In our time, today there is the need to repopulate the desertification
that we have caused in the past in a sustainable and autonomous way. by AS
Sustainability and autonomous are words that entered the lexicon without asking permission. Its importance is taken seriously by several sectors of activity, namely in a post-pandemic scenario, which its seems it's over. Real estate and construction are no exception. On the contrary, several players and specialists consider this one of the central themes to be taken into account in the present and in the future. But what will the houses of the future look like, after all? How will they be built? Will they be wooden? There is no doubt that the future of housing also involves the construction of sustainable wooden houses, an โincredible material that has been dormant in the markets of southern Europe, but is making a comeback on a large scaleโ and the option of behing automous.
What stands out the most is the perception of the potential of this system and its contemporary presentation in a market that is beginning to be saturated. The national market has been proving to be interesting, growing and increasingly receptive. Today, anyone looking to buy or house is not limited to what they already know, they have easy access to information and use it. And they quickly understand the advantages of the new constructive systems.
Perhaps the COVID pandemic has awakened something about our individual perception as human beings who inhabit a planet that must be preserved. Our notion of survival was clearly put to the test. Which is excellent, because we are talking about ourselves, our future, our relationship with sustainability and our integration in an ecological action that guarantees a future with quality not only for our children but, more and more we understand, for us own too. by AS
What are self-sustaining homes?
Imagine a house that produces its own electricity, reuses rainwater, has a low environmental impact and food is produced by the residents themselves. We are talking about self-sufficient homes, a style of construction that seeks to balance consumption in general with sustainable development and called houses of the future. No wonder self-contained homes are a huge trend in sustainable architecture across the world. That's because there are many benefits to adopting this type of construction โ both for residents and the environment.
Self-sufficient houses, also called autonomous houses, are constructions that provide and take advantage of most of the resources necessary for their operation. Thus, they do not depend on external suppliers of electricity, water, gas, food or other resources.
In this way, a sustainable house uses sustainable energy capture systems, supports rainwater harvesting and has a natural ventilation system. In addition, another characteristic of an autonomous house is the use of recycled products in its construction.
Like other green constructions, self-sufficient houses are also concerned with the disposal and reuse of waste. Therefore, it is common for homes in this style to have a composting and recycling system.
Final considerations
Environmental concerns, along with rising prices for electricity, water and other services, have created a greater interest in a self-sufficient lifestyle. Therefore, sustainable architecture plays a very important role, as self-sufficient homes are becoming popular around the world.
In conclusion, these homes generate benefits for residents, especially in terms of saving money in the long term. In addition, the environment is grateful for the reduction of polluting gas emissions and waste of ourย precious natural resources.
Tuft-House Earthcraftย -ย This short feature by Australian property website for real estate, www.realestate.au, in 2017 as part of their Future Homes series goes into the remarkable self sufficient, off-the-grid home of nature lovers Peter and Robyn Tuft.
The home is designed to collect all its own water, heat it through solar water heaters, treat its own waste through composting toilets and reed beds, generate its own power with a 4kw solar system complimented by a micro hydro generator connected to a small nearby creek. All of these features have made possible for the couple to never have had to pay a single utility bill since they began living (2017) in this home.
Glossary terminologyย
Autonomous. house is defined as a house that can function independently of support and services from public facilities. The autonomous house movement does not require users to lead solitary, penny-pinching lives, however. The key characteristic of an autonomous house is the use of green energy technology to reduce environmental load, while also creating a sustainable, high-quality, comfortable living environment. In the field of architecture, โautonomyโ has two implications: autonomous control and self-sufficiency. Autonomy means that one can independently manage oneโs own affairs and make independent decisions without influence or control by others. Self-sufficiency means that one can maintain self-sufficiency in resources such as food, water and energy.
Sustainability. Consists of fulfilling the needs of current generations without compromising the needs of future generations, while ensuring a balance between economic growth, environmental care and social well-being.
The focus of sustainability is as much on humanity (the social corner of the sustainability triangle) as it is on nature (the ecological), and to reduce this inequality and provide a basic standard of living conditions for the earthโs inhabitants is paramount to the sustainability challenge.
Viewpoints for sustainability. Letโs just consider motivations for exploring sustainability โ these can be different depending on your world view: logic, emotion or instinct can be the drivers. Generally they are based around concepts of humanity inherently striving for survival. The following are three viewpoints for sustainability:
The Ecologist doesnโt see the human race as a separate entity from the planet and its resources, but part of it. Their motivations for preserving the planet are that nature and humanity have an inherent value and should be protected because of that.
The Environmentalist sees nature or the planet as separate from the human race. It is there for humans, and as such humans should have stewardship over the world. They see the planet as something to be preserved so that humans can survive and evolve.
The Economist understands the measures of unsustainability arising from a consumer led culture treating finite resources as an income, but has faith that market forces and a โbusiness as usualโ approach will result in a natural crisis aversion occurring; that the system will sort itself out through technological advances if left to its own devices.
It is helpful to ask ourselves what our motivations are for seeking sustainability. This can help us in articulating our understanding of sustainability and our commitment (or not) to achieving it.
Tiny Home. Tiny home or tiny house are moveable dwellings up to 50m2 that are suitable for residential use. Tiny houses can be largely grouped into 3 categories: on wheels, on skids or shipping containers.ย