Melburnians Sarah Corbet and David Bruce bought a 7.5 acre block of land in central Victoria with plans for their future retirement and a slower paced life. They engaged Altereco Design to design the house, ideally to be made with hempcrete. Sarah and David requested a ‘warm design’ that was functional as well as beautiful. … Read more
The role of landscaping in passive solar building design can play a crucial part in maximizing shade and solar gain. By carefully planning and positioning landscape elements, homeowners can create outdoor spaces that work in harmony with the sun’s natural patterns, resulting in energy-efficient buildings that are comfortable year-round. One of the primary goals of … Read more
Solar water heaters vary in design, efficiency, capacity and price, but they all replace a good chunk of the gas or electricity used to heat water with clean, free sunlight. The three basic designs all have a way to collect heat, a tank to store hot water, backup heating for when your system can’t keep … Read more
This environmentally friendly house was built with durable, empty bags filled with raw earth. The structure employed rice bags with local soil from the site (with additives), along with barbwire acting as tensile strength. Earthen plaster was then applied to the exterior for a smooth finish. Earthbag construction has remarkable strength and longevity. It can … Read more
Marc Berman at programminginsider.com has come up with a list of aspects of ecological home design that I think is worth sharing. Selecting the right site is the first step in the design process. Orientation: Take advantage of the sun’s path by orienting your home to maximize natural light and passive solar heating. Position windows … Read more
www.motherearthnews.com interviewed Sigi Koko for a podcast that you can hear at that link. Below are some of her comments: I have a graduate degree in architecture and I then had worked for a construction company doing just conventional housing construction to get some experience building so that I could talk to builders better and … Read more