What is Sustainable Architecture All About?

Sustainable architecture is simply about making the most environmentally conscious choice in our buildings, whether they already exist or are yet to be built. Sustainable architecture applies to homes, offices, industrial spaces, cultural spaces and other types of buildings. Even if you are buying an existing house, the choices you make affect the planet, so consider sustainability when choosing your home.

While enormous houses have been the trend throughout much of the United States during the 1990s and 2000s, smaller houses represent more sustainable architecture in the vast majority of cases. Huge houses cost a lot to heat and cool, and much of this energy comes from the use of fossil fuels. Depletion of resources and emission of greenhouse gases increases with the heating and cooling needs of large houses. Additionally, many more materials are required to build a large house. It’s best if your home is just the right size for the occupants and their activities. Your home should incorporate efficient use of space.

Sustainable architecture also involves heating with the sun when possible. Even in an old house, built before solar panels even existed, good design allowed the use of sunshine in warming the home in winter. Opening drapes on the sunny side of the house and closing them once the sun goes down can bring in free and needed heating during cold weather. And keeping drapes closed to the sun during hot weather can reduce the need for artificial cooling via air conditioning.

Good insulation is another property of sustainable architecture. This insures that the heat you use in the wintertime, and the air conditioning you use in the summertime stays in the house and doesn’t escape through thin walls, your attic, or drafty spots. The use of energy efficient appliances can make a big difference in the amount of energy your household consumes. As just one example, compact fluorescent light bulbs use only about one-third the electricity as standard bulbs and last much longer. Appliances that use electricity just by being plugged in (phantom load) should be unplugged when not in use.

Efficient use of water is a major factor in sustainable architecture. The average person in the United States uses over 100 gallons of water a day, even though it is possible to get by easily on much less. Architectural choices like low-flow shower heads and faucet aerators can cut back on water usage, as can the use of rain barrels for gardening. Landscaping using indigenous plants that are drought-tolerant saves significantly on water use as well.

If you’re building new, using local materials will not only result in a house that fits its landscape better, it will require much less in the way of transport to get materials to the building site. Keep this in mind with existing houses when you want to do additions or remodeling as well. Sustainable architecture has to do with making the most earth-friendly choices for your home, whether it’s being built new or whether it already exists. Your choices of appliances, building materials, and energy usage patterns can make a real difference in how efficiently your home uses resources.