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Have you ever felt frustrated with the direction your city is going? Like the people in charge are taking things in a way that doesn’t match what you and your neighbors really want? I’ve been there too. But the good news is, you have more power than you realize over the future of your community. There’s this important thing called the Comprehensive Building Plans that lays out the vision for how and where your city will grow over the next couple decades. The problem is, most people don’t really understand what the comprehensive plan is or how to influence it. But that’s about to change. Because if you learn how to get involved at the right time in the process, you can truly help steer your community toward the future you want to see. What are Comprehensive Building Plans? A comprehensive plan goes by other names too – some places call it the general plan or master plan. But whatever you call it, this document is basically the playbook for the future of your city. It covers big topics like: Land Use – What kinds of development will go where? How dense or spread out will things be? Housing – What types of housing are needed now and down the road as demographics change? Transportation – How will people get around by car, public transit, biking and walking? What investments are needed? Economic Development – How will the city support local jobs, businesses, and the tax base? Parks, Trails and Open Space – What kind of recreation opportunities are needed and where should they be located? Community Facilities – How should essential public assets like schools, libraries, hospitals and civic buildings serve residents? Resilience and Sustainability – How will the city adapt to changes like climate change and steward natural resources? And More – Infrastructure, historic preservation, arts and culture, code enforcement, etc. As you can see, the comprehensive plan covers a ton of ground. It sets the basic policy direction on all these issues to guide future growth and community investments. City staff and leaders use the plan to shape important steps like: Updating zoning rules and development regulations Making budget and funding decisions Planning transportation improvements Siting public facilities like parks and schools Setting priorities for programs and initiatives Because it influences so many things, the comp plan is an incredibly important tool for shaping the future of your city! Fresh Approach to Planning In the past, many Comprehensive Building Plans were created in a pretty old-school way. The city planning staff and consultants would go off in isolation to write this big report. They’d come back with a “finished” plan and hold a few public meetings mainly just to present it. Residents could give some feedback, but the vision was already baked in. As you can imagine, that process didn’t always result in a plan that truly reflected what everyday community members wanted and valued. Luckily, times are changing when it comes to city planning. People today want to live in walkable neighborhoods that give easy access to shops, transit, and amenities. Urban living is becoming more popular, especially among younger generations who are seeking out cities first instead of just looking for suburban homes and commuting to jobs. Homebuyers are willing to pay a premium for neighborhoods where they can get around by foot, bike or transit – not just cars. A recent study found buyers will pay 35% more, and renters a whopping 41% more, to have transportation options beyond just driving. What does this mean for the comprehensive plan? For one thing, cities need to focus more on creating compact, mixed-use places people actually want to live and work in. They have to move beyond the old ways of strictly separating land uses through single-use zoning. The comp plan can’t just be about managing growth way out on the suburban fringe anymore. Most importantly, a successful comprehensive plan reflects the true desires and values of the whole community – not just affluent homeowners or special interests. For that to happen, planners have to reach out early to groups that have been left out of past planning like renters, immigrants, shift workers, young people and communities of color. Their voices and priorities need to help shape the vision too. Read Also:-Modify Existing House Layout A Complete Guide 6 Ways You Can Help Influence the Process So how can you actually have an impact when your city creates its next comprehensive plan? Here are 6 tips: Learn the Key Players Start by getting to know who the important decision-makers and stakeholders are in your city’s planning. Which elected officials and city staff will be involved? What boards or commissions have a role? Are there influential community groups or business interests that will want input? Understanding the players will help you strategize how to effectively engage in the process. Who can you build partnerships and alignment with? Who are potential obstacles you may need to convince? This insight will be invaluable. Meet People Where They Are One big shift in planning is finding new ways to actually engage everyday residents – not just expect people to come to meetings. Set up booths to involve folks at popular community events, parks and markets. Recruit a diverse team of community ambassadors to tap into their own networks and get more people involved. Make engagement super convenient through tools like online surveys or text-based input. Provide stipends for lower-income residents or youth to participate. Find out when and where different groups already gather and see if you can show up, listen and get input. Go to faith congregations, jobs centers, college campuses and neighborhood hangouts. The goal is removing as many barriers as possible to participation so you hear from all segments of the community. Get Up to Speed on Trends Impacting Cities Before you dive into giving input, learn about forces that will shape future planning – things like driverless cars, the shift to remote work, climate change

