What is a green building?

There are many shades of green, which depend on the client, architect and builder’s commitment to green as well as their budget and time constraints. Green building is not a style, trend or a vernacular and neither is it new. It is a climactically, geographically and culturally appropriate way of building, combining the best of old and new technology. At its core is respect and caring for the earth.

When renovating a home to include green features, would you start with a grey water system in your bathroom, and then move to solar panelling?

All depends on your particular context, budget and what you are seeking to achieve, so there is no easy answer. Firstly do an energy, water and waste audit so as to better understand what the biggest culprits are. Then look at what things are likely to need maintenance over the years and plan accordingly.

A great start to water and energy saving would be to change that rain showerhead for a good quality water efficient one (some actually give really good showers!). Retro-fit your toilet with a multi-flushing device or divert your rainwater to your swimming pool. Change things gradually as maintenance is needed in any case. For example, when repairing floors or repainting walls, switch to non-toxic paints and eco friendly finishes. When changing a light bulb, fit a low energy type, etc.

The main consumer of electricity in any house is typically the geyser. So start with a geyser blanket and a timer. Solar water heating panels are more costly and generally take about five to seven years to pay off. So before making the leap to solar heating check what kind of geyser you have first. If it’s getting old, then rather wait until its time to replace it, when your household insurance will pay for a replacement.

Many geysers are not compatible with solar heating panels as they only have two inlet points for the pipe work. A solar geyser needs four pipe work inlets. So if you are buying a new geyser be sure to get one that is compatible with solar water heating panels and that it is positioned in a configuration that will most suit a future installation.

Grey water is more complicated. The solutions are very specific to the size and layout of the house and garden as well as its slope and soil type. If you are happy to simply water your garden with simple sub-surface soak pit systems, then that can be constructed very inexpensively. If you want to be able to use the grey water in a drip irrigation system or to flush your toilets and do your laundry with, you would probably end up spending a large amount on filters and pumps.

What are your biggest challenges as a green architect?
To get clients and builders to go all the way.

Andy’s vision for the future To work in multi-disciplinary design teams that help transform our existing and newly built environment into more integrated settlements and eco villages that reinforce the cohesion of community and combine all life support systems of clean energy, water, food, air and soil.

For full version of the green building manifesto
visit www.ecodesignarchitects.co.za
or email: info@ecodesignarchitects.co.za