The Ecological Houses
As the 21st century has already begun, people should consider their everyday life, their environmental responsibilities and the way they use the earth’s energy resources. Large businesses are now popping up worldwidewith the intention of saving companies money and the environment at the same time. An example of one such company is Enigin PLC, although there are many others, and some are dedicated to individual sectors, such as architecture and property. This is the reason why many architects nowadays are striving to accomplish projects which would be harmless to the biosphere of our planet and would decrease the global warming effect that has inevitably started influencing the climate and the atmosphere.
Such a project is the idea of constructing a house in complete correspondence with environmental protection needs -a home that will not only provide all the comfort its habitants may possibly need, but will also be completely harmless to our green planet. Made from eco materials and constructed wisely with spaces to naturally decrease the amount of energy required to sustain a normal life within, this house will be a part from our nature, a true proof that people have started to estimate accurately the environmental situation in the new century.
Constructed by using materials like glass and wood, this building will need no steel -thus the steel production, if more homes are made that way, will decrease the steel factoring and thus contribute to the lower polution rates (because it’s a common truth that steel production is currently one of the industrial sectors that pollutes environment the most). Wood is a resource that can be reobtained by renewing the cut forests and by periodically decreasing the paper industry (thus saving more trees). Glass, even being produced under high temperatures and lots of water, requires less energy and that makes it appropriate for the construction of the eco home.
The energy problem is the one that bothers sceptics -how is the eco home cope woth needs like electricity, hot water and heating. This aspect is quite obvious to resolve since we encounter great technological improvements especially in the beggining of the 21st century. Solar panels, if properly situated and big enough can solve the electricity and hot water problem or if not, they will significatly decrease the amount of energy required from external sources (such as the power plants). Leaving big spaces inside the house with glass walls and big windows will contribute to the complete usage of sun light which will naturally be used as a heating system because the more the sunlight is, the warmer would the space be. The glass is also a good isolation material as it keeps the gathered warmth in the inside thus decreasing the need of a standard heating system. The wood on the other hand has been used for severe winter conditions in the north centuries ago as it is a material that also isolates the closed spaces and keeps them warm naturally. Concrete and bricks don’t seem that appropriate. Mixing the two approapriate materials, wood and glass, the spaces within the house will be completely energy-independant sustaining comfortable living environment.
Describing the eco house project will, hopefully, encourage people to seek alternatives in building their homes and thus decrease the pollution rates from construction. Furthermore, if all the energy solutions are accepted, we would be able to save our planet from climate and bio changes that can cost our well-being and may damage inevitably our green planet.
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