We are accustomed to seeing large industrial and garage-style buildings, such as Prefabricated Metal Buildings, constructed with prefabricated steel components, but using such buildings for residential dwellings is not as common. However, it is becoming a new trend in construction. This new trend is not really new. In the 1980s, there was a real estate developer, Karl Nilsen, who had an idea for developing a tract of land in Connecticut for an equine community for horse lovers. His vision was for a green space for grazing and exercising horses and building pole barns to house horses and for residential living space. He coined the name “barndominium” for such dwellings. This idea has taken on an assortment of special interest communities. We have seen such communities for small aircraft enthusiasts, where hangar and residential buildings are built around an airstrip. I have seen communities where such combination dwellings are for art guilds, where artisans of various crafts have their studios in the same place where they live. This is also the same place where they sell their masterpieces. The Coronavirus pandemic changed our ways of living. Many people who were able to keep their jobs did so by working remotely from home, and those who found themselves without a job became resourceful by creating a job for themselves selling a product or service they could do from their home. Many decided to build upon an existing side hustle as their full-time job. Others decided to pursue a passion they always wanted to do but were too busy working for someone else to have time to pursue their passion. Prefabricated Metal Buildings became a popular choice for those seeking to establish their home-based businesses, offering durability and efficiency in construction. Entrepreneurs of new start-up businesses are always cognizant of the fundamental of keeping overhead costs to a minimum to have a chance of realizing a profit in the first year or two. The ideal situation is to be able to live and work under the same roof. During the pandemic, a growing number of people moved from big cities to rural areas and small towns. The largest sector of this group to make this transition were young adults aged 25-35 years old. Some moved because they felt it would be safer than living in big cities, and others moved to places where they could enjoy nature and hike, climb, bike, or kayak in the same place where they live and work. Another major factor is that real estate is less expensive in rural areas compared to living closer to a big city. Usually, property taxes are also less expensive. Furthermore, you can attain larger land lots and have the opportunity to live off the produce you grow or graze. With this exodus from the city to the country, there has been a growing interest in barndominiums. This construction trend has taken the form of prefabricated steel buildings more so than wood pole barns. So, why are prefabricated metal buildings ideal for multi-function structures, particularly for workshop and home under one roof? Prefabricated steel buildings have the capacity for enormous wide-open clear spans that cannot be attained by wood or light gauge steel onsite framing. This makes them extremely space efficient and able to maximize open-style floor plans with vaulted ceilings. Furthermore, depending upon the manufacturer, the side walls can be between 20-24’ high, which gives you the option for a second story or loft space for storage. Some of the metal building systems have the option of expanding the open space clear to the bottom of the ridge beam, which gives you open vaulted ceilings and even more headroom for greater storage or living space. Prefabricated steel buildings are carefully engineered to exacting requirements and made in a controlled manufacturing environment, and most come with certified engineering letters which most municipalities will acknowledge. This makes the system superior to any onsite stick framing. Prefab steel building manufacturers make all the parts in their plant and are ready to quickly assemble on your building site. This means that after your monolithic slab foundation is poured and cured (cure time should be at least 14 days before adding structure loads to it), the assembly time is 2 days to 2 weeks. This includes not only the exterior structure components but also roof and wall panels. The average time for onsite framed houses to be completely closed in is 4-6 months. This is a very significant difference, saving you a great deal in labor costs and interest on your construction loan. This also means that once it is under roof, you could live there while the inside work is being done. This might not be acceptable to some, but it saves you from paying rent or mortgage payments on two places while you are waiting for your house to be completed. The average time frame for building a stick-framed house on your site is 9-16 months, whereas the average time for completing a prefabbed steel building is 4-6 months. This would save you greatly in labor and interest payments. It is worth noting that the average cost for assembling your steel frame building on your slab with the plumbing and electrical roughed in under your slab and the system being completely enclosed averages $30-$40 per square foot, whereas the average cost of being at the same stage in construction for stick-framed houses is $85-$100 per square foot. The relevance of this fact is that on your construction loan, you are paying interest on the amount that has been drawn to date. The greater the draw and the time frame in which you are paying interest on these accumulated draws is highly significant. The average cost of building a prefabricated steel building, not including the cost of the lot, is $125-$160 per square foot, whereas standard stick construction, not including your lot, is $150-$220 per square foot. Finally, the fact that these kits are squares or rectangles with relatively tall side walls to get multiple

