What Home Design Style Is the Most Eco-Friendly?
As the world becomes more focused on environmental sustainability, the desire for eco-friendly practices has extended to home design. More and more people are interested in learning about how they can incorporate architectural styles that are more sustainable and environmentally friendly.
A world that once romanticized enormous palaces and sweeping country manors has given way to one that reveres homes that thoughtfully incorporate the environment in which they're built. In the past, people would search for cities with the most jobs and the highest salaries; now, many are searching instead for the greenest cities in North America!
While there are many different ways to make your home eco-friendly, one of the most important factors is the style of your home. Certain home design styles are naturally more eco-friendly than others. In this article, we'll take a look at the most eco-friendly home design styles and why they're good for the environment. We'll also discuss how to make an existing home more eco-friendly by way of renovations, installation of new systems, and more.
Photo by Elle Hughes
What is Eco-Friendly Home Design?
Eco-friendly home design is all about using sustainable materials and building practices to create a home that has minimal impact on the environment. This can include anything from using recycled or reclaimed materials in construction to orienting the home in a way that takes advantage of natural light and ventilation.
There are many different ways to make a home more eco-friendly, but the most important factor is choosing materials and building practices that will minimize the home's impact on the environment. Environmentally-friendly building techniques are taking off in the construction industry, and the development of these practices on a large scale is having a trickle-down effect on individual homeowners.
Like the materials used, the architectural style of a home can also have a significant impact on its environmental footprint. Some home design styles are simply more sustainable than others. The start of eco-friendly home design came back in the 1960s when Contemporary architecture was born: the open floor plans and incorporation of nature via large windows and glass walls weren't widely accepted at the time, but it was ground-breaking in the development of eco-friendly home architecture.
Which Home Design Styles Are the Most Eco-Friendly and Why?
Passive House: The Passive House standard is one of the most stringent energy efficiency standards in the world. To meet the Passive House standard, a home must be extremely well-insulated and airtight, with high-performance windows and doors. This makes the home much more resistant to heat loss in winter and heat gain in summer, which reduces the amount of energy needed to heat and cool the home.
Earth-sheltered homes are built partially or entirely underground, with the earth-bermed up (or piled) around the sides of the home. This provides natural insulation for the home, which helps to keep it warm in winter and cool in summer. Earth-sheltered homes also have a smaller footprint than above-ground homes, which is good for the environment.
Green Roofs: A green roof is a roof that is partially or entirely covered in vegetation. Green roofs have a number of benefits for the environment. They help to insulate the home, reducing the amount of energy needed to heat and cool it. Green roofs also help to reduce stormwater runoff, improve air quality, and provide habitat for wildlife.
How Can You Make Your Current Home Design More Eco-Friendly?
There are a number of things you can do to make your current home design more eco-friendly. If you're looking to build a new home, or renovate your existing home, consider incorporating some of the following features:
Use Sustainable Materials: When choosing materials for your home—whether for an addition, renovation, or simple DIY project—look for those that are sustainable and have a low environmental impact. Some sustainable materials to consider using are bamboo, wool insulation, linen curtains, and cork flooring.
Orient Home for Passive Solar Gain: One way to reduce the amount of energy needed to heat and cool your home is to orient it in a way that takes advantage of passive solar gain. For an existing home, this means designing additions or renovations so that the windows face south (in the Northern Hemisphere) or north (in the Southern Hemisphere). This will allow the home to take advantage of the sun's heat in winter and be shaded by the sun's heat in summer.
Use Natural Lighting and Vegetation: Another way to reduce your home's energy consumption is to take advantage of natural lighting and ventilation. This can be done by incorporating skylights and sun tunnels, which bring natural light into the home, and by using operable windows and doors to allow for natural ventilation.
Challenges of Eco-Friendly Home Design
While the eco-friendly home design is becoming more popular, there are still some challenges associated with it. One challenge is the cost of sustainable materials. Sustainable materials can sometimes be more expensive than traditional building materials, which can make an eco-friendly home design out of reach for some people. Another challenge is that not all sustainable materials are widely available, which can make it difficult to find the materials you need for your project. Finally, some sustainable materials may require more maintenance than traditional materials, which can be a deterrent for some people.
Despite the challenges, eco-friendly home design is a great way to reduce your impact on the environment and create a more sustainable home. If you're considering eco-friendly home design for your next project, keep the challenges in mind and work with a qualified professional to make sure your project is successful.
Benefits of an Eco-Friendly Home
Eco-friendly homes are designed and built with the environment in mind. They take into account the impact of the home on the environment and aim to minimize that impact. There are a number of benefits associated with eco-friendly home design, including:
Reduced energy consumption in the home, saving money on energy bills.
Lower carbon footprint and reduced need for water and other resources.
Improved indoor air quality from eco-friendly ventilation and air purification systems.
Increased comfort from home's management of solar gain and natural ventilation.
Eco-friendly home design is a great way to reduce your impact on the environment and create a more sustainable home. If you're considering eco-friendly home design for your next home, keep the challenges in mind and work with a qualified professional to make sure your project is successful.
Author: Tony Gilbert
