What Is Sustainable Architecture?

Sustainable architecture is the idea of using environmentally conscious techniques and materials in the field of architecture. This green building and living technique is intent on creating as little waste as possible, using renewable and clean energy, and building with materials that are not damaging to living things or the earth's environment.

Energy Use
Perhaps the largest component of sustainable architecture is how energy is used to provide power for the structure that is being built. Excellent insulation is important in a structure that is built with conserving energy in mind. Passive solar energy such as that gathered from strategically placed windows is also an important component in conserving energy and using sustainable energy sources. Awnings, shades, and shutters are considered green in that they use no electricity but can serve as passive building cooling devices.

Renewable Energy
Solar panels are utilised to capture renewable energy for use in an environmentally conscious home or building. Active and passive solar hot water heaters are another component of creating sustainable and renewable energy.

While small wind turbines may also be utilized as a way of harnessing wind power to create energy, they are not useful until winds reach at least eight-miles-per hour.

Air source heat pumps act much like an air conditioner but in reverse. These pumps can absorb heat from cold outside air and deliver it to inside the home or building. Geothermal heat pumps can also utilize warmth from deep in the ground to heat a building or home.

Building materials
Sustainable building materials may include: rock, straw, bamboo, trass (a type of volcanic rock), linoleum, sustainably harvested wood, sheep wool, concrete, clay, sisal, cork, coconut, and vermiculite. Recycled materials are also an important component of sustainable architecture and may include: denim, glass, and reclaimed, or re-used, lumber. Re-used doors, windows and other recycled architectural components are also a part of sustainable architecture.

Using green building materials that create as little environmental hazard as possible is an important, these materials include cellulose insulation, organic or milk-based paints, and treating lumber with boric acid to prevent insect damage.

Waste Management
There is often also a focus on on-site waste management in terms of solid waste, building and construction waste, and on any by-products of on-site industry. Composting toilets, kitchen waste composting, and off-site recycling are all taken into account when considering green building and sustainable architecture.

Sustainable architecture is a multi-faceted field of green living that continues to grow as more people become environmentally conscious.

If you are looking for Perth Architects who can work creatively and efficiently on your project, contact Cameron Chisholm & Nicol for an architecture company with expertise in sustainable architecture retail, hospitality, offices, education and residential architectural projects.

Original article

Vernacular Architecture for Modern Times

With respect to architecture, the term vernacular is used to describe building designs and styles that reflect the local customs, needs, and building resources available. Since antiquity, people have learned through trial and error, the various structural concepts we often take for granted today. Vernacular architecture is the product of generations of experimentation, trial and error.

Although associated with outdated and primitive methods, the positive benefits of vernacular housing designs - even in today's ultra-modern world - are many. In fact, it is because we as a global race have advanced so much, so fast, in these very areas, that we have caused widespread depletion of resources, to the point that we have started to go back to our roots to find answers.

In our quest for new and better designs, stronger, more robust materials, and spacious, luxurious living spaces, we have all but forgotten what it has cost us. Technology and advancement in science can be a beautiful thing, but we must in our pursuit of such blessings, not forget to think further than our own short lives.

A generally recognized prerequisite for vernacular designs is the utilization of locally or regionally available resources. Another is that these resources be sustainable. These criteria ensure that needless fuel and energy isn't spent on transporting supplies and materials when they can be acquired locally, and also that the local resources aren't exhausted either.

Back before long-distance transportation of materials was viable, houses matched the resources locally available. In woody areas where there was plenty of lumber, it was common to find wooden houses. Likewise, in regions where trees and forests were scarce, indigenous peoples would opt to use mud and stone. In this way, local housing would reflect local resources.

Of course, in all things a balance is important. In today's society, convenience and quality of life play a large role, which unfortunately places us in a rather frustrating game of tug o' war with our environment - or should I say environmentalists. Even incorporating only the artistic and unique aspects of vernacular architecture is a start, and this is already being done.

The laws of physics have been around for long time, and this is proven by certain standard and uniform methods and "rules" that all structures - new and old - follow. Just because these guys didn't get a Masters in modern structural engineering, it doesn't mean their houses didn't stand. In fact, all modern knowledge is the collective experience, trial, error, and hand-me-downs of such men and women throughout history.

There is much we have learned from history, and much we can still learn. - Vernacular architecture and the simple and humble ways of our forefathers is a small part of what we can still learn.

If you liked my article please visit my website at Free and Handy for more, thanks!

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Tips on Sustainable Architecture

One of the breakthrough concepts which emerged from the green construction is the idea of sustainable architecture. This simply means using Eco-friendly techniques and materials in the architectural field. The green building and green living techniques aims to create as little waste as possible. Sustainable architecture also promotes the use of clean and renewable energy with the use of building materials that do not damage the earth's environment.

Sustainable architecture focuses largely on how energy will be used to provide the much needed power for the entire structure being built. To effectively conserve energy, the building must have an excellent insulation. Shutters, shades and awning are widely used in green building because these require no electricity for its operation and yet, they can be used as passive building coolers. Passive solar energy which is collected from windows which are strategically located is valuable in conserving energy as well. In terms of using renewable energy, solar panels can be used to capture energy from the sun. Solar energy can be used in providing energy for the home or structures.

Air source heat pumps absorb heat from cold outside air, and it delivers it inside the building or the house. These work like air conditioners in reverse. On the other hand, geothermal heat pumps can also use the warmth from underground to provide heat to a home or a building.

