ESD Statement
Environmentally Sustainable Design and ecological house designs involves the use of the natural elements of the planet in a manner that leaves it in a better state than when we inherited it. Sustainable house designs considers two main categories of environmentally sustainable design.
The process of Environmentally Sustainable Design
Pre-design
Meet
- Get to know and understand each other
- Establish or receive the Brief
- Become conversant with each other's roles
Site assessment
- Access
- Topography
- Views
- Climate and prevailing weather
Design
Orientation
- The single most important aspect of passive design.
Zoning
Influences:
- Daytime use/Night time use
- Warm side/Cool side
- Summer/Winter
- Habitable/non-habitable
- Short term use/long term use
House Plan ratio
- Pavilions
Solar access
- Seasonal access and exclusion
Material behavior
- Thermal mass
- Insulation
Material Properties
- Embodied energy
- Availability
- Cost
Systems
- Natural energy harnessing, heating and cooling
- Trombe walls
- Thermal flues
Ventilation
- Natural
- Induced
Water
- Harnessing fresh water
- Use waterwell
- Turn waste into usable
Sustainable Design Principles
We will look to incorporate the following design principles into the design:
- Designing and constructing buildings to preserve the natural features of the site.
- Designing and constructing buildings to include passive solar design.
- Increasing the energy efficiency of buildings and retro-fits by using low energy
- Technologies for lighting, heating and cooling, appliances and equipment.
- Using natural and/or fan-forced ventilation.
- Using renewable energy technologies.
- Selecting sustainable building materials, such as locally sourced and recycled content.