Are you among the many homeowners who are starting to take an active interest in sustainability? The one person you need to talk to about making your home sustainable is your architect, as they work with the knowledge and expertise required to mix the needs of environmental sustainability with style and comfort. Let us take a quick exploration of some of the passive sustainability strategies that your architect brings to increase your home’s sustainability credentials.
What is a Passive Sustainability Strategy?
A passive sustainability strategy does not require any active input from the homeowner to be effective. A good example is solar shading.
Solar shading is a technique involving positioning windows and other openings in a way that minimises amounts of direct sunlight from entering the home. What this does is reduce the amount of energy required to cool your home during the hotter months of summer, as well as reduce glare and heat build-up inside your house. Another sustainable action would be designing towards natural ventilation.
Natural ventilation is the process where fresh air is brought into the home and the stale air is expelled without the use of mechanical objects such as fans or air conditioning. This is done through windows, vents and skylights designed by an architectural design company – helping to reduce your home’s reliance on energy-intensive system use.
Optimising Insulation
One of the key ways that Stockport architects can create more sustainable avenues in your home is through thorough insulation.
A well-insulated home will stay cooler throughout the summer months and keep much warmer during the colder, harsher winter months. This in turn means that you will rely much less on heating and energy use, or your cooling systems. The costs you save on energy and heating bills alone during the winter are one of the most sustainable benefits an architect can bring.
Another method is incorporating passive solar design principles into the design, making the most of the sun’s natural heat and light to power your home. By orienting your home a certain way with materials that absorb and store heat, using shading devices to control sunlight levels and using thermal mass materials to store heat, your reliance on artificial lighting and heating is significantly reduced.
Sourcing Materials
The big plus in working with your Manchester architect is that they can help you in choosing eco-friendly materials for the construction of your extension or renovation. Using recycled materials, sustainably sourced timber and low-VOC paints and finishes is a huge contribution to sustainability in your home.
For passive sustainability strategies or architectural services Manchester, talk with the team at Cheadle Architects today about your renovation or extension project to learn how we can help.
