Eco Projects How To Build An Eco House

Date Published:

29/05/2008

You don't have to be a hippy member of a green fringe group to seriously consider building an eco house. Financially as well as environmentally, if you are building your own home, it is increasingly making sense to eco build. Take a look at our guide to the basics, benefits and practicalities of building green.

By Louise Matthews

Done properly, not only are there huge running cost savings to be made from an eco build, but also an element of future proofing when it comes to current and proposed government regulations and marketability, if and when you come to sell.

For many though, providing a family-safe, non-toxic home and reducing the environmental impact while still enjoying the comforts of modern living remains the main motivation.

It doesn't mean you have to build with straw bales or rammed earth, though these are options; most successful eco builds are very conventional in appearance. But it is much more than just choosing environmentally friendly materials and paint.

The main priority should be designing a home which reduces energy use and therefore production of CO2 (the 'greenhouse gas' carbon dioxide which in excess is blamed for climate change), says Chris Herring, national chair of the Association for Environment Conscious Building.

Conserving water comes a close second. 'Water use is a major issue but not as big an issue worldwide as CO2 emission,' adds Chris, who is also a director of the Green Building Store in Yorkshire.

Consider the following, especially if you normally worry about your car use, or the advent of cheap flights:

* Homes in the UK use three times more energy than all our cars.
* Buildings are the fastest-growing source of the UK's CO2 emissions, currently responsible for 46 per cent, with homes responsible for 27 per cent.
* More than half - 56 per cent - of water supplied is for households, and demand continues to increase.
* Energy use in non-domestic buildings is increasing as fast as fuel for air travel.
(Sources: Defra, AECB)

Working with the building site's surrounding environment is also important, says Sue Turpin-Brooks, senior lecturer at Plymouth University's environmental building group, and fellow of its Centre for Sustainable Construction. This doesn't just mean the natural surroundings.

'All aspects have to be considered: the location of the materials ie where they come from, how they're transported, the skills and the workforce too. Where do they get their training from, and are they local people so you are putting back something into the local economy?' she says.

Building an energy efficient eco house is highly technical, so it is important to check credentials and skills, which are currently in short supply, says Chris. And you need to properly understand the concept. 'People are getting the wrong messages. Tacking stuff like a wind generator onto your roof won't do it; you have to look at the fabric of the building, otherwise everything else is bolted on. Also if you build a 300 sq m mansion it can never be an eco build - we don't need more space for living in and it will always use more energy than a 80 sq m semi, in terms of heating alone.'