Ecological Friendly House
This article needs more work. To help develop this article, click 'Edit this article' above.
In today's world, where more and more people are trying to conserve energy and money, we are increasingly turning to the idea and lifestyle of living in an environmentally-friendly house. The idea of being fully sustainable and of being able to give back precious energy and nutrients to the environment. However many have little knowledge of what this actually means.
There are no set rules about what an ecologically friendly house or "Eco" house should actually feature. Some include solar panels or recycled kitchen appliances. What needs to be considered when planning an individual ecological house, is what you want to get out from it. Do you want to live 'off the grid' and be self sufficient in all energy needs? Or do you simply want to grow your own vegetables in an environmentally-friendly manner? What you want to achieve will help guide you during the planning process. In essence, you should have an end plan and work from there. The German Eco House Pioneer Baufritz offers some great insights and best practices for ecological housing.
The main aim is to save as much natural energy as possible, conserving water, food, materials and household energy, such as gas and electricity. An ecological house can also store and then use conserved energy.
The ecological house is planned around a circular flow of energy throughout. For example, if the ecological house has solar panels placed upon its roof or in the garden, then it is able to store and use the natural power of the sun to heat water for washing and bathing. This therefore helps to save precious fossil fuels as well as helping to reduce household energy bills.
The ecological home is based upon nature's ecosystem, but what does this mean? Basically an ecosystem is a group of living organisms that live alongside nonliving components in their environment. So these nonliving components are those such as air, water and soil. All of these elements interact as one unit and as one ecological 'system'. They are linked together via energy flows and a highly-efficient nutrient system. It is also important to note that the energy that is created and flows throughout the system is mainly that of the sun.
We can replicate nature's ecosystem in the home. One great way to do so is by saving food scraps and then creating a new ecological garden from them. The food scraps can be used as nutrient-rich plant food to grow herbs and vegetables.
Reusing water is another possibility. By saving and using shower water or 'grey water' in the garden, you are helping to save precious water and feeding your plants the natural way without any chlorine. Having water butts in the garden is also a good way in which to water the garden from the natural elements. The ecological home can improve the energy life cycle of a home, while at the same time being kinder to the environment.
Featured articles and news
OpenUSD possibilities: Look before you leap
Being ready for the OpenUSD solutions set to transform architecture and design.
Global Asbestos Awareness Week 2025
Highlighting the continuing threat to trades persons.
Retrofit of Buildings, a CIOB Technical Publication
Now available in Arabic and Chinese aswell as English.
The context, schemes, standards, roles and relevance of the Building Safety Act.
Retrofit 25 – What's Stopping Us?
Exhibition Opens at The Building Centre.
Types of work to existing buildings
A simple circular economy wiki breakdown with further links.
A threat to the creativity that makes London special.
How can digital twins boost profitability within construction?
The smart construction dashboard, as-built data and site changes forming an accurate digital twin.
Unlocking surplus public defence land and more to speed up the delivery of housing.
The Planning and Infrastructure Bill
An outline of the bill with a mix of reactions on potential impacts from IHBC, CIEEM, CIC, ACE and EIC.
Farnborough College Unveils its Half-house for Sustainable Construction Training.
Spring Statement 2025 with reactions from industry
Confirming previously announced funding, and welfare changes amid adjusted growth forecast.
Scottish Government responds to Grenfell report
As fund for unsafe cladding assessments is launched.
CLC and BSR process map for HRB approvals
One of the initial outputs of their weekly BSR meetings.
Building Safety Levy technical consultation response
Details of the planned levy now due in 2026.
Great British Energy install solar on school and NHS sites
200 schools and 200 NHS sites to get solar systems, as first project of the newly formed government initiative.
600 million for 60,000 more skilled construction workers
Announced by Treasury ahead of the Spring Statement.