The other day, I was thinking about how to make houses more eco-friendly. What if we built houses from scratch to be as sustainable as possible? And then maybe even entire communities? I’m hoping people can suggest materials and processes. For example, we could have dry bathrooms, solar panels on the roof, and systems to capture and purify rainwater for different uses like bathing and washing. We could also reuse that water multiple times or use it to water gardens. Imagine building houses using recycled materials like tires or eco-bricks. We could generate energy with workout bikes or small water mills. Using locally made eco-friendly soap and shampoo would be a must. Growing an orchard and buying locally would be ideal too. We also need to consider the environmental impact of transporting materials. The whole process should be as eco-friendly and cheap as possible. I know a bit about this, but I’d love for others to share their knowledge. By combining what we know, we can turn this idea into a reality. If we build a model eco-friendly house, we can use it to guide updates for existing homes. I’d appreciate help in sharing this idea on relevant subreddits, as I’m not familiar with many. I’ll focus on my area—Poland. When thinking about eco-friendly building, materials are the first priority. Though I’m no expert and open to more ideas, I’d use hempcrete, wood, bamboo (not local), metal for support, and hemp for insulation. Next is the design. I prefer medium to high-density buildings (150-300 people). For such buildings, a square base works if there’s no courtyard, and a rectangular base if there is. Apartments should face north (with a ±30° margin). Imagine an equilateral triangle pointing north, with large windows on the inner side for sunlight. The building would be six stories high (excluding the basement). To avoid disputes over room angles, we can use corners for large water tanks: one for untreated rainwater, one for treated sewage, and one for drinking water. This setup allows separate water streams: one for drinking and cooking, and one grey water stream for showering/washing/flushing. The building would have a two-story basement. The first level for sewage treatment and rainwater filtering, and the second for battery storage (using eco-friendly saltwater batteries). Inside, the first two floors would house students (they can be loud) and the elderly (less noise and easier access). The third floor would be for social utilities like a laundry, community kitchen, pantry, library, kindergarten, and gym. Floors four and five would be residential, mainly for families and friends. At this height, they can see tree crowns outside, providing privacy. The sixth floor would be a greenhouse, with half of the roof covered in solar panels, combining greenhouse and solar energy. Produce can be stored in the community pantry for everyone. Another thing to consider is that houses need to be designed for the specific region they are in. For example, the southeastern coast of the U.S. needs to handle heat, humidity, hurricanes, and occasional freezing. Overall, the weather will get warmer, but severe events will become worse and more frequent. I’m interested in the Pacific Northwest, where we need to prepare for big earthquakes, but usually, it’s cool and rainy. However, Portland did hit 116°F last summer! There’s no one-size-fits-all solution. We might consider looking back at traditional regional building styles, as they were created for good reasons. Though, modern conveniences like window screens, TV, and air conditioning have changed a lot of that. Jumping in to add my favourite type of house (one I still hope to build one day!) cob houses, http://tinyhousetalk.com/wp-content/uploads/Cob-House-Sustainable-Building-Exploring-Alternatives-1.jpg And straw bale houses, https://dornob.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/straw_bale_house_padgitt_2.jpg I find them beautiful, easy to build, durable and sustainable. I would second the other ideas in this thread of passive solar, rainwater catchment etc. I would love to live in a village of cob tiny houses… As what other people have said, it depends on the region, the availability of specific types of resources and the environments where these homes will be. Break it down between new construction and old construction (existing buildings) New Construction Depending on the climate and the potential hazards, combined with the natural available resources and biome, along with social factors.The best place to start would be in urban planning. Before any building goes up, the entire development should be planned out or at least thought out with ecological and social topics in mind. These plans should balance individual privacy and autonomy, community areas and commons, density, transportation, and the local ecology and geology. It is important to have communities in the best areas possible to handle floods, storms, fire, and other natural factors. Things like rammed earth can survive fires and tornadoes but may not do well in hurricanes and floods. Everything has a place. This video can lay out some things to keep in mind when thinking about this. A ton can be said about urban planning this channel is great when it comes to explaining the fails and wins of what kinds of urban planning really make people happy. Another question with urban development and ecological housing is how to balance density with the environment while keeping the individual, the collective and the environment working in a symbiotic relationship.That focus would be towards minimizing the need for external factors, minimizing electrical, water and HVAC use and maximizing passive solutions or low tech solutions. Other people mentioned earth ships, and they use passive options like long tubes in the