When designing my project, I plan to incorporate many sustainable design options such as the use of Green walls. Green walls absorb greenhouse gases from the atmosphere and store it in their tissues, basically acting as carbon sponges. They also function to cool the air in the warmer summer months by a process known as “evapotranspiration.” Making the home warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer months, the homeowners also gain visual benefits as the foliage has a calming effect on people (BuildingGreen.2016, May 16). The addition of Plumen002 lights offer designer low energy lighting within the home, incorporating these bulbs throughout the home will make the homes lighting system entirely sustainable. Nest thermostats which learn the behaviors within a household to adjust home temperature settings based on the homeowner’s usage patterns will be placed in the home as well to restrict wasted energy. I will also use reflective materials that offer high solar reflectance – they have an innate ability to reflect sunlight and reduce solar heat absorption. These materials can stay cool in the sun and have high thermal emittance – they radiate instead of absorb heat which in turn saves energy. And lastly, I will collect reclaimed and recycled materials—such as wood, doors, décor, and cabinetry that can be given a second life in my design (ASLA,2015). The sustainable design residence case study is a home in New England that was designed by Zero Energy Design. The case study is successful because insulation choices reduce the space conditioning requirements and use only a very small heating system. Bedroom are located at either end of the home receiving either morning or afternoon light, south facing windows maximize heat gain in the winter and concrete floors absorb heat from the sun and reradiate it into the space. The home also uses low or no VOC materials (Passive House
When designing my project, I plan to incorporate many sustainable design options such as the use of Green walls. Green walls absorb greenhouse gases from the atmosphere and store it in their tissues, basically acting as carbon sponges. They also function to cool the air in the warmer summer months by a process known as “evapotranspiration.” Making the home warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer months, the homeowners also gain visual benefits as the foliage has a calming effect on people (BuildingGreen.2016, May 16). The addition of Plumen002 lights offer designer low energy lighting within the home, incorporating these bulbs throughout the home will make the homes lighting system entirely sustainable. Nest thermostats which learn the behaviors within a household to adjust home temperature settings based on the homeowner’s usage patterns will be placed in the home as well to restrict wasted energy. I will also use reflective materials that offer high solar reflectance – they have an innate ability to reflect sunlight and reduce solar heat absorption. These materials can stay cool in the sun and have high thermal emittance – they radiate instead of absorb heat which in turn saves energy. And lastly, I will collect reclaimed and recycled materials—such as wood, doors, décor, and cabinetry that can be given a second life in my design (ASLA,2015). The sustainable design residence case study is a home in New England that was designed by Zero Energy Design. The case study is successful because insulation choices reduce the space conditioning requirements and use only a very small heating system. Bedroom are located at either end of the home receiving either morning or afternoon light, south facing windows maximize heat gain in the winter and concrete floors absorb heat from the sun and reradiate it into the space. The home also uses low or no VOC materials (Passive House