Sustainable Architecture

On Wednesday 3rd Kris Wilson from Design House came and talked to us about sustainable architecture and this is what I learnt from him.
The idea behind sustainable architecture is to live healthy and happy into the future and live of sustainable resources and create homes that are ecofriendly to the environment. Kris described architecture as the art of science and building creative and technical homes.
WASTE
In the building process you make lots of waste even in an ecohouse in fact 50% of the waste is just from building, it creates CO2 and the energy uses go on and on.

Pointers on building an ecohouse

• Use concrete to hold in the heat.
• RENEWABLE AND REUSABLE MATERIALS
• Insulation
• Energy efficiency
  
• Waste management
  
• Eco-lighting
• Small is good
• Cladding
• Grey water systems
• Recycle while building
  
• Ventilation
  
• Thermal mass - store heat
• Wetback- heat house while heating water
• Solar panels
  
• Using local materials
• Use douglas fer, plywood and macracapa
  
• Low flow taps and showers
  
• Overhangs
  
• Glass on north side and a wall on the other side
• Renewable non-toxic materials

Just remember an eco-house is normal, just the same as an family house just friendly to the environment and good for our world.

For more information check out kris' website