ground that act as low tech AC. But why would this matter? Because if passive heating, cooling and lighting is built into the design of the buildings, before they are even built, that will change their shape and how they interact with the environment as a whole.This is another great video that covers a lot of passive building, but making sure it all interacts and one persons building is not shading another. From there you can talk about building materials, building types, earthships vs yurts vs geodesic domes vs aircrete domes etc. But ultimately it is more important to understand the systems that go into a home and get as close to a closed loop system as possible.Water for example can be collected through rain water, and used for drinking, or showering. That used water is also called grey water and can be reused as long as there are soaps and stuff that don’t hurt plants, and that grey water can be used to water plants, the excess of that can go to flushing a toilet, then the sewage also called black water, goes to a septic tank to take out the solids, and the water from that is used in outdoor areas with soil. So the water never really goes to waste, there is always a use. It minimizes how much water gets used in the total system. And that should be the goal. Reuse things when you can, as much as possible and minimize waste.Once you get this idea in your mind, think about other ways our current system wastes electricity, heat, cold air, and think of different ways you can harness that as much as possible. With that include different natural resources into that system. Hemp is amazing because it is a plant that sequesters carbon, can be used for making herbal medicines and other non psychoactive uses, it grows incredibly fast, the fibers can be used to make clothes, paper, and even wood. It is an incredible plant that was replaced with plastics because you guessed it. Capitalism and corporate greed. With your points on supply chains, these homes also would double as greenhouses and have areas inside and out. Inside, more exotic plants can be grown year round, out of season since all the inputs (water, temp, humidity, light) can be controlled. So that cuts down on needing outside resources if you can grow them indoors, locally. Same idea with aquaponics to tie in recycling and food systems. Grey water is used for the fish water (if it doesnt have soap and if safe for fish), the fish will grow and poop, that fish water is actually amazing for plants, so that is given to the plants, and that water then goes to flushing your toilet and so on. Then you have awesome veggies, fruit, whatever you want to grow along with fish as a protein source either for you, your animals or just keep them as pets. Circular patterns and systems. Old Construction Big thing I see in a ton of solarpunk aesthetics is a focus on a far off future world. Which is great and I want that all. But what about the near future? What about the homes and apartments and high rises that are already here? Is is ecological to demolish them to make super adobe homes? Or is it better to retrofit and upgrade where we can, and anything new we need to build will be ecological and follow the ideas other people are suggesting in here as well? Big one will be insulation. Many homes are poorly insulated and at the moment most countries are using fiberglass. There are plenty alternatives that not only sequester carbon, but has a bunch of different uses. You guessed it. Hemp. So instead of knocking existing homes down, we make them better insulated. Change their systems when we can to be more like earth ships and other ecological homes. On a municipal level, we can

Most homeowners come across the need to modify existing house layout at some point of time. It can be due to an outgrown family, needing to have extra office space, or any other reason. Regardless of what the reason is, it is important for you to have a clear idea on how to do it right. From this article, we will share more details on it. Define Clear Goals The very first step you should take when modifying an existing floor plan is to define clear goals. This is where you should look at the primary cause for modifying an existing floor plan. It can be due to the need to get more space for the living room. Or else, you would want to have a bigger kitchen. By defining clear goals, you can make sure to stick to them at all times. As a result, you will not miss out on the most important features that made you go for a change in the first place. On top of that, you will be able to complete the project on budget and on time. When working on a plan to modify existing house layout, you nee to make it as detailed as possible. For example, you should include the resources and materials that you plan to use. Similarly, you must also include the experts who are going to help you on this project. It can be: Interior designers Architects Contractors Suppliers and everyone else While listing them down, make sure to have reasonable expectations at all times. Consider Going for The Best Ideas Your home modification should benefit you in the long run. That’s why you should always consider the best ideas. Here are few such ideas that you may consider when trying to modify existing house layout. You can get extra space to your house by adding an attic. If you have a spacious room in your house, you can divide it into two. When you don’t have enough storage space in the house, consider creating some storage space in your garage. Take down the ceiling to make your living areas look more spacious. Design your home according to an open concept. This can also help to make smaller homes look bigger. Design a deck to get some more outdoor living space. If you only have one bathroom, consider adding a new one. It is better to have it near the living area, so that your guests can even use it. If you have a basement, consider converting it to another bedroom or a man cave. Read Also:- Harnessing