Green buildings: at the forefront of progress
Who said that energy efficiency could not rhyme with architectural quality? Combining both is possible: your house can perfectly combine design, functional and energy performance. Ecology and energy are now at the heart of the concerns of individuals, and builders have understood. From the design stage, they now integrate this dimension into their plan for a beautiful and sustainable home.
Combining design, functionality and energy performance is the challenge that architecture and real estate and construction professionals, committed to sustainable construction, have come up against. They have therefore integrated the issues of energy efficiency to succeed in designing homes both beautiful and ecological. For some, a sustainable home means installing solar panels and a water purification system. For others, this is an energy efficient design with eco-friendly materials and good insulation.
New recyclable materials
This desire to combine aesthetics and energy efficiency comes first through the choice of materials, the cornerstone of ecological construction. Concrete, by its inertia, reduces energy consumption, while wood naturally regulates humidity and temperature. Other materials, often unrecognized, yet show just as effective in addition to being respectful of the environment. These generally biobased and local materials are renewable, but mostly recycled. The challenge here is to resort to all that nature offers us.
A sustainable and passive house
Big consumers of energy, our homes are making an impressive shift towards sustainability. Too many architectural projects consume significant energy to achieve contemporary design. The challenge is to design a building with efficient and sustainable energy efficiency through the different techniques that capture and regenerate energy.
Buildings are gradually becoming "Nearly-Zero-Energy Buildings", almost autonomous or even energy-producing. These low energy and passive houses are trying to establish themselves as the norm because of the increasingly stringent energy requirements. Thanks to new materials, recyclable and renewable, our houses are also transformed into banks of removable and reusable materials.
The use of solar energy
Faced with the rising cost of energy, many are turning to alternatives such as solar energy. Installing solar panels is an investment that requires little energy. Sustainable action, however, favored by premiums and subsidies. By choosing this option, you consume less energy since you produce your own electricity, even in cloudy weather. And if for many solar panels have a negative impact on the appearance of the house, new equipment and more design now exist. As for the relatively important price, it is profitable after a few years.
A green setting
If you are building a passive or low-energy house, you need to consider the aesthetic aspects of each step, from design to installation. The green walls and rooftop gardens are a real plus for sustainable homes, from an architectural point of view but also energy. Particularly aesthetic, they insulate naturally and require very little maintenance in the case of an extensive green roof.
A cost-effective solution
Combining architectural quality with energy efficiency will probably cost you more money when building or renovating. However, in the long run, you will be a winner. The cost will be profitable because of the sustainability of your home. And you will be pleased to see the difference on your energy bill.