. With 12 councillors, the Green Party is a force in the city - Brighton Pavilion may well be the first constituency to get a Green MP. Brighton is Britain's eco-capital: does any other city have a choice of vegetarian shoe shops? Now the place is about to get its first zero-carbon development. Built jointly by Crest Nicholson and Bioregional Quintain, One Brighton will comprise 172 studio, one and two-bedroom “eco-apartments” situated near Brighton railway station in the emerging New England quarter.

Fifty per cent of UK greenhouse gas emissions come from running buildings, says the UK Green Building Council, an industry body of more than 30 big and small players, including Crest Nicholson, and this could be cut by a third by cheap, simple measures. Waste levels are also frighteningly high. “We're using three planets-worth of resources,” says Anne Cotton, the sales adviser for One Brighton. “This is about getting back to one planet.” Hence, One Brighton. The development has allied itself with the One Planet Living credo - eco-aims drawn up with WWF support.

One Planet Living's ten principles include zero carbon, zero waste, sustainable transport, local and sustainable materials, and the equally laudable health and happiness. If all ten are observed, One Brighton should meet the EcoHomes Excellent standard. It's a big if.

The concrete foundations have just been poured, and concrete is among the most polluting materials. “We're reducing and recycling materials where possible,” Cotton says. “The foundations will be made from up to 50 per cent recycled content from the china-clay industry in Cornwall.” She was unable to define “up to 50 per cent” more precisely.

“A lot of what we're doing is new: we are finding out as we go along. All the energy on site is from renewable sources and all communal areas use eco lightbulbs. Residents will benefit from a biomass boiler, using coppiced wood from local sustainable sources, and there will be eight wind turbines. All this will bring heating and lighting bills down, too. All fitted appliances will be A or AA-energy rated. We won't supply tumble-driers because they are so inefficient.”

If One Brighton is zero carbon, it will be so only at the point of sale. As Cotton says: “After that, it's up to the residents to make good choices. I think the sort of people who'll buy here will do that.”

Who's buying? Prices range from £145,000 for a studio to £285,000 for a two-bedroom apartment; a sales office opens on the site later this month. “Most people at our open day were under 40,” Cotton says. One Brighton provides no spaces for resident parking; you get free Car Club membership with access to five vehicles on-site. There will be secure bike storage space. Sainsbury's is just seconds away, but residents are encouraged to use local box schemes. “There will be a full-time green caretaker to take deliveries,” says Cotton. “We're also thinking of having a farmer's market on-site.”

The caretaker will tend the green walls and roofs, made mostly of sturdy sedums and mosses to attract wildlife. “Living plants reduce water run-off and retain heat, further cutting energy consumption,” Cotton adds. So far, so green. As for health and happiness, we'd all like to make the world better. Can a housing development do this? The community centre with space for charities is good. Shoving almost all the affordable apartments in a separate block is bad. Like Brightonians, One Brighton has the best of intentions. Crest Nicholson and Bioregional Quintain must get the detail right. For it to work long-term, purchasers mustn't just buy - they must buy in.

onebrighton.co.uk , 01959 564282

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