the Power of the Sun and reducing our dependence upon Greenhouse Gasses Think About the Future Most of us modify existing house layouts for an immediate requirement. But instead of working only on that, it is better to think about the future as well. For example, you should see how changing the existing house layout can improve your overall life. If you are a person who loves to read, you may think about getting a built-in bookshelf by your bed. It will help you to enjoy reading a book before you go to sleep. If you have clutter in your kitchen, you can make it more spacious. Don’t just stick to the immediate requirement you have to modify existing house layout. Instead, take a look at the big picture and see how the get the most out of your project. Take the Traffic Routes of Your House Into Consideration One of the mistakes that homeowners make when modifying existing house layouts is to ignore the traffic routes. If you can pay attention to this, you can make your day-to-day activities even better. This is where you need to see how you and your family members are moving around the house on a typical day. For example, you will walk to the kitchen with bags full of groceries every week. This is why you need to think about creating easy access to the kitchen. You may place it near the garage entrance. Likewise, you should also place a bathroom near the living room, which your guests can use. All these thoughtful modifications will eventually contribute towards enhancing the value of your property. Plan Where to Place Your Furniture When you modify existing house layout, it is important to plan where you will be placing your furniture as well. If you ignore this, you will end up with unwanted clutter in your rooms. That’s why you should be mindful about furniture placement at the time of designing the house. This is where you should have a clear idea about the types of furniture that you are going to use as well. You can either decide to go ahead with your existing furniture or buy new ones. No matter what, you will have some basic furniture in the house at all times. That’s why you need to plan around with items like your couches, tables, and beds. If possible, it is better to include the other elements such as islands, fireplaces, windows, and televisions as well. Don’t Overlook Your Budget You should never ignore the cost when you are planning to modify an existing house layout. Otherwise, you will run out of money to complete the project. It is better if you can set aside money for the house layout modification project upfront. But if you don’t have enough savings, you need to look at the financing options. Few such financing options available to you include: Home equity line of credit Construction loan Home equity loan Make sure to deep dive and explore the pros and cons of each method. Then you can decide what financing option you will be choosing to fund your house modification project. Final Words From this guide, you got a clear understanding of how to modify an existing house layout. Always consider these options and proceed with bringing the best value addition to your home with the modification project. It will help you to get a fulfilling

For centuries innovative and resourceful designers and builders have recognized that the most fundamental efficient Renewable energy systemsExplore the evolution of solar thermal collectors, vital for renewable energy systems, offering sustainable heating and cooling solutions for homes. is the direct energy of the sun. They have used the heating factor of the sun both passively and actively to heat a house or building. The earliest example I have seen of a solar thermal collector was in a house in Western Upstate New York that was built in 1735. Exactly when the solar thermal collector was installed, I do not know. The designer installed iron pipes in a series of tubes on the zinc standing seam metal roof. The pipes were on the south side facing roof. The interior dimension of these pipes was approximately 1” and the series of pipes was more than 100 feet. In the basement he had a 100-gallon tank of water which was kept heated with a fire. This supplied a closed loop radiator system that provided heat for the house. Since then, many different variations of flat plate solar collectors have been utilized that absorb the heat from the sun using pipes full of liquid to provide domestic hot water and water source heating for the house. In the past two decades solar thermal collectors have advanced significantly and become more than 80 % more energy efficient in capturing and using the heat of the sun than flat plate collectors. This has been advanced through the technology of Evacuated Tube Solar Thermal Collectors (ETSC) As this system has improved and the demand for thermal energy has increased so has the price decreased to make it a much more viable option than flat plate solar collectors. Furthermore, the usable energy of the sun is 53% more energy efficient than the best technology Solar Voltaic Collectors. The highest energy consumption for residential use is in heating and cooling a house. So the first approach to addressing this issue is in lowering the house’s thermal load by making the envelope of the structure more resistant to heat loss or gain. The next step is to design a highly energy efficient heating and cooling system that most effectively uses the sun’s energy at the lowest cost for that exchange in energy both in initial cost and lifetime costs. So most would assume that the options would be in the question of using Solar Voltaic Collectors which generate direct electricity from the sun or Solar Thermal Collectors which capture heat energy? For many the comparison in cost between installing an Evacuated Tube Solar Thermal Collector or installing a Solar Photo- Voltaic Collector (PV) to do the same basic task of providing quiet, clean water source heating and continuous domestic hot water is all you