Category: General

Environmental House Design Ideas from Small to Large

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Have you ever taken the time to read some of the suggestions from Queensland authorities, the Australian government, and the worldwide community concerning environmental house design?  One of the first statements made in almost every series of recommendations is to minimize the size of your home.  Is that something you really want to do?

You are probably building a new home because you have dreamed of having more storage, more living space, and a home which is great for entertaining.  The idea of shrinking your dreams just to be environmentally friendly is probably not very appealing to you.  Since you would prefer to build your dream home you will need to utilize other techniques to make your home more energy efficient and environmentally sound.

Your New House Design Does Not Need to be Small to be Efficient

It is 100% correct a small home will use less energy than a large home.  It is also accurate that an efficient large home can often use less electricity than a non-efficient small home.  If you take the time to explore ideas with your drafting services partner on how you can increase energy and water efficiency you can have a home which is highly efficient even if it is big.

Do you believe high ceilings are going to make your home less energy efficient? In a traditional home that would be true, but when your new house design is created with efficiency in mind those high ceilings could be part of the plan.  Higher ceilings can allow the installation of skylight windows along the upper edge of walls.  It allows for better air circulation with the use of ceiling fans.  It can be setup to provide good cross ventilation in the home to reduce the need for air conditioning.

The important point is efficient requires careful planning.  You need to work with a company like Drafting Concepts Pty Ltd who understands how to create homes which easily exceed the governmental demands for a 5-star energy efficient home.  When you sit down with Daryl Woods and Kwang Ja Lim of Drafting Concepts and start talking about energy efficiency they will explain dozens of options you can explore to reduce your energy bills and make a home which is comfortable year round.

Larger Homes Provide More Space for Alternative Energy

Consider the fact that a larger home gives you more wall and roof space.  This means there is more area for solar panels for creating hot water and electricity.  If you want to create a home which is highly efficient utilizing alternative energy sources just talk to the team at Drafting Concepts.  They can show you how these technologies can be integrated into your new home to make it efficient and higher in value.

Alternative energy should be considered during the starting phases of your project so it can be included in your environmental house design quotes.  This will also give you time to discuss possible savings the government may be offering home builders who use alternative energy sources.

Not Every Drafting Services Company Can Handle the Job

Not all drafting services have experience working with environmental house design and alternative energy.  This is one of the areas where Drafting Concepts Pty Ltd excels.  Their vast experience in the construction industry and building supplies market has kept them highly informed on the latest technologies for creating environmentally friendly homes.

Go ahead and build the size of home you really want, but make sure to incorporate ideas to reduce fuel and water usage to have the most efficient home possible.

Environment House Design, Renovations, and Extensions

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Older homes can be a real challenge when it comes to energy efficiency.  You have a choice of starting over with a new house design and building a completely new home, or with making major renovations and extensions to any existing home to make it more efficient.  Which way should you go?

Talking to Experts to Increase Your Confidence

The starting point in your decision making process should be talking to experts in creating efficient homes.  This will usually mean an architect, engineer, or a qualified draftsman.  The lowest cost option usually comes from drafting services staffed by people highly trained in environmental house design.  One company which fits that definition is Drafting Concepts Pty Ltd in Brisbane.

When you sit down with the experts discuss your current problems and your long-term dreams.  You can be sure they will explain a new home will be the most efficient option, but does that really fit into your hopes and dreams?  If would really like to stay in your existing home there are many types of renovations which can be planned to increase the efficiency.  A few examples would include:

  • Increased Insulation
  • Adding Skylights
  • Installing More Efficient Heating and Cooling Systems
  • Replacing Windows with High Efficiency Windows
  • Installing Solar Panels for Hot Water, Electricity, or Heat
  • Installing Dual Flush Toilets

If you need more room in your existing home at the same time it is the perfect time to make extensions which can be placed strategically to increase overall efficiency.  If the summer sun beats down on a section of your home then placing a highly efficient extension in that area can increase overall home efficiency.  This is an item to discuss in depth with Daryl Wood of Drafting Concepts.  He can explain options for increasing your existing homes efficiency or a new home design.

Leaving Behind Inefficiency When You Build a New Home

If you are selling your existing home as you plan to build a new home there is something you should highly consider.  Offer to sell your existing appliances with your home as an option so you can buy new appliances for your new home.

This is another area of your new home design which can have a major impact on overall efficiency.  Higher efficiency refrigerators, freezers, washing machines, and dishwashers will greatly reduce your electrical and water usage.  This is important to consider as you work with the drafting services team at Drafting Concepts or another firm since you may need to allow for the proper size openings for your new appliances.

As you do your planning with the drafting services firm make sure you plan the home carefully.  Choose lighting systems which are more efficient like fluorescent fixtures in place of incandescent.  Choose to have more lighting fixtures with independent switches rather than one higher powered light.  This allows you to turn on only the amount of light you need for any situation and reduce your electrical cost.

In both renovations and new home design it is important to use the highest quality insulation possible.  Insulation will impact your fuel use more than any other item in your home.  Talk to your drafting team about options and have them specify the highest quality possible.  It will pay for itself rapidly.

The most important thing to remember when doing an environmental house design, renovation, or extension is partner with a team who understands your needs.  The company you choose for your drafting services must understand your goals and be able to provide you plans which work.  Drafting Concepts is ready to give you a free environmental house design quotes to see exactly what you should expect.

| Drafting Concepts | 0403 829 376

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    EnvironmentalHouseDesign.com.au is managed and maintained in association with Drafting Concepts Pty Ltd. This website is provided 'as is' with the intent of providing general information only and does not constitute as advice.

    If you would like information or advise specific to your Drafting Services requirement, please contact Drafting Concepts via the online form or on 0403 829 376 for your free quote.