In The Philosophy of Sustainable Design, Jason F. McLennan said designers should “eliminate negative environmental impact completely through skillful, sensitive design.”
Application of this view can differ within the different fields of the industry, from the materials used to the landscape designs. They all share the same philosophies.
The products life cycle should be considered. Materials used should always come from close proximity, they should be sustainable, renewable sources that can disintegrate easily when they are no longer usable. They should be non-toxic, recycled materials which have a lesser effect on the environment. Low VOC paint can be used to minimise the impact on the environment and improve air quality inside the home.
Products should be designed with better functioning parts and longer lasting too so that we replace them less frequently and this in turn will reduce the production of replacements. They should be designed so that they can be recycled and reused. Disassemble the product and reuse the parts to make a new product.
Embodied energy of the material or product must be considered over the lifespan of a building. In numerous circumstances, a higher embodied energy building material or product can be accepted because it decreases the energy requirements of the building needed during its lifespan.
Technology has advanced so much that we can now power our house without connecting to the grid. We should be considering renewable energy resources to power our homes. Use energy efficient appliances, low WELS rated plumbing. We should be recycling most of our water, the second hand water can be reused to flush our WC’s, water our gardens.
We all do our share to form a sustainable future for generations to come. Many homes that have been built in the last few decades did not include these principles into their designs. These homes cost a lot to be built and also waste a lot of Energy. At Eco Abode we think twice about the environment and what impact we create on it before designing. To find out how we can achieve and Environmentally Sustainable Design, please contact us at [email protected]