 |
| French Exchange student putting the finishing touches on a thatch roof. Thatch roofs can last up to 100 years or more in cold climates. This roof is made of palm leaves in Yucutan, Mexico. |
I have been reading about Modernism, and minimalism lately. It has become clear how fascinating a time it must have been mid-century to witness a change in the world around us. From overindulgent flourish borrowed from cultures on the other side of the world, to a conscious, pared down aesthetic. By removing "copy and paste" visual ornament that the Victorian era had become associated with, designers were now able to focus on what they were meant to do in the first place: create thoughtful, comfortable spaces that protect users from the elements.
Describing this to my partner yesterday, we got into a debate about whether green design could perform a similar evolution in design. My partner suggested that it is difficult because green design does not have a recognizable look like the International style, so it struggles under a myriad of attempts to express itself, some of it actually green and some of it green-washing.
There are a few ways to categorize green or sustainable design:
1) Large Budget, Large Scale, Government Funded and Cultural Buildings: buildings that choose or forced to be constructed with a choice of sustainable features such as low flow plumbing fixtures, extra daylight, local materials, reduced energy use, etc. This is an area that the LEED from the USGBC and CaGBC have make their greatest impact; slowly shifting the dialogue and availability of materials to a greener level. Often decisions are technology and cost based.
2) Net-zero Homes: means the amount of energy used by a homes is balanced by the energy created onsite, such as through solar panels, wind turbines, or geothermal energy. Very technologically based, and often expensive. With my local jurisdiction's energy producers allowing customers to sell energy back the grid, this may become more common.
3) Passivhaus (light and tight): Emerging from Germany, this energy accounting system has been slowly showing up in other parts of the world as engineer/architects are adopting this strategy known for using copious insulation, air-tight construction details, reduced thermal bridging, and almost precluding any need for supplementary heat. Proponents claim that the methodology is appropriate around the globe, no matter the climate. Because of it's overarching dependence on numerical goals, aesthetics rarely factor in to designs, and is better suited to boxy homes, and even better to multi-tenant dwellings. The energy rating system is still new, but expect to spend at least 10% more on the home.
4) Passive Solar: Typically thought of as sustainable architecture from the 1970's. The R-2000 home, and other wooden geometrical structures whose solar glazing was oriented towards the south. Very experimental, building as pure science. This experimentation was necessary during the oil embargo at the time and was focused on reducing energy use. The founder of Jersey Devil Design Build laments the use of the word Passive, as it does not inspire the macho of the building industry.
5) Earthship (glass and mass): A subset of Passive solar. This branded style of green building uses salvaged, local and new materials to assemble a comprehensive living system with earth berms, water collecting cisterns, passive ventilation. A greenhause typically runs the southern span of the house. Due to it's extremely labour-dependent construction, it doesn't quite work in a technology driven industrial-capitalist system. Originally made on cheap under-utilized land in New Mexico where the EarthShip Academy still teaches students, it has been showing up in cooler climates like C
6) Natural Building: uses natural materials for structure and infill. It utilizes technology only where necessary, such as to protect it from the elements, or to provide electricity with solar or wind power. Typically more appropriate in a rural setting where there is easier access to clay, sand, straw, roundwood etc. Categories of natural building are typically strawbale, cob, earthbermed, adobe, light straw clay, hempcrete, etc. These structures are often made in work bee's with a lot of friendly, but unskilled labour. Done well, they are usually the same price as a typical home built to minimum code.
Some designers have managed to get these buildings constructed in cities, disguised under a clean layer of plaster. Rammed earth is a good example of a clean linear version of this style appropriate for an urban setting.
7) Tiny Homes and Temporary Structures (less is more): Small, attractive homes often built on wheels to avoid requiring a building permit these structures are sustainable because they use less material, and are easier to condition. Other temporary structures like yurts or geodesic domes are also efficient with material and conditioned space.
8) Vernacular, Local, Critical Regionalism: spans centuries. Before the advent of fuel, the style and material palette of your building was based on the material available directly around you. Alvar Aalto was a Finnish Architect who tried to reanalyze this matter and entitled it "Critical Regionalism."
9) Ecological Design: In some ways it is the most philosophical way of design. Rarely actually built, it is a theory based design that considers humans and nature in an ideal balance. It is often responsive or remediating to its surroundings.
We have to acknowledge that any building project is a series of compromises. It is impossible to make something truly sustainable, but honest green design will always come from an analysis of the context in which it exists. Something that works in a hot and dry climate will look completely different from something built in the tundra. Find me on facebook, twitter, instagram or pintrest as I continue to explore what it means to be an ecological designer.
 |
| Homeowner hard at work, in bare feet, attaching branches from the surrounding jungle to hold the thatch roof onto the rafters. |
