Build a Eco House Design

Designing an echologically friendly home is a balancing act and cost will always be a major factor. It is an unfortunate truth that building projects tend to exceed their budgets — and green homes are no exception. How can a house design be inherently echo-friendly? looks at the basics of echo house design and explains where to start


Sustainable materials still tend to be more expensive than their alternatives and skilled people are hard to find and come at a premium. So trim the design, not the build. Cutting costs at the end of the project can result in a building that is a compromise which satisfies no one.

SHAPE AND ORIENTATION side
Designing an echo home is not just about the building. It is also about how the building sits in its landscape. Minimize its impact and think about its surroundings. Permeable tarmac for the drive, for instance, will reduce run-off and put water back into the land. Trees, shrubs and ‘wild’ areas will increase biodiversity and interest.

The shape, size, location, topography and surroundings of your plot will all influence what can and can’t be done. South-facing elevations and roof planes are great, and tall, thin windows on the south will introduce more light and heat to the back of a room. But south-facing windows can overheat the home in summer. Planting deciduous trees in front of the window will let sunlight in during winter and provide dappled shade in summer.


MATERIALS for build echo house
Think first of using recycled or salvaged materials: they have virtually zero embodied energy, are available locally and cost less than a new equivalent. Timber, roof slates, and even bricks are all readily available and the range of new goods from recycled materials is growing — from carpets to roof tiles.

As to structure, timber frame, especially sustainable timber, with sustainable insulation, has true echo credentials. The rules are: timber first, steel last, less cement and avoid PVCu.

Resource Energy
Let’s be clear, the greatest environmental impact of a house is from the fossil fuels it burns for its energy. No amount of echo-certified bamboo flooring can compensate for the impact of an oil- or gas-guzzling house. Direct the budget to energy conservation first, energy generation second and everything else last.

OPERATION side
echo design is as much about living in an echo-friendly way as about the house itself. Minimizing your energy use, providing space for recycling bins or clothes drying, and using grey water will all help to reduce your impact on the planet, and the impact of the people that come after you.

COST side
In the long term, a well-designed echo house will recover its extra expense in lower running costs. It will command a premium price and will be more attractive to the buyer than the estate home down the road. More than ever before, a sustainable home is a sound investment.