Eco Projects How To Build Sustainable Housing

Date Published:

26/06/2008

There are many things you can do to make your build gentle on the environment. They range from large- to small-scale, and most people have to choose priorities and make trade-offs. Here is a checklist.

Renovating

Renovating an existing building is a highly sustainable way to build. If you are building from scratch, you can still use materials reclaimed from other buildings – there is now a brisk trade in recycled bricks, tiles, slates and wood flooring. Reclaimed materials will give your building a weathered look, and may help it blend in with its older neighbours.

Concrete

Be aware of the concrete dilemma. Concrete is quick to work with and almost all houses these days have a concrete base, if not concrete breeze-block walls. But the cement that goes into concrete is hugely polluting to produce, and a major factor in the destruction of the ozone layer. On the other hand, concrete is durable and can be used in conjunction with much greener products to build an energy-efficient house.

Wood

Wood is beautiful, natural and increasingly popular. It can be used to clad houses externally, and to provide their structure. To avoid depleting the environment, use recycled wood, or buy new-growth wood from certified managed forests. Sustainably forested pine and green oak are widely available, and tropical hardwoods from managed sources can now be bought.

Energy-efficiency

Energy-efficiency is green – under-floor heating, effective wall and roof insulation, double-glazing and treated glass all help to cut fuel consumption. However, if you go for foam insulation made with HCFCs (hydrochlorofluorocarbons), you will have to balance the fact that HCFCs have been implicated in damaging the ozone layer against the helpful effects of cutting your energy use.

Solar panels

Solar panels can now be used domestically to provide heating and hot water, even in these cloudy and rainy isles. You can also generate some of your own electricity through fitting photovoltaic tiles and panels.

Sanitation

Conventional sanitation can be very polluting. Reed-bed sewage systems (basically three vegetation-planted ponds through which all your waste flows) let you process your waste organically on site. If this is too ambitious, you could install a system for converting your ‘grey water' –from sinks, showers and washing machines – into water fit for garden use.

Conservation

Water-conserving showers and toilets do what it says on the label. So do high-efficiency lights and boilers.

Sustainable living

Sustainable living is about behaviour as well as products. Design your home so it's easy to be green. For instance, create space for recycling papers, tins and bottles, and provide your kitchen with a compost-box.

Think local

Think local. If you buy materials from nearby, you cut out the need for long-distance transport, with all its wear and tear on the environment. You also contribute to the local economy. Likewise, using local skills and services helps to keep small communities alive.

For more ideas on green building – and living – check out the Eco and DIY and Building section.

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