Sustainable Design Architecture

In today’s world of diminishing resources, it is not enough that a home looks good anymore; it also needs to be energy efficient and environmentally sustainable where possible. This is where sustainable design comes into play and an architect can be the perfect way to achieve sustainability for your home. Here’s what you need to know.

What is Sustainable Design in Architecture?

Sustainable design in architecture is all about using design techniques and materials in order to make the building as environmentally friendly as possible. Its aim is to reduce the negative impacts that buildings can have on the environment.

Sustainable design involves many different aspects and techniques and some things that architects use in order to achieve a sustainable home include:

• Water conservation – may include things such as rainwater harvesting systems or water recycling through the introduction of grey water recycling systems. Water efficient fittings and appliances are also used.
• Passive heating and cooling – designing the home so that it sits correctly on the block and also maximising natural ventilation. It also involves using insulation or materials with a high thermal mass to reduce heat gains and losses.
• Sustainable materials – using materials that have minimal impact on the environment during the harvesting, manufacture, and life of the material. Ideally, the material is recyclable at the end of its life. It can also use prefabricated materials in order to minimise wastage. Also materials that are low in toxicity and give off few emissions are preferred.
• Solar energy – this could be through a solar hot water systems or panels that harvest the energy from the sun and convert it into electricity that is used within the home.

Choosing a Sustainable Design Architect

As when choosing any architect, you need to make sure that the architect is appropriately qualified, licensed, and insured, and is also registered with the appropriate bodies. Speak to your architect about their knowledge of sustainable design principles. In many cases an architect that is fairly local to you will be a better choice than one further away as they will have a greater knowledge of local conditions and how to use those to your benefit. Ask to look at their portfolio and for references, so you can see how they have used sustainable design in their previous work.

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