care to know. A well-built, highly energy efficient house to best justify the initial cost of these systems is the same given. For a 1500-2000 square foot house the average cost of a Solar Photo-Voltaic Generator with inverters and back-up batteries is $30000. For one third of the face surface to operate a heat and cooling system using Photo-Voltaic generators you can install an Evacuated Tube Solar Thermal Collector which can heat and cool your home. In both applications the surface space is usually on the roof. For both the optimal location is where you have the longest solar exposure throughout the day and throughout the year. The roof may be the place for these installations; however, it is not always the best. In most cases the roof is not the best place for Photo-Voltaic Generators because the radiant heat from the roof affects it’s optimal function and shortens it’s life expectancy. So for PV Collectors the circulation of air over and under the unit is best and its average life expectancy is 11-17 years, depending upon what PV technology is utilized. The lithium batteries must be replaced on an average of every five years. The production and disposal of these batteries is a big long term question concerning sustainability, which I will address in a future blog post. For Evacuated Tube Solar Thermal Collectors, the radiant heat from the roof improves its thermal function and has no effect on its lifetime function. An Evacuated Tube Solar Thermal Collector will put out consistent direct solar thermal energy for at least 25 years. Usually, the only thing you may need to replace in such units are the evacuated tubes that might break or lose their vacuum seal. This involves the simple task of unscrewing an affected tube and screwing in a new tube. Now back to addressing the costs differences between a Solar Photo- Voltaic generator to produce the energy needed to heat and cool your house and the costs of Evacuated Tube Solar Thermal Collectors to do the same thing. The installation costs for such a unit including storage tanks and liquid circulators for 1500-2000 square foot home is $8500. What a difference! Such a small investment for a lifetime of free thermal energy from the sun. So, what is an Evacuated Tube Solar Thermal Collector (ETSC)? The aim of Solar thermal collectors is to absorb as much solar heat energy as possible and to retain that heat in a liquid medium. In other words, solar collectors convert solar radiation into thermal energy and reduce energy loss. ETSC’s improve this energy efficiency over flat plate absorption collectors by using glass or plastic cylindrical clear tubes that have within them copper tubes with a reflective backing that absorbs the radiant heat from the sun. These absorption tubes maintain their radiant energy by being sealed inside a clear vacuumed tube. This acts as a diathermia wall. The internal absorber is a copper heat pipe that contains a vaporized fluid that makes it possible for the heat transferred fluid to reach temperatures that exceed 250 degrees (F). This means that this heat has the possibility of running a steam electric generator or hydrolyzing hydrogen from water to be

Most of our online steel frame house design plans are designed with Light Gauge Steel Framing (LGSF) as part of an environmentally friendly and truly sustainable building system. So What is Light Gauge Steel Framing Construction? It is construction using thin sheets of recycled steel cold formed into C shaped studs having been formed with rollers to form lightweight studs that can bear heavy loads. These rolls of thin sheet steel are manufactured using more than 90% recycled metals and forged in foundries using highly energy efficient low emission natural gas. In comparison to conventional wood framing materials in its manufacturing, transport, and installation it is significantly lower in its Greenhouse Gas (GHG) carbon footprint. There is no waste in this type of framing method since it is 100% recyclable whereas in wood frame construction the average waste is over 20%. In wood frame construction not only are there unusable members in every pallet, but also the waste left over from construction is most often sent to landfills. LGSC has a stronger strength to weight ratio than wood. Lightweight steel construction weighs 40 lbs. per square foot as in comparison with wood framing which averages 100 lbs. per square foot. This translates into being able to achieve wider spans and open spaces in plan designs over wood construction. This means that what can be accomplished on the job site using only available manpower and lightweight components would on the contrary to be achieved with wood framing would require engineered wood trusses and costly heavy equipment to install. Which means labor cost savings. A builder cannot measure his/her confidence in a building plan that can be done safely and effectively on the jobsite without depending on costly engineering and heavy equipment. This kind of control means predictability and lower building costs. This is of utmost importance to us when we develop our steel frame house design plans. Our plans are carefully designed and with great details by a master builder who has more than 35 years of hands-on experience as a designer/builder working with his crews in the field to know what can and cannot be done safely and effectively on the building site. His experience in considering all eventualities and translating those into carefully detailed plans is of immeasurable value to you in knowing your plans were not just designed by an architect who may or may not have any on the jobsite experience. This predictability means less unforeseen cost in construction. Know this: just because it can be drawn on a blueprint does not mean that it can and should be built on your lot. Having worked in remediation for more than 20 years having to address the disconnect between designs and their implementation in the field being