sustainable architecture

Designed for a local artist to enjoy, this residence is located just south of Collingwood, in the heart of the Clearview area.

A broad selection of sustainable technologies, including a geothermal lake loop and green house set this project apart from others in the area. The building itself draws inspiration from a number of intimate relationships and views, both through the adjacent woodland, as well as across the nearby pond.

The buildings program is extensive and with the clients desire to maintain the majority of this over one level the design team were particularly aware of the need to integrate the building into its surroundings in a subtle way. Consequently this quickly became a main focus, and thus gave the scheme real direction,  with each space located appropriately within the overall layout so to take advantage of the site and its beauty as well as to make sure that the building was as user friendly and functional as possible...

In a minimalist house that still manages to be warm and welcoming, a couple eases the eternal argument over the thermostat.

 

In 2005, Max Strang's father was hoping to build the kind of eco-friendly house he had always dreamed of, he said. But he also “wanted his wife to have a comfortable place.”

To her, that meant a modern single-story home that was big enough for plenty of family and friends. In other words, it had to have at least four bedrooms and a 1,000-square-foot kitchen.

With Max as their architect, the couple split the responsibilities for the project according to what they cared about most. “Sheryll was in charge of the aesthetic,” the older Mr. Strang said. “And I was in charge of the systems.”

Together, the three created a 4,200-square-foot home in Winter Haven that is as sleek as it is green. (But not cheap: completed earlier this year, it cost $1.6 million.)

 

The roof, for example, is green in three ways: it is insulated with Icynene, a spray foam more efficient than fiberglass batting; it is covered with thermoplastic polyolefin, a membrane that reduces heat absorption; and it contains two solar systems, one that feeds directly into the electric grid to offset the energy consumed by the home and another that heats the water in the pool.

Inside, green amenities include a geothermal system that makes air-conditioning more efficient; floors that are eco-friendly concrete; and an on-demand system heats water only when needed.

The house is minimalist, but warm and welcoming...

+HOUSE exemplifies a sustainable and healthy approach to building without sacrificingdesign.

Sited facing the bank of a stream-fed pond, this four-season house is nestled into a natural slope. Extensive 14-ft high glazing offers expansive views of the landscape and access to a full-length deck. Bedrooms are located on opposite ends of the rectangular plan, book-ending the open living spaces.

+ HOUSE is embedded with a wealth of health sensitive materials and methods. Built of inert cementitious blocks that inhibit the growth of fungi and molds, the walls are finished with a natural clay plaster that requires no paint finish. A soy-based sealer was used for the concrete floors and counters, and untreated silk and hemp fabric was used for the curtains.

Achieving a healthy house for both client and environment meant extensive research into a wide range of products and locally produced materials suited to the climate. A green roof, heat-mirror triple glazing, solar shading, passive ventilation and daylighting, and a geothermal system are just some of the features of this LEED Gold-targeted project...

Architect Peter Gluck and his architect-led design build firm ARCS have created a sustainable family compound in the Adirondacks using concrete geometrical forms buried into the earth.

Conceptually and programmatically, the two buried buildings—a family house and a recreation building with an interior courtyard, amphitheater, gallery, and indoor pool—are essential pieces of a compound on a steeply sloped 21-acre site. The entire grouping, with two guest houses and abundant walking trails, and culminating in a 2,200-square-foot boathouse and dock, fulfills the same purpose as the nearby Adirondack great camps that cropped up in the mid- to late 19th century.

Ecologia Montréal, designed by Gervais Fortin, is the first single dweling home in Montreal, Canada aiming for a Platinum LEED certification.

The owner, in collaboration of the Ecologia Foundation, had the objective to reduce the home's ecological footprint by using healthy, local and non-toxic materials. The team demonstrated that it’s possible to build an ecological house without sacrificing good, contemporary design. All the materials were hand-picked from the most ecoresponsible suppliers of Quebec and featured a combination of exposed beams, large windows and an inner courtyard, creating a cozy and modern living space.

In addition to utilizing a geothermal system, he structure of the house is built with insulating concrete forms, mostly constituted of 100% recycled materials. As for the concrete used for the structure and as thermal mass, concrete contains 39% recycled materials. Ideal in an urban setting, a green roof completes it all.

Ecologia Montréal is the first house in Quebec to integrate the BioGeometry™ science, to control electromagnetic fields, to consider the energy of the earth and to infuse domestic water. The combination of all these factors harmonize the emotional, vital and spiritual levels of the home and its occupants...

TBONE House built by Coast Office Architecture based in Stuttgart, Germany is a house that features Ecological Aspects such as Geothermal Heat Pump, Vertical Earth Connection Loop, Floor and Wall heating system, Cooling system through activation of thermal mass and the use of rainwater as valuable natural resource for water supply in the house and reduce water bills costs. The house has a very minimalist style thanks to large windows connecting the indoor and outdoor and a purity of lines.