Energy-Efficient Timber-Glass Houses (Green Energy and Technology)

Over the years, people became aware that energy sources such as oil or gas will not last forever. It is one of the main reasons why the world is increasingly shifting to sources of renewable energy such as wind, solar, and water. The development of the renewable energy technologies has given us plenty of new and energy-efficient products used for homes and home appliances.

This is important, as these products not only have positive effects on the environment, but can also help to save significant amounts of money when it comes to the house maintenance costs and monthly energy bills. Window Treatments There are some really simple tips you can administer yourself at home to help increase your overall home efficiency.

For example, the drapery that you place around windows can be great insulators, as they can prevent heat from escaping through the window. It can be even more beneficial if the color of the drapery is white, as insulating linings can reduce heat gains by up to 33 percent! Furthermore, you could opt for an energy saving blind, as these have a reflective lining which can reduce heat gain by around 45 percent. If you don't want to spend a lot of money on an expensive shutter, a more affordable option is a window film, as it provides an inexpensive upgrade to the existing glass that you already have.

Not only can it provide shade, but also helps to prevent UV rays and regulate the heat and light. An infographic available here from Blinds 2go Limited states that when used correctly, energy-efficient windows can reduce the heating and cooling costs of the average homeowner by up to 25 percent! Roofing Materials The roof is another very important element of your home that you should ensure is as energy efficient as possible.

The examine is predicated on utilizing trees and glass, that have been formerly overlooked as development fabrics. With appropriate technological improvement and applicable use, they're these days turning into crucial building fabrics so far as strength potency is anxious. Download e-book for iPad: Here is what you want to understand realizing and following the voluminous nationwide electric Code is a continuing problem. This consultant extracts the knowledge important for you, the installer, then arranges it for simple entry and highlights the adjustments so that you can quick spot what is new.

Wenn Bauaufgaben komplexer und menschliche Arbeitskraft teurer werden, spielen Maschinen im Baubetrieb eine immer wichtigere Rolle. In hot climates , compared to wooden buildings, adobe buildings offer significant advantages due to their greater thermal mass , but they are known to be particularly susceptible to seismic damage in an event such as an earthquake. Cordwood construction is a term used for a natural building method in which "cordwood" or short lengths pieces of debarked tree are laid up crosswise with masonry or cob mixtures to build a wall.

The cordwood, thus, becomes infill for the walls, usually between posts in a timber frame structure.

Sustainable architecture

Cordwood masonry can be combined with other methods e. Cordwood masonry construction provides a relatively high thermal mass , which makes it easy to heat and coo. It is an ancient building method that has seen a revival in recent years as people seek more sustainable building materials and natural building methods. Because of the nature of the materials used it is incombustible, thermally insulating and very strong and hardwearing. It also has the added advantage of being a simple way to construct walls.

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Traditionally, rammed earth buildings are common in arid regions where wood is in scarce supply. Because rammed earth structures utilize locally available materials, they typically have a low embodied energy rating and generate very little waste. Earth used for building is a widely-available resource and harvesting it for use in construction has minimal environmental impact. Timber framing is now a modern method of construction, Ideally suited to mass house building as well as public buildings. In conjunction with a number of natural insulations and timber cladding or modern lime renders, it is possible to quickly construct a high performance, sustainable building, using completely natural products.

The benefits are many — the building will perform better over its lifespan, waste is reduced much can be re-cycled, composted or used as fuel. Noise from footsteps in adjacent rooms above, below, and on the same floor in such buildings can be quite audible. The possibility of infestation by insects such as termites , cockroaches or powder post beetles , or by other pest animals such as mice and rats. Wood burns more readily than some other materials, making timber-frame buildings somewhat more susceptible to fire damage, although this idea is not universally accepted.

Straw-bale construction is a building method that uses bales of straw commonly wheat, rice, rye and oats straw as structural elements, insulation , or both. This construction method is commonly used in natural building or "green" construction projects. Straw-bale construction has some advantages over conventional building systems because of the renewable nature of straw, its cost, easy availability, and its high insulation value. Sustainable flooring is produced from sustainable materials and by a sustainable process that reduces demands on ecosystems during its life-cycle.

This includes harvest, production, use and disposal. It is thought that sustainable flooring creates safer and healthier buildings and guarantee a future for traditional producers of renewable resources that many communities depend on. Below are examples of available, though less well-known, eco-friendly flooring options.

Bamboo flooring is made from a fast growing renewable timber technically grass. It is natural anti-bacterial, water-resistant and extremely durable. Cork flooring is made by removing the bark of the Cork Oak Quercus Suber without harming the tree if harvested correctly ; it is a truly renewable resource.

Sustainable architecture - Wikipedia

It is naturally anti-microbial and has excellent insulation properties, ensuring minimal heat loss and comfortable warm walking surface. Cork is low in VOC volatile organic compound emissions, however it is important to check the finish applied. Cork is not suitable for bathrooms, as it absorbs moisture. All by products and waste is milled and used. Linoleum does not fade, as the pigments are embedded in the structure. It is anti-static, repelling dirt, dust and other small particles, making it hypoallergenic — for this reason it is often used by people with respiratory issues asthma, allergies.

It is also fire-resistant and does not require additional fire-retardants finish. It is easy to install and maintain, is anti-static and provides effective sound insulation and vibration reduction. Rubber flooring is also resistant to fading and cigarette burns.