lifetime costly maintenance issues for the homeowners. Read Also:-Renewable Resource Construction: Building a Sustainable Future with Energy-Efficient Designs I specialized in finding as permanent a solution to poor design and workmanship as possible. Many of the issues we faced were of a fundamental nature like poorly designed roofs or foundations issues. Our design planning is informed by our experience in correcting conventional design and implementation that has cost our clients dearly in maintenance and repair costs. Our definition of eco-sustainable home designs begins with designing houses that are low maintenance, durable and reliable, subsequently reducing waste that ends up in landfills. Once that criteria is fulfilled then we design for high thermal mass structural envelopes to utilize effectively sustainable resource renewable energy heating and cooling systems which reduce energy demands and lifetime costs for its inhabitants. This means designing using materials that are durable and reliable to serve the housing needs for many generations. This is why we design using materials that will bear up under the impact of weather and natural disasters over the life span of many different families who will occupy these homes. We have chosen to offer steel frame house design plans as basic high thermal mass structures as a fundamental basis of a complete eco-sustainable, renewable resource and low energy demand systems. Here are some of the reasons why we offer steel frame house design plans: There is little to no learning curve between light gauge steel framing and conventional wood stick frame construction and light gauge steel framing is as versatile as wood stick frame in terms of design styles, but also offers the possibility of longer and wider spans than wood frame construction, making it amenable to modern styles where open living spaces are desired. Light gauge steel framing is more sustainable than stick frame construction. Light gauge framing is made from recyclable metal and all waste after construction is completed is entirely recyclable. Wood framing is not sustainable and requires the use of more energy in harvesting, milling, drying and transporting than steel. Current demands for stick framing materials cannot keep up with what local forests to a particular region can supply so more and more wilderness forests throughout the world are being harvested and transported 1000’s of miles to supply local demand such as in the Southeastern United States. It takes a minimum of 25 years to regrow these forests and in the meantime the world population continues to grow necessitating the clearing of more and more forests to accommodate the growing population. The cost of light gauge steel framing materials is less than 2% higher than wood framing materials. Steel framing materials are dimensionally accurate and are not subject to twisting cracking, checking or warping as is woodand 3 times more light gauge steel framing materials can be shipped on the same truck uncovered as wood. In every pallet of wood framing materials there are pieces that cannot be used so thus there is more waste than light gauge steel framing materials. This waste ends up in landfills. Wood framing materials left uncovered to sit in the sun or in the dirt leads to ruin, whereas light gauge steel studs are not affected by the same conditions. This means that

What do we mean by renewable resource construction and sustainable renewable energy construction designs? Most of our stock plans that we sell on our site: Ecosustainablehomedesigns are designed for frame style construction since this is the construction method most used in the United States. However, instead of designing for wood frame construction, which is used most in conventional construction, we specify using light gauge steel studs for the primary structure of the house. Here are some of the reasons why we adopt these design criteria: Using wood for structural framing is not sustainable. There is already a huge supply and demand issue, which means that the demand for wood for framing exceeds that which regional forests can supply. Here in the Southeast region as an example most of the framing materials are not from regional forest of Southern Yellow Pine but conifers from the Northwest, Canada, Finland, and Norway. This means we are stripping wilderness forests to meet our immediate needs in construction. Life on earth is dependent on these wilderness forests to absorb carbon dioxide which is the product of burning fossil fuels and creating the earth warming greenhouse gases. These forests are necessary for the oxygen they add to the environment. The carbon footprint is highly significant especially if you take into account all the energy required to import and export these materials around the world. I invite you to take a look at satellite images of these forests such as the deforestation of the Amazon rainforest. If those images do not alarm and horrify you, then it is likely you could not be convinced to adopt a more sustainable lifestyle and lower your impact on the environment. Here is just one small image from the International Space Station of the deforestation of the Amazon. This image covers approximately 100 square miles. Using non-regional lumber makes for all the ingredients for a high maintenance house. All trees have a natural adaptation to the climate in which they grow as well as resistance to the insects present to its environment. When you use non regional forests for your structure then these woods are more susceptible to rot, and growth of harmful organisms such as toxic black mold and then succumb to insect infestation. Using 2×4 wood studs limits the thermal mass that can be achieved for a highly energy efficient envelope which of course translates into energy consumption and higher utility bills. Thermal mass is measured by resistance to heat transfer. The best that can be achieved with a 2×4 wood stud