Architecture / building design

The 25 priciples of Ecological Building and Design: Ecological, Biological, Spiritual and Social

Your House as Part of an Ecosystem: siting the building, earthworks and site modification, choosing your building materials, the construction process, energy use, water and wastewater, general waste.

You can save yourself money and reduce your impact on the environment by considering resource use and waste generation during the design phase of a building project. Waste minimisation is about a change of attitude and common sense, rather than new technologies. Often waste minimisation options cost nothing to implement and give benefits strai...

This is a sample video clip from http://www.buildinggreentv.com exposing the myths of straw bale building / insulation.

Energy efficiency means more than just cheaper fuel bills, firstly and most importantly our homes need to be a healthy place to live. The World Health Organisation (WHO) states a residential house needs to have a minimum air temperature of 160C, a building that is colder over long periods will have various problems such as condensation, damp and...

Passive solar construction is a very attractive design philosophy as not only does it save energy, but it also reduces dampness and condensation, improves sound insulation, increases the durability of building materials and makes the home healthier. Passive solar construction uses the sun to warm the house. Heat is absorbed into the buildin...

The concept of ‘eco-housing’ is being developed in some areas in New Zealand. The main principles of the scheme include: Integration of the buildings and neighbourhood with the site. Design for energy efficiency and natural climate control using passive solar design. Building materials and components chosen with regard to energy content, tox...

It is an independent method of assessing the environmental performance of new homes. The Scheme offers new home owners, designers, architects and developers a means by which key environmental issues can be examined, using a rating system

The Clovelly House is a three bedroom, south facing semi-detached residence, with in-ground pool and off-street car parking, in Clovelly, an inner city suburb of Sydney, Australia. The house, designed by Kennedy Associates Architects and completed in 2004, was designed to meet the very specific spatial and accessibility needs of the client with ...

This is the sort of energy-conserving future Martin and Liz Irvine have planned for their family when they build their holiday home at Tupare on the shores of the Kaipara Harbour – and by next summer it should be a reality. The Auckland business couple wanted an out-of-Auckland getaway that was energy neutral – or better – for themselves and the...

The answer to the question "Can sustainable, green homes be built in mass production?" led Michelle Kaufmann to found Michelle Kaufmann Designs (MKD), a leading design/build firm that uses off-site modular technology to create contemporary eco-friendly homes.

Our immediate environment affects our physical and psychological health. Given that most of us spend around 80% of our time indoors, and a lot of the rest of the time looking at the outside of buildings, buildings are a major part of our lives. Buildings also affect the natural environment, both locally and globally. Gas and solid fuel burnt fo...

We have just experienced – once again – a year of weather contrasts. In New Zealand, it brought floods to the north and droughts to the east and to the south, with Taranaki suffering tornadoes in-between. Insurers lament the costs, increasing by the millions from year-to-year, of damaged homes, roads and infrastructure. Adding flow-on costs to the ...

An urban sustainable, ethical and eco-friendly home.