Kawartha Highlands Net Zero House, designed by Solares Architecture
I am encouraged to see so many architects signing the Architects Declare statement, and your ongoing coverage of the climate change emergency. It has inspired our office to take stock of our current action, and deeply consider what we can do as a business, and as architects involved in single-family residential. Houses may be smaller buildings, but they cover our country in multitudes!
We would love to hear more about the practical actions our fellow architects across the country are taking, and what other actions, small and large, we can take to limit our impact and build more sustainable homes. In our office, we have a set of principles that we discuss among ourselves and with all our clients: Build only what you really need, once. What do you truly need to be happy in your home" It might be less extensive than you think. At the beginning of our projects, we do an in-depth journalling exercise to gain insight into what our clients need now, and how they envision their life in the future. This way, we are designing a home that will last, and not need reworking or rebuilding in the future.
Build Small. How small is NOT too small"  Let?s make our homes only the size we truly need, and no bigger. If we simply start by building less, then less materials need to be produced and shipped, less packaging is used and discarded, and less energy is consumed at all stages of the process. By building small w...