Reducing Our Energy Consumption at Home

Now more than ever before the world is becoming more and more cautious about the effect we have on the earth. Consumers are staring to take advantages of the benefits of being green. Simple changes to your home not only benefit the planet, they also benefit our health and wallets too. On a month to month basis people who live in green homes use less water and energy compared to a standard home. They also spend less money on maintenance. Green homes tend to be more durable due to the construction process and higher quality materials.

In Canada, 17% of all energy goes to running our homes and, here in Calgary, 30% of our use is from household electrical consumption. Additionally, the average household in Calgary is using 8% more energy today than it did in 2005.

Green homes can use up to 40% less energy. Next to a mortgage, energy costs are the most significant household expense. Something you many not know is your plasma TV uses five times more energy then the old tube TV.

To estimate appliance consumption you can use this formula

Wattage x hours per day divided by 100 = Daily Kilowatt-hour consumption

You can usually find the wattage on the appliance, stamp on the bottom or side. Many appliances still draw electricity even when turned off; this is known as phantom load. Appliances that are known for this are stereos, computers, and televisions just to name a few. If you have older appliances you can use a device to control and reduce energy consumption. These devices control and regulate the energy delivered to the appliance. Appliance newer then 1990 may not see any benefits from this device because of their existing energy save features.

The Kitchen is an area in the home that has a lot of energy consumptions here are a few way to cut back on usage. You can save energy daily by manually chopping instead of using mixers and grinders. Small changes can make a big difference, cook meals in smaller appliances like microwave or toaster ovens. If you're shopping for a new fridge a great choose is one with the freezer on top. These models tend to be more efficient than models with the freezer on the bottom or side by sides.

We all need to do our part to conserve energy. Simple changes will not affect our daily living too much, but can have a huge impact on the future of our planet.

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I am the lead design on owner of Simply Stylish Staging http://www.simplystylishstaging.ca/. I will find the best buys to save you time and money for your staging needs. I will work with your budget to ensure buyers see the true potential of your property. My passion for design and training as a Canadian Staging Professional I would love to working with home owners to sell their home quickly with a maximum return of investment.

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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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Sustainable Architect - Making the World a Better Place to Live, One Structure at a Time

We hear the phrase sustainable architecture thrown around, but what is it? What are we sustaining? Is "GREEN" related? What are the benefits of it? What does a sustainable architect do? I wish the answer was simple, and indeed it is.

Sustainable means to build or develop in a way that will let us keep doing it for a long period of time without adverse effects. If we overuse a material that is in short supply, it could cause us irreparable problems. For example, if our construction is heavily dependent on materials that use large amounts of water in their manufacturing and are being made in a region with a short supply of water, that could be a problem. If we design a tropical garden that requires constant and large amounts of water for it's upkeep in a desert environment, that could also be a big problem.

Now that we have an ideal of what the problems are, lets take a look at how we can adjust the way we do things to be sustainable. Sustainable is not a concept that deals with individual aspects, but rather in a holistic way. If it makes common sense, it is generally sustainable. If you live in an area where masonry products are readily produced and available from local resources, it would probably make sense to use it in construction. It would also make sense to use local plants and groundcover materials instead of having them transported from China to the US. It would also make sense to use the local climate to your advantage. If you live in a cold climate, then maximizing natural solar heating through light would make sense. If you live in a very hot environment, then shading from hot sunlight would make sense to use in order to cool the structure and provide comfort and energy savings.

Sustainable also involves urban planning. Ask yourself: Would it make more sense to build a structure in a already developed area with existing roads and utilities, or perhaps even re-use an existing structure of start from scratch? Certainly most people with a functioning brain would say that starting with something is better then starting with nothing, yet we commonly see communities of so called "cookie cutter" homes which are utterly artificial and lifeless. If the development would focus on making the best with what already exists, re-using or adapting existing structures and neighborhoods, certainly the results would be amazing.

Abhay is a young entrepreneur architect with a passion for logical sustainable architecture. He would consider himself a sustainable architect, so the articles you'll read will be about sustainability. The filter that will always be used is: does it make sense? You'll find out that being sustainable absolutely does make financial sense.

http://sustainablearchitect.org/sustainable-architect/sustainable-architecture-%E2%80%93-what-is-it
http://sustainablearchitect.org/

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