Ecological Architecture

[drvox]

Hi all

 

Since I'm not an architect but love to draw and create 3d houses, I wonder if someone can propose me any nice resources (books, dvds...) about ecological architecture and the process of keeping houses fresh when is hot and warm when it's cold.

 

Now, that I'm going to draw my own house I would like to understand what can I do to avoid those huge energy bills at the end of the month

 

I guess that there might be an optimal combination between natural resources and "the way the house is designed" so that we can minimise the expense of money and of limited resources (oil, gas, electricity...)

 

Think this is an emerging problem and must be discussed...

 

King Regards

[Antisthenes]

see diagram

 

http://i11.tinypic.com/2rd82u0.png

[Tommy L]

1. limit the area of south facing glazing, or use shading devices (louvres etc). In fact, glazing is bad for thermal design altogether.

2. Use 'massive' construction, like big thick masonary columns and slabs. These regulate temperature by naturally maintaining their own temperature cooling/warming the air as it passes over them.

3. Plant trees to the south.

4. Passive ventilation systems (cross ventilation through the building and/or vertical shafts in the building for hot air to rise up and out).

 

And lots more, but its a long time since i did my degree.......do a google on 'autonomous housing' or sustainable housing'. One project that comes to mind is the Hockerton Housing project in UK (near Nottingham i think) It consumes ZERO energy.

[rotten42]

http://www.usgbc.org/DisplayPage.aspx?CMSPageID=222&

 

 

spend some time on this site.

[Antisthenes]

it is not about minimizing or maximizing glass on the south

it is about getting the south glass perfect for the condition, depending on the heat you want in in the winter, w/ mass beyond the glass that will surely be affected by low winter sun. also overhangs that will fully block out all summer sun from the same large south windows.

 

and minimizing it on the east and west and go high on the north with added shading to protect against high summer suns in the morning and evening.

 

sink into the earth, if only a few feet, to get that masses effect as well

 

everything site specific

[eksg]

Read about tropical architecture books.it will tell u more about passive cooling.

[Antisthenes]

cooling towers

&

Iranian swamp coolers