Francesc Zamora Mola - 150 Best New Eco Home Ideas

CONTENTS

Eco-friendly and sustainable design, LEED-certification, and carbon footprint are terms that have become prevalent in contemporary architecture, which has been evolving toward a more environmentally conscious practice. In some cases, this evolution has been encouraged by government regulations in an effort to reduce the negative impact of construction on the environment. Diminishing natural resources, pollution, and climate change are among the consequences of indiscriminate building policies, which affect not only the environment but also the economy and public health. Adhering to sustainable methods in the planning of a house can provide healthy, beneficial results for the occupants.

The minimization of energy consumption and maximization of energy efficiency, the reuse of salvaged construction materials, and the incorporation of ancestral style building methods offer a wide array of design opportunities, balancing environmental, economic, and societal goals.

Before we approach the concept of eco-friendly and sustainable architecture, and point out representative examples, we need to understand the ramifications of the carbon footprint. Basically, this term refers to a buildings CO2 emissions. We also need to understand that electrical energy generated through fossil fuelssuch as crude oil, natural gas, and coalis the cause of enormous amounts of CO2 emissions.

One would think that reducing the consumption of electricity would mitigate the problem, and reasonably so. But how would we go about heating and cooling our homes? How would we light them up at night? And how would we power our kitchen appliances?

The projects featured in this book demonstrate that renewable energymainly from the sun and windis an attractive alternative for those of us, who dont mind going a little out of our way to improve the environment. That means not only minimizing fossil fuel energy consumption but also maximizing energy efficiency. The goal is to minimize the use of high energyconsuming devices.

The location, orientation, and layout of a houseopen plan and courtyard house typologyare key to achieving this goal. Passive design principles make the most of sun exposure, natural ventilation, thermal mass, and glazing, contributing to thermal comfort.

When it comes to conserving natural resources, there are also many opportunities to ensure sustainable practices through the reuse of salvaged construction materials and demolition waste. The benefits of reusing waste are considerable. For instance, in the production of concrete, a large percentage of natural aggregate can be replaced with recycled waste. This would reduce the use of a nonrenewable resource, the destruction of natural habitats, and the emission of air pollutants.

With construction methods moving in a more sustainable direction, we observe a symbiosis of nature and architecture. For example, some structures demonstrate how ancestral vernacular design solutionssuch as the earth-bermed housecan be used in contemporary architecture in combination with current technologies.

All these new design principles are changing the way we plan, build, and operate our homes. Balancing aesthetic and environmental measures can, in most cases, result in important economic savings over the lifetime of a home, but even more important, provide beneficial results aimed at the creation of healthy and pleasant homes.

DUST

Tucson, Arizona, United States

Jeff Goldberg/Esto

This rammed-earth dwelling is located in an arid expanse of land that emits a sense of stillness and permanence. It holds mysteries of magical proportions. The home is carefully sited in response to the adjacent arroyos, rock outcroppings, ancient cacti, animal migration paths, air movement, sun exposure, and views. Great effort was invested to minimize the physical impact of the home in such a fragile environment. Rooted in the desert, where water is always scarce, the design incorporates a generous 30,000-gallon rainwater harvesting system with an advanced filtration device that produces the most precious resource available for all household uses.

Site plan

Parking is intentionally isolated from the house. From there, one must walk along a narrow footpath, passing through a dense clustered area of cacti and Palo Verde that obscures direct views of the home. Upon each progressive footstep, the house slowly reveals itself, as if rising out of the ground.

Roof deck plan

Ground-floor plan

Building section

The program of the home is divided into three distinct and isolated zones: living, sleeping, and music recording/home entertainment. Each zone can only be accessed by stepping outside. This separation resolves the clients desired acoustic separation, while offering an opportunity for continual experiencing the desert landscape.