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Beach Houses: A Guide to Eco-Friendly Design

Written by:
Tyler Pack
Photography:
Josh Sorenson

Environmentally friendly structures, often known as green buildings, have a reduced carbon footprint compared to other traditional architectures. Green architects employ a wide range of strategies to lessen a building's reliance on external energy sources and boost its capacity to capture or create its own.

Buildings constructed near natural areas should embrace eco-friendly design concepts, like those present in green architecture. Beach houses, for instance, should prioritize sustainability in their architectural design. To start building an eco-friendly beach house, here are some sustainable designs you can consider.

Tiny House

Typically measuring between 60 and 400 square feet, a "small house" is a residence significantly smaller than a conventional household. You can choose between a permanent structure or a mobile home, making them versatile for nomadic lifestyles.

Elizabethtown in Pennsylvania is home to what is reportedly the world's largest village of tiny houses. But if we talk about sustainable small houses by the beach, Australia is the place to be.

The Northern Beaches Council area was the target relocation for 49,349 people, or 64.5% of those who moved within Australia. Everyone from young professionals to retirees may find a comfortable place to call home on the Northern Beaches, a seaside area close to Sydney's central business district. Because of the large influx of new residents, many northern beaches removalist in the area are ready to help.

A study conducted on tiny homes in Australia declared they could lower per-person energy consumption by 70% throughout their lifetime compared to a traditional home. Also, if you downsize, you can save money on utilities and perhaps even become more ecologically conscientious. As one might expect, those who downsized to a little house were more inclined to reduce their overall consumption, recycle more, and focus on buying and eating locally produced foods.

Bamboo Homes

To save money on your beach house, consider using bamboo instead of more expensive building materials. You’ll get big savings and help save the planet, too! Compared to regular trees, which can take 30 years or more to reach maturity, bamboo takes only 3–4 months to reach its full height. Plus, bamboo can grow almost anywhere and thrive.

Bamboo also serves the same purpose as wood without requiring unique installation methods. Cutting it is simple, there is no bark to remove during processing, and its light weight makes it convenient to move, store, and assemble.

Solar-Powered Homes

Energy bills can add up to several thousand dollars a year. If you switch to solar energy, you can immediately cut or eliminate these expenses. In addition, capturing the sun's energy is not as expensive as other energy sources, providing long-term cost savings.

What’s more, solar panels add a lot to your home's resale price. Most people looking to buy a house are aware of what having solar panels on the roof entails, and many even prefer it because the system is already in place, and they don't have to worry about paying for or installing it.

Solar panels also improve the life of a roof by shielding it from the elements such as rain, snow, and debris. Moreover, they reduce the need for air conditioning in the summer because the panels prevent the sun's heat from directly hitting the roof.

Cargotecture

Repurposed shipping containers can be utilized for anything from tiny homes to office complexes. Reusing shipping containers eliminates the need to produce and process new raw materials and keeps discarded containers out of landfills.

The containers, modified with openings for windows and doors, often serve as the structural centerpiece of the building designs. Because there is no need for scraping and melting the containers, the construction does not have to begin entirely from scratch. Consequently, this results in significant energy savings and lower output of greenhouse gasses.

Shipping containers have outstanding structural stability and longevity because they were specifically created to move goods across land and water. As a result, they are resistant to deterioration caused by exposure to sunlight, wind, rain, snow, freezing temperatures, boiling water, and chemicals.

Lastly, shipping containers are prefabricated so that they may be sent out and assembled in a couple of days. Because of this, cargotecture can be completed far more quickly than traditional construction projects.

Smart Homes

In today's modern world, the term "smart home" refers to a home equipped with a digital system that can connect with various appliances and automate different housework.

Additionally, more and more people are becoming environmentally conscious as they learn that human activities damage the planet. A smart home will help you save money on utilities by decreasing your electricity and water consumption. A smart home's ability to monitor and report on energy consumption is another way it promotes sustainability. It can help you save money by detecting and reducing unnecessary energy consumption.

In addition, it lessens your home's impact on the planet with the help of sustainable lighting, window treatments, and HVAC solutions.

Final Thoughts

Property owners can save money on utilities and help the environment by adhering to sustainable home construction practices. Moreover, by doing so, you can relax knowing that your house by the beach will be a safer and healthier place for your family and future generations.


By Liliana Alvarez

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