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Virtually everyone is doing anything possible these days to save the environment and our natural resources. Like other business sectors, the building industry is following the trend toward implementing eco friendly practices. This means producing structures with specific features that minimize energy usage and reduce the dependence on precious nonrenewable natural resources. For residential and commercial construction projects alike, it all starts with sustainability in architectural design. Green building designs create a healthy and comfortable living environment that has minimal environmental impact. Energy efficient features take advantage of renewable resources to conserve water and electricity. Building owners benefit from a reduction in maintenance and operation costs in addition to the satisfaction of knowing they are contributing to a healthy environment. Bioclimatic architecture provides the basis for creating an energy efficient building. When creating a building design, the architect factors in the local climate and conditions in the immediate environment to create a comfortable but attractive living space. Main windows with a southern exposure can take the most advantage of available solar energy. Trees in strategic locations offer a buffer against winter wind from the north. Passive solar energy collection systems can harness the sun's rays to heat, cool, and light interior spaces. Shape and interior room layout are important elements of bioclimatic architecture. A compact shape limits the surface area exposed to the elements. This makes the building more cost effective to heat and cool. Arranging hallways, laundry rooms, and storage space along exterior walls creates a buffer zone between the outdoors and living space making it easier to maintain comfortable interior temperatures. A Trombe wall collects solar heat, stores it, and releases it after the sun sets. For the best results, a Trombe wall must face the winter sun. The wall features a layer of air between a glass external surface and a high heat capacity internal layer. This type of passive solar heating using glazed walls allows the sunlight in during the winter while blocking it during the summer. The walls of an earth rammed home are backfilled with soil. This building technique takes advantage of the natural cooling and heating properties of the earth for interior climate control. Building an earth rammed house is costly but homeowners begin recovering their investment immediately with significantly lower heating and cooling costs. In general, materials with a large thermal mass are preferable because they are able to absorb the sun's energy and release it slowly. Materials in this category include concrete, stone, and brick. Heat from the sun is released at night when the building is coldest. To take full advantage of the thermal mass properties of concrete floors, those on the south side must be bare as carpeting lessens the effect. Innovative plumbing designs can reduce the need for clean water from municipal sources. Collection of residential grey water from sinks and bathtubs provides an ample amount of water for irrigating gardens and landscaping. Collecting floodwater in areas that receive substantial amounts of precipitation is useful for the same purpose. An energy efficient building makes the most effective use of natural light to reduce the use of artificial light sources during daylight hours. This requires maintaining the delicate balance between letting sunlight in while keeping heat loss to a minimum. Windows facing south receive little direct sun during the hottest months of the year but allow most of the sunlight during the winter to enter the home. Windows facing north provide even natural light with minimal glare and summer heat gain. The type and amount of glass used in construction have an impact on efficiency and thermal comfort. Double pane windows have two panes of glass separated by a space filled with Argon gas or air. This offers an insulating barrier keeping cool air in during the summer and out during the winter. Triple pane windows are even more efficient because they feature an additional layer of insulation. Glass with a low emissivity, or low-E, coating allow visible light to shine through while blocking harmful ultraviolet rays. The main goal behind bioclimatic architecture is to use an integrated approach to building design that allows nature and humanity to coexist in mutually beneficial ways. Through innovative designs, homeowners can enjoy a safe and healthy living environment while doing their part to reduce water, ground, and outdoor air pollution. With advancements in technology, the production of energy efficient buildings becomes more cost effective. This allows consumers to recover their investment more quickly as they realize substantial savings in energy usage over time. Green Living Spaces specializes in stylish, affordable tiny houses for those wishing to simplify their lives and lead a green, sustainable lifestyle. Our Tiny homes are smart homes and range from 190 to 900 square feet in size. They can also be custom designed.
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green building, green architecture, sustainable architecture, energy efficient architecture, energy efficiency,
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