When you are thinking about home plans which are environmentally friendly, here are some of the things you might think about. Make a list of everything that everyone in the family wants to do inside the house. Be thorough and specific, even if many of the things appear completely obvious. For example, if you like dancing, make sure to list this so there will be some area in which there is room to move. Once you have made the list you can go over it while looking at design ideas and house plans in order to make sure that you have provided enough space to accommodate everyone’s needs. This way you can be sure that all necessary functions will be taken into consideration. For example, you may discover that you want a large pantry adjoining the kitchen, or extra closet space in a spare bedroom, or a special private space for an office or hobbies.
Homes plans which are dug into a hillside to make the home snug can be extended to the idea of completely burying the home (including the roof). This has many advantages, as ground squirrels are well aware: the temperature remains equable the whole year round (between 50° and 60°F) which means that it is only necessary to raise the temperature by a few degrees to be comfortable. This can make a tremendous difference in heating and cooling bills. Another advantage to total earth sheltering is that the house footprint can be devoted to nature, so the roof is literally a garden.
A home plan which utilizes passive solar energy for space heating is both economical and easy on the environment. Laying your house out on an east-west axis to face south and placing glass in that direction welcomes the sun’s energy to heat your home in the winter months. A good passive solar design incorporates ways to insulate the glass at night, either through thick insulating curtains which can be rolled down or across the windows or with solid panels which can be moved into place. Another way to use the sun’s heat, even when it’s not shining, is to incorporate a great deal of thermal mass into the house design. Heavy masonry such as rock, tile, brick, or adobe can be used to build some of your home’s interior, especially those parts which are bathed in sunlight during the day. To assist this process you can use dark colors which absorb heat, and keep these areas free of rugs and furniture. In the summer months this same thermal mass will help to keep the house cool. To reduce unwanted sunlight in summer you can design architectural features which automatically do this, such as large eaves which overhang the southern windows. Thick walls, such as those made with earthbag or straw bale construction also help in eliminating the effects of a high-angled summer sun. Also, you can plant tall, deciduous trees south of the house which shade it in summer but are bare in winter and allow the sun to shine through.
