No matter where you live, more and more people are taking ecological factors into consideration before starting to build or commissioning someone to build their own home. Many people are now looking for a building that encompasses the eco friendly design and energy saving principles.
In cooler climates it is becoming more common to Incorporate solar panels when building eco friendly houses, as this reduces energy bills and cuts carbon emissions.
How can you cut the carbon footprint of a building in a more tropical climate? Here, your main concern will be keeping the house cool. Standard air conditioning is expensive to run and adds greatly to a house's carbon footprint. You will want to find a set of house plans that reduces or eliminates the need for air conditioning by using natural cooling methods and principles.
An architect with knowledge of these principles can design a house which takes full advantage of natural breezes and shade to keep your house as cool as possible without the use of air conditioning.
Of course there are other considerations, such as the need to reduce the energy used in manufacturing and transporting building materials.
On the late, great architect Laurie Baker's you will find a set of principles which he hand wrote and which are as relevant, if not more so, today as they were when he wrote them.
The include the advise to "study and know local materials" - the need to know how they perform and where to find workmen that understand their use. He also cautioned that you "don't rob national resources" - a fundamental principle of sustainable building.
He understood the need to "study and know energy" used in manufacturing and transporting materials.
Before starting to build an eco friendly house in a tropical climate you will want to find a set of house plans that take into consideration Laurie Baker's principles. As land costs are generally high, you will also want to find plans that make the maximum use of the space available and which will allow you to build a naturally cool and economical to run home.
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