The search for sustainability takes people on long journeys. For some the only way to live is to build outside the normal constraints of energy consumption, planning law and architectural convention. Some such people have created alternative communities of self-built, low energy homes made from recycled materials. For its advocates this alternative architecture is that of the future.
During the era of a constant conflict between the natural ecology and manmade environment, and ideals of low energy consumption, green architecture is attractive to many, and some of the world’s most prominent architectural practises are now designing energy efficiency into their buildings. But to follow this approach, there’s a need to create an alternative architecture, using all types of recycled materials, from old car bodies to tyres, to corrugated iron to earth to build cheap structures.
On or Off-Grid
Off-grid buildings have to be highly thermally efficient, as well as having power generation systems turned to local conditions. Since in most places on the Earth the sun does not shine all day or the wind blow continuously, designers usually have to build in more than one way of producing power. In many places even these are not enough to produce all the power the occupants need — or, more commonly, may produce a surplus at some times of year and too little at others. As a result many green designs embody a compromise. They are connected to the grid, but supplement grid power with home generated electricity, sometimes selling electricity back to the grid during periods of surplus.
Towards Mainstream
As concerns about climate change grow and the recent instability in the economy continues to affect people across the globe, a solution that offers low-cost and low-energy housing could become more popular. However in the struggle of reducing carbon footprint, and making a structure sustainable, architecture could move closer to the mainstream.