Some rubber flooring is made from synthetic rubber, this is not a sustainable product. Natural and Recycled Carpet. There are carpets that are sustainable, using natural fibers such as sisal, wool, jute and coconut husk. This is sustainable and it reduces material sent to landfill; further it uses dyeing methods that are less polluting and require less energy than other flooring. Frames can significantly affect a windows performance, depending on the type of frame material.

Wood frames are energy efficient, and can be sourced from a certified sustainable supplier, but can also be expensive and need to be painted regularly to protect them from water damage. Fibreglass frames are low maintenance and energy-efficient but can also be expensive. Aluminium frames are inexpensive but conduct heat easily and are therefore less energy efficient than other options.

These are made from vinyl and are inexpensive, energy efficient and low maintenance. They do not need to be painted and are highly resistant to moisture. Some vinyl frames have been insulated to give improved thermal performance. Energy efficient windows have two or more panes of glass separated by an air gap to slow heat transfer and provide noise insulation. These are known as double paned or insulated windows.

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Traditionally air or dry nitrogen was used between the panes, but recent models use low conductance gas fills of argon or krypton that gives even better thermal performance and significantly lowers the U-value. Another new development in window technology is low-emittance coating also known as low-e. These are microscopically thin layers of metal or metallic oxide that are coated onto the window glazing. Different types of coating have different properties, but all are designed to lower heat flow through the window - some reflect heat back into the building and others reflect heat back outside.

Spacers are used in between the layers of glass in a window, to hold them together at the required distance. Conventional spacers were made from aluminium, but because of their high conductivity they provided poor thermal insulation and created condensation problems around the window edges. New spacer products, known as warm spacer technology, or warm edge spacers, have been developed from materials that have a low conductivity rate and high thermal efficiency, and include fiberglass, vinyl, silicone foam and reinforced thermoplastic.

Some warm edge spacers incorporate a thermal break in their structural design. Window technology has undergone a revolution in the last twenty years. Using a combination of gas filled double-glazing, glass coatings, thermally improved edge spaces and PVC framing it is now possible to adjust solar gain, reduce condensation, prevent air leakage and improve the comfort of an indoor environment while offering the homeowner huge savings in energy and money.

More importantly, energy efficient windows reduce carbon emissions and help to address global climate change. Used in combination with other green building methods and materials, they are a good choice for a brighter, sustainable future. A roof is the covering on the uppermost part of a building. A roof protects the building and its contents from the effects of weather. The characteristics of a roof are dependent upon the purpose of the building that it covers, the available roofing materials and the local traditions of construction and wider concepts of architectural design and practice and may also be governed by local or national legislation.

The elements in the design of a roof are: The material of a roof may range from banana leaves, wheaten straw or seagrass to lamininated glass , aluminium sheeting and precast concrete. In many parts of the world ceramic tiles have been the predominant roofing material for centuries. Japan , rice straw thatch. In selecting material for roof covering one should take into account its weight heavier material requires larger support members , its durability e.

Slate, clay, and cementitious roof materials offer excellent durability but are heavy. Fiber-cement composite roof materials are somewhat lighter and use fiber materials resourcefully. Some use waste paper as well as wood fiber.

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Many have 60 year warranties. An additional advantage is that these materials are easily recycled in their post-use as well as lightweight and durable. Asphalt shingles use recycled, mixed paper in their base and some use reclaimed minerals in the surface aggregate. This type of material does not last as long as the others mentioned above.

Recycled plastic roof materials are starting to be introduced as a lightweight option. The construction of a roof is determined by its method of support and how the underneath space is bridged and whether or not the roof is pitched.

Energy-Efficient Timber-Glass Houses

The pitch is the angle at which the roof rises from its lowest to highest point. Most domestic architecture , except in very dry regions, has roofs that are sloped, or pitched. The pitch is partly dependent upon stylistic factors, but has more to do with practicalities. Some types of roofing, for example thatch , require a steep pitch in order to be waterproof and durable. Other types of roofing, for example pantiles , are unstable on a steeply pitched roof but provide excellent weather protection at a relatively low angle.

In regions where there is little rain, an almost flat roof with a slight run-off provides adequate protection against an occasional downpour. The durability of a roof is a matter of concern because the roof is often the least accessible part of a building for purposes of repair and renewal, while its damage or destruction can have serious effects. A roofing system that can deliver high solar reflectance the ability to reflect the visible, infrared and ultraviolet wavelengths of the sun, reducing heat transfer to the building and high thermal emittance the ability to radiate absorbed, or non-reflected solar energy is a cool roof.

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Most cool roofs are white or other light colors. A green roof is a roof of a building that is partially or completely covered with vegetation and soil , or a growing medium, planted over a waterproofing membrane. It may also include additional layers such as a root barrier and drainage and irrigation systems. There are two types of green roofs: Mainstream insulation can contain fiberglass, formaldehyde, and other toxic components. Here are some examples of eco-friendly, healthy insulation materials.

Jeans - Yes, jeans — as in blue jeans. Some insulation companies recycle the waste denim from blue jeans manufacturers and make it into insulation. This cotton fiber is as effective as fiberglass, and works for thermal as well as noise insulation. It is treated with borate, a non-toxic chemical that does not outgas and acts as a fire retardant and mold inhibitor.

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