housing

Greener Homes for Aussies and Brits

- Adam Clare

Both the British and Australian governments have announced that they will help home owners green their homes. Australia is offering 2.2 million homes a free insulation upgrade and more financial incentives for solar water heating. In the UK, it was announced that the government will help people with a full ‘eco-makeover’.

More than one in four homes in the UK will be offered a complete eco-makeover under ambitious plans expected to be announced this week to slash fuel bills and cut global warming pollution.

The campaign is thought to involve giving 7m houses and flats a complete refit to improve insulation, and will be compared to the 10-year programme that converted British homes to gas central heating in the 1960s and 1970s. Householders could also be encouraged to install small-scale renewable and low-carbon heating systems such as solar panels and wood-burning boilers.

In total, it is thought the Department of Energy and Climate Change will commit to cutting a third of greenhouse gas emissions from households by 2020.

Tiny House for Yale Student

- Adam Clare

A grad student on her way to Yale did some math and discover that living there would cost ~$14,000. She figured she could take that same amount and built her own sustainable tiny house.

Elizabeth’s Tiny House will have a sleeping loft, storage loft, study nook, kitchen area, living area, and a bathroom. When complete, she’ll tow the entire home to New Haven for the start of the academic year.

You’ll notice the simple passive design. During the winter, the side with all the windows will gather sunlight. During the summer, she’ll turn the trailer around and leave the slanted roof facing the sun. Three solar panels will power her computer, lights, and other electronics in the home. The tiny house has a small shower, composting toilet, and propane to heat the home when necessary

How to Build a Reciprocal Roof

- Adam Clare

I’ve never built a roof before, but now I want to build a reciprocal roof. Go ahead and take a shot building your own roof!

What is a reciprocal roof?
A reciprocal roof is a beautiful and simple self-supporting structure that can be composed of as few as three rafters, and up to any imaginable quantity (within reason, of course). Reciprocal roofs require no center support, they are quick to construct, and they can be built using round poles or dimensional lumber (perhaps with some creative notching). They are extremely strong, perfect for round buildings, and very appropriate for living roofs, as well. The reciprocal roof design was developed by Graham Brown in 1987.

Solar Powered City in Japan

- Adam Clare 2 Comments

A community in Japan has put solar panels on nearly every house and they love it! A short article on the solar powered houses shows that in order for the system to be rolled out elsewhere more support from all levels of government are needed. It’s great to see pilot projects like this proving that these types of energy systems work.

Located 50 miles northwest of Tokyo, Pal Town dubbed “Solar City,” received free solar panels in 2002 through a 9.7 billion yen state-backed research on how to ensure a steady supply and avoid blackouts. Lots of small solar power generators are connected to the power grid.
Three-quarters of Pal Town’s homes are covered by solar panels, which are distributed for free and have become one of the main draw-cards for residents keen to minimize their power bills..

Urban Living Better than Sub-urban Living

- Adam Clare

From the blatantly obvious department comes a short piece on how people can be kinder to the environment by living in an urban setting. The suburban lifestyle isn’t the best for the environment for many reasons, so everybody move downtown to show the world some love!

The fact is, urban living is kinder to the planet, and Manhattan is perhaps the greenest place in the US. A Manhattanite’s carbon footprint is 30 percent smaller than the average American’s. The rate of car ownership is among the lowest in the country; 65 percent of the population walks, bikes, or rides mass transit to work. Large apartment buildings are the most efficient dwellings to heat and cool.
And guess what high-speed means of transportation emits less atmospheric carbon than trains, planes, and automobiles? The humble counterweight elevator put into service in 1857, which has made vertical density possible from Dubai to Taipei.

Scroll To Top