When it comes to sustainable building, the proponents and experts recommend some earth-friendly materials like coconut, concrete, harvested wood, rock, bamboo, linoleum, sheep wool, clay, cork, vermiculite, straw and other natural-based objects. One of the most important components of sustainable architecture is the use of recycled materials such as glass, lumber and denim. You may also reuse doors, windows, flooring and other recycled architectural components to build a sustainable structure. In addition to these, cellulose insulation, lumbers treated with Boric acid, and organic or milk-based paints are used to complete a green building. These materials do not damage the environment to the same extent as the non-Eco-friendly materials.

Another important component of sustainable architecture is waste management. The proponents of green construction require construction companies to design and build their structures based on an Eco-friendly method. The focus is on on-site waste management especially in terms of solid waste, construction waste, and all the by-products of the construction process. Composting and off-site recycling are taken into consideration when carrying out green building. This is also done to ensure that the health of the people working in the site and on the surrounding communities is protected from all the harmful effects of the wastes.

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Original article

What is sustainable architecture?

Sustainable architecture is the idea of using materials and techniques of the environment in the field of architecture. This green building and living technical is intended to create as little waste as possible, using clean and renewable energies and the construction materials which is not harmful to human beings live or the environment.

Energy use
Perhaps the most important component of sustainable architecture is how energy is used to provide the energy for the structure under construction. Excellent insulation is important in a structure that is constructed with energy in mind. Such passive solar energy collected from strategically placed windows is also an important element in the use of sustainable energy sources and energy savings. Awnings, nuances, and the components are considered green they use no electricity but can serve as a passive construction of cooling devices.

Renewable energy
Solar panels are used to capture renewable energy for use in a conscious domestic environment or construction. Passive and active solar hot water heater is another component of the creation of sustainable and renewable energy.

While small wind turbines can also be used as a way to take advantage of wind power to create energy, they are not useful until winds reach at least eight-miles-per hour.

Air heat pumps act much like an air conditioner, but in the opposite direction. These pumps can absorb heat from the cold outside air and deliver within the home or buildings. Geothermal heat pumps can also use heat from deep in the ground to heat a building or at home.

Construction materials
Sustainable construction materials may include: rock, straw, bamboo, (a type of volcanic rock) trass, linoleum, wood harvested sustainably, wool of sheep, concrete, clay, sisal, Cork, coconut and vermiculite. Recycled materials are also an important element of sustainable architecture and can include: denim, glass and wood recovered or re-used. Reused doors, Windows and other architectural components recycled are also part of sustainable architecture.

By using building materials that create as little environmental danger that possible is an important ecological, these materials include cellulose insulation, paints based organic or milk and treatment of wood with boric acid to prevent damage from insects.

Waste management
It is often also focusing on the management of waste on site in terms of solid waste, construction and the construction of waste and by-products of the industry on the spot. Composting in the kitchen waste composting and recycling toilet off-site, are all taken into account when considering the ecological construction and sustainable architecture.

Sustainable architecture is a field of many facets of living green which continues to grow as more people become conscious of the environment.

If you are looking for Perth architects who can work creatively and on your project efficiently, contact Cameron Chisholm & Nicol for an architectural firm with expertise in the retail of sustainable architecture, of home, offices, educational and residential architects projects.

article

Vernacular architecture for modern times

With respect to architecture, the vernacular the term is used to describe the design of buildings and styles that reflect local customs, needs and available resources. Since antiquity, people have learned by trial and error, structural concepts we often take for granted today. Vernacular architecture is the product of generations of experimentation, trial and error.

Although associated with the outdated and primitive methods, the positive benefits of drawings of vernacular housing - even in the ultra-modern world - are many. In fact, it is because as a global race we have advanced so much, so fast, in these same areas, we did the widespread depletion of resources, to the point that we started to return to our roots to find answers.

In our quest for new and better designs, stronger, more robust and spacious and luxurious living spaces materials, we have forgotten what it has cost us. Technology and advancement in science can be a beautiful thing, but we need in our quest for these blessings, remember to think beyond our own short lives.

A generally recognized for the design of vernacular prerequisite is the use of the resources available locally or regionally. Another is that these resources are sustainable. These criteria ensure that energy and fuel unnecessary is not devoted to transport supplies and equipment where they can be acquired locally and also that local resources are not depleted or the other.

Before transport over long distances of materials was viable, houses matched the resources available locally. In the Woody areas where there was a lot of wood of work, it was common to find wooden houses. Similarly, in areas where forests and trees were rare, indigenous peoples would opt to use mud and stone. In this way, the local housing would reflect local resources.

Of course, in all things, a balance is important. In today's society, the convenience and quality of life play a major role, which unfortunately places us in a rather frustrating game of tug o ' war with our environment - or should I say environmentalists. Incorporating only the aspects unique vernacular architecture and art is a start, and it is already done.

The laws of physics exist for a long time, and proven by some standards and uniforms and methods "rules" that all structures new and old-. Simply because these guys are not a master of modern structural engineering, this does not mean that their homes did not stand up. In fact, all modern knowledge are the collective experience, trial, error and waste of these men and women throughout history.

There is much that we have learned from history, and although we can still learn. -How simple and humble of our ancestors and vernacular architecture is a small part of what we can learn again.

If you liked my article please visit my website free and Handy for more, thank you!

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