Eco-House: 12 Ways to Make Your Home More Eco-Friendly
Eco-house or eco-friendly house is one way to contribute to protecting the living environment. Designing an eco-house has become a general provision when planning to build a house. Eco-house means designing a house from all aspects both outside and inside which in operation, construction, to maintain the house will not have a bad impact on the environment. Some things related to eco-houses are sustainable buildings in terms of resilience, economy, needs, and comfort in the house.
The method of this house is to make a house that can store energy to make the environment more beautiful. With the current environmental conditions, professional architects also apply eco-house design because it is their responsibility, where they have to build houses that do not damage the environment. The use of materials that are good for the environment will save costs. Eco-house also makes the house more comfortable with a design that still takes into account its aesthetics. Here is how to design an environmentally friendly house (eco-house).
1. Location and State of the Site
When going to buy a land to build a house, you need to look at the conditions around the location that has been chosen. Pay attention to the shape of the land so that you can imagine the orientation of the building later. Also consider access to homes such as public transportation and the distance of the house to other public areas such as markets or bus stops.
2. Building orientation
After choosing a location, the house must certainly have a building orientation that avoids many openings in the west and east directions. The climate at the location will also affect the shape of the building such as places with a hot climate requiring large window openings on the north side of the building. Then in the south designed smaller windows along with shading such as a canopy or tritisan to avoid the entry of direct sunlight into the house. As for colder climates, the opposite design of hot climates is applied. By understanding the orientation of the house, it will make the house more comfortable.
3. Material use
Material is one of the main staples in designing an eco-house. Because a lot can be done by choosing the right material for the house. Choose materials made from natural materials such as cement, bricks, bamboo, wood, ceramics, steel, and so on. Recycling old or unused materials can be one of the easier to decorate the house.
4. Wall Material
For wall material, choose materials that can absorb heat such as bricks. Fire resistant and absorbs heat from the sun as well as low water absorption. The use of ceramics is also good because of low maintenance and beautifies the appearance of the building.
5. Floor Material
The use of floor material will depend on the function of the room. Granite, parkeet, ceramics, bamboo, marble, and wood can be options. But for more environmentally friendly materials, you can use wood and bamboo for the bedroom.
6. House Plan
The layout of the house plan will determine the number of partitions or rooms in the house. An open room in the house will minimize construction costs. In addition, it will also increase the intake of light and air into the house. Furniture arrangement is also easier.
7. Room in the house
The function of space will certainly affect its placement in the house. This will determine which room needs more lighting and natural air circulation. So that the room will be put to good use.
8. Window openings
Window frames can be made of wood or aluminum. The size of the windows adjusts the mass of the walls of the building and the floors that receive direct and indirect lighting. Add a canopy and shading in the window opening area to avoid overheating. Also determine the wind direction in the house and add air vents so that cool air can enter while hot air can come out.
9. Rooftops
Choosing a green roof / green roof will make the house more attractive and also environmentally friendly. Using this system on the roof will provide insulation for the house that helps reduce energy consumption in the house. For green roofs this can be applied to the entire roof or even just a few parts. Green roofs are not only based on roofs with grass, but can also control the sewer system. The system that collects rainwater can later be reused for household purposes such as washing, flushing toilets, watering plants, and landscape irrigation.
10. Solar panel
Solar panels or solar pannels are one of the renewable systems used as a source of electrical energy. These panels will work by converting solar energy into electrical energy. The price is indeed expensive at first but will be useful in the long run so that the cost of electricity expenditure in the future is cheaper. Solar panels are placed on the roofs of houses in the east and west so that it is ensured to get solar solar energy. Of course, also choose material for the roof of the house that can reflect heat radiation.
11. Lighting lamps
Choose bright lights but still energy efficient and also durable. As with LEDs and CFLs which are more durable than traditional incandescent bulbs. The lamp can save costs in a long time and is suitable for eco-houses.
12. Landscape
Shady or shady landscape will protect the house from direct sunlight in summer or can continue lighting into the house through windows in winter. By adding trees to the west and south of the house, it will make the house cooler and protect the sunlight that enters the house excessively. The greener the landscape, the better it will be for the house.
You can apply these twelve ways to design or redecorate a more environmentally friendly home. Of course, eco-houses are not only beneficial for the environment but also homeowners. Start having a good impact on the environment so that life on earth is healthier and can be enjoyed by children and grandchildren later.
