How to Design a More Energy Efficient Building with a Contractor

It's always a tough process to persuade a contractor to build an energy efficient building. Contractors often tend to neglect architectural concerns about nature and built environment. Energy efficient housing is quite scary for them because of the pre-manufacturing expenses. Their conventional way of thinking is hard to manipulate, however, it's not impossible.

Before you design an energy efficient house, you analyse the site area to get more information about building orientation and microclimate. Because there is a road on the northern side, the contractor has forced me to locate the kitchen and the living room on the north facade. However, by inner windows and high windows on the north side, I was able to reduce the negative effect of this choice.



I have allocated most of the solar shaders on the south facade to reduce ventilation costs during summer. High windows on the north and high windows within the rooms provide ventilation inside the apartments. Also there are wind shafts to suck in air to provide ventilation and air movement.


On the south-west side of the site area, I recommended a pond and trees (which pour out their leaves during winter).






As an ecologically-concerned architect I sometimes feel stuck in between my ideals and my colleagues' financial concerns. This is how I make a building less energy consuming With a few modifications.

SITE PLAN

ground floor plan

normal floor plan: The shafts suck in air to provide air movement inside the house. High windows inside the rooms help cross-ventilation.

the facades: South facade is most occupied by solar shaders. They are easy-to-install mount-on shaders moving on a rail. Their position can be adjusted depending on whether the user wants the sunlight in or not. Mount-on shaders are not a big deal for the contractor because they are less expensive than designing a ''shader coat'' for the building.

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