wall is R-15. Whereas in a 2×4 steel frame wall you can attain R-22 by using solid high thermal mass insulation, which is non bias unlike fiberglass insulation. The difference is that fiberglass is designed primarily to slow down the transfer of heat from the inside out, whereas solid polystyrene foam resists this transference from both sides. Another issue with wood frame construction, in terms of renewable resource construction, is that in a span of a wall the greatest energy loss is the place where the wood studs reside. You can see this on a morning after there was frost overnight. You will notice that the location of the studs is telegraphed in the siding. This is of course due to the loss of heat through the wall where the studs are. Using solid thermal foam sheathing against the outside of a stick framed house is not appropriate because in a climate that has a high relative humidity, condensation occurs which accumulates on the inside of the wood framed wall setting up the conditions for rot and insect infestation. This is the reason why synthetic (EFIS) stucco was such a disaster for homeowners who owned such houses. Furthermore, sprayed in expanding polystyrene foam between the studs is not appropriate for a wood framed wall in renewable resource construction since such walls need to be breathable to avoid such moisture accumulation being trapped between the inside of the wall. What follows wood decay is the wood becomes the food for dangerous organisms such as black mold. Steel framing is a more renewable resource than wood. Most light gauge steel is not from mined ores but from recycling existing metal and whatever scrapes are left after construction are completely recyclable. There is also less waste than using wood for framing since every piece in a pallet is straight and true unlike a pallet of wood framing materials where you will have a half a dozen or more boards that are twisted, warped, split or checked and good for nothing. The difference in materials costs between wood and steel is minuscule. The price difference is metal framing material is less than 2% more than wood framing materials and when you take in the fact that in every pallet of wood you will have waste then the difference is moot. All our designs utilize sustainable renewable energy both passive and active energy components by integrating simple principles of thermal dynamics. All our plans are designed to maximize the benefits of natural convection air flow which always works and is free energy. By working with instead of working against convection air flow we use this principle to reduce energy loads for both cooling and heating the house. Read Also:-Stop Dreaming – Start Building Your Eco-Sustainable Home Today All our plans use the integration of clerestories or dormers to draft out hot air and to provide natural lighting throughout the day. In custom plans which are designed specifically for your lot we do an extensive analysis of the natural resources present on your property and how to use these resources in both the construction of your house and in the heating and cooling systems. All our plans call for the use of Evacuated Tube Solar Thermal Collectors to provide domestic hot water and for water source heating and cooling. As compared to Solar Photovoltaic electric generation the initial cost is relatively low but the benefits are enormous. They provide 100% free renewable

Have you been dreaming about building your own eco-sustainable home? Want to live a greener lifestyle? Create a healthy home for your family? Reduce your carbon footprint? You’re not alone. More and more people want to build green homes. They care about the environment. They want to reduce energy costs. They desire healthy indoor air quality. But transforming dreams into reality feels overwhelming. Where Do You Even Start? It seems complex. Expensive. Time-consuming. You have no experience building homes. Don’t know how to choose land. Design floor plans. Pick materials. Hire contractors. Oversee construction. Environmental Home Designs. The whole process makes you anxious. You worry about making the wrong decisions. Ending up with a home you regret. Wasting money on a failed project. What If There Was An Easier Way? A simpler path to building your eco-friendly dream home? Follow this guide. We’ll walk you through the entire process. Step-by-step. From designing your home to moving in day. Step 1: Clarify Your Vision First, get clear on your motivations. Define your ideal sustainable home. Ask yourself: Why do you want an eco-home? Help the environment? Save money? Healthier indoor air? Sustainable features? Off-grid living? What does your dream green home look like? Size? Layout? Number of bedrooms and bathrooms? Materials? Finishes? Where do you want to build? Urban, suburban, or rural location? Climate considerations? Lot terrain? Views? Proximity to amenities? How will you use the home? Full-time residence? Vacation getaway? Rental income? Multi-generational living? What’s your budget? Overall cost? Financing options? Price per square foot? By defining your vision, motivations, needs and budget upfront, you create a compass. This keeps the project on-track as you navigate all the decisions required to build your eco-home. Step 2: Assemble Your Team You can’t build this alone. Surround yourself with experienced green building professionals. Work with an eco-architect to design your custom home plans. They understand high performance, sustainable materials, and integrate green features seamlessly. Hire a knowledgeable general contractor with experience constructing eco-friendly houses. Verify they know the latest building science, codes, and practices. Consult trustworthy specialists like civil engineers, HVAC experts, renewable energy designers, lighting consultants, and more. Collaborating with the right team prevents mistakes, saves you money, and results in a high quality eco-home you’ll enjoy for decