When you are considering green home building or renovating and remodelling it can sometimes be difficult to know just where to begin. A good place to start, is to do a bit of a brainstorming exercise. This will help you get a lot clearer on what it is you actually want to build, the kinds of things that are important to you and the other people you will be building and living with and help you get some inspiration along the way.
Here are a few of the important things you might like to consider to get you one step closer to your dream of building green with straw.
Get Clear on the WHY of Green Home Building.
This is an interesting exercise to go through. List all the reasons that green home building is something you think is important and worth considering. The reasons will be different for everyone but some common reasons are concern for your health and wellbeing, the natural feel of such buildings and lower energy bills as a result of good design.
What Do You REALLY Need?
The trend these days, even for people who are being environmentally conscious is to build bigger and bigger homes. Taking the opportunity to look at green home building is a good chance to look at what you really need in a home. While all those rooms may be nice to have, do they really help you create the life you are looking for? Getting clear on what you really need, what would be nice, what is an indulgence and what is just plain crazy will help you as you begin to create the plans and schemes that may one day be your dream eco home.
Design Principles for Green Home Building.
Once again there are some pretty basic principles to consider when making your first attempts at a floor plan or design for your green home building project. Don’t be daunted, you CAN do this at home. You have some of your elements selected such as bedrooms, living areas and outdoor spaces, now all you have to do is put them together. Solar orientation, window placement, cross ventilation, and your lifestyle will all impact on your design. Don’t worry, start drawing.
Select Your Materials.
Now comes the fun bit. What green building materials are you going to consider using for your green home building project? Building green with straw is just one potential aspect. You could incorporate recycled materials, natural timbers, bamboo, locally sourced hardwoods and even mud brick, cob or rammed earth. You have almost endless options for wall, window, roof, floor and other finishes. There are many things to consider but looking at pictures and books and visiting other eco homes, will give you lots of inspiration.
Look at your Values.
This is more difficult and in the end is fraught with compromise. The decision to use locally sourced, environmentally friendly and low toxicity materials are all ethical considerations. So to be such ideals as using local labour for those jobs you just can’t do yourself. Take a look at your ethical wishes and list them in order of importance to you, this will make all those future compromises easier to make as you will have a ready made priority list to hand.
Your Green Home Building Project – DIY?
Many people opt to employ a contractor to build their eco home for them as they think it would be too difficult to consider doing it themselves. This is a valid point of view. Take some time to look at the plan you have drawn, the materials you have selected, the finishes you wish to employ in creating your eco home and see if they are conducive to owner building or DIY. Perhaps a combination of approaches will suit you best. Having these thoughts in place will assist you when you approach the formal design and application process.
Talk To Others.
As you begin to consider the options available to you it is well worth remembering that there is probably already a community of people in your local area who are also considering green home building as an option. There will also be people who have successfully completed their eco homes and it is worth making contact with them to help you as you begin planning your project.
Speak with your Local Authority.
It’s a good idea to make contact with your local planning authority nice and early in your planning process. They have had a lot of experience and can be a real source of information about green home building along with what is and is not possible and acceptable in your local area. They are the people you will need to convince in the end so it is a good idea to develop a positive working relationship with them right from the start.
Buy, Trade and Barter.
Building a green home, like any building or remodelling project, is a huge task. However, most people are up to the job if they plan it properly and have the right advice. One interesting outcome for a lot of people is the opportunity to share materials, trade labour and barter (exchange) goods and services with other people who have also embarked on their own green home building adventure.
Green Home Building Advice Is Everywhere.
You can find excellent information and advice on green home building, sustainable materials and owner building everywhere these days. Look at your local council or building authority website as a place to start. Many government departments at state and national levels also have good information available on alternatives, sustainable materials and good design principles on website. Much of this information is for free.
As you can see there is a lot to consider when you decide that green home building is something you want to do. With a little thought, good planning, careful sourcing of information and materials and keeping an open mind to where the help you need might come from, you will find your green home building adventure to be one of the best things you ever did.
