Although there is a lot of debate whether global warming is real or not, by simply looking at some of the recent natural catastrophes, and how urban settings are expanding in general, we can safely assume that something needs to be done. Luckily the positive change exists although it is not expanding as rapidly as all of us would hope. Unfortunately, technology is not accessible all over the world and a lot of countries are still relying on less eco-friendly energy sources.
Hopefully, we will win in this race against time, and our planet will recover. To that end, we believe it would be a good idea to spread some positive news around. More precisely, we are going to discuss some of the latest trends in architecture that are implemented in order to construct eco-friendly buildings.
Passive building design
This one is really all about using our common sense. When we are trying to determine where a particular structure will be located we should consider how much sunlight it will receive. This allows for windows to be built in a way that there is almost little need to use house lights throughout the day, and for walls to absorb the heat.
In other words, we keep the home illuminated and warm with as little use of electricity as possible.
Solar panels
This is one of the best inventions and it caught up really fast. People are actively harvesting the power of the sun by installing solar panels on their rooftop, and that power is converted to electricity. We have seen a lot of positive incentives, in the form of tax cuts, from the governments to inspire people to install solar panels. As these become more available or accessible we should see drastic changes in terms of carbon emission reduction, so everyone is looking forward to the rooftops of the future.
Native landscaping
When it comes to creating landscape, architects suggest that we use materials that are native to a particular land.
The species that live nearby are already adapted or resistant to pests found in the grass, trees, plants and soil and you won’t have to use toxic chemicals. So if you wish to plant new flowers, or trees just opt for those seeds that are found in the surrounding area.
Green building materials
Our ancestors used to rely solely on green materials, unfortunately, we are all aware that the same approach won’t cut it nowadays. Luckily, there are alternatives that we can use to create solid structures without harming the environment. Timbercrete is one example, as it is a mix of sawdust and concrete, the material is lighter and sawdust is a great green component to mix with the traditional concrete.
Also with the use of 3D printers, we can create houses from recycled materials, instead of bricks and mortar, in a much shorter time frame. A company in China even managed to print 10 houses, over a course of a single day, which is astonishing.