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SUSTAINABLE HOUSING INSIGHT
The house can be seen as a system in which the building, the environment and the occupants interact. All the components, systems, materials and assemblies of a house need to balance one another and work together to provide affordable shelter, health and safety for the occupants, consume as little energy as possible and have minimal impact on the environment. Sustainable houses incorporate materials that (a) do not adversely affect occupant health; (b) are highly insulated and airtight to reduce energy use; (c) are planned to use materials and space efficiently and can adapt to occupants’ changing needs; (d) are adapted to the local climate and cause minimal damage to the environment; and (e) are designed to minimize capital and operating costs. Building with wet materials can lead to future moisture problems, mold and related indoor air quality problems.
Construction is a necessary human endeavour and one that consumes large amounts of energy and resources. All stages of construction affect, to varying degrees, the five principles of sustainable housing: healthy indoor environment, energy efficiency, resource efficiency, environmental responsibility and affordability. Sustainable houses are designed to last for generations, and when they are no longer useful, they can be easily dismantled and recycled for other uses. Energy is required to extract raw materials for the production of construction products and to manufacture, transport and install them (their embodied energy). Careful storage and protection of materials reduces waste and therefore helps to reduce the effects of construction on the environment. Sustainable houses should provide only as much living volume as is needed.
RELATED PUBLICATIONS About Your House: Canada’s Housing Construction System, Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (product no. 62966) About Your House: Photovoltaics (PV) Systems, Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (product no. 63890)
The house can be seen as a system in which the building, the environment and the occupants interact. All the components, systems, materials and assemblies of a house need to balance one another and work together to provide affordable shelter, health and safety for the occupants, consume as little energy as possible and have minimal impact on the environment. Sustainable houses incorporate materials that (a) do not adversely affect occupant health; (b) are highly insulated and airtight to reduce energy use; (c) are planned to use materials and space efficiently and can adapt to occupants’ changing needs; (d) are adapted to the local climate and cause minimal damage to the environment; and (e) are designed to minimize capital and operating costs. Building with wet materials can lead to future moisture problems, mold and related indoor air quality problems.
Construction is a necessary human endeavour and one that consumes large amounts of energy and resources. All stages of construction affect, to varying degrees, the five principles of sustainable housing: healthy indoor environment, energy efficiency, resource efficiency, environmental responsibility and affordability. Sustainable houses are designed to last for generations, and when they are no longer useful, they can be easily dismantled and recycled for other uses. Energy is required to extract raw materials for the production of construction products and to manufacture, transport and install them (their embodied energy). Careful storage and protection of materials reduces waste and therefore helps to reduce the effects of construction on the environment. Sustainable houses should provide only as much living volume as is needed.
RELATED PUBLICATIONS About Your House: Canada’s Housing Construction System, Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (product no. 62966) About Your House: Photovoltaics (PV) Systems, Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (product no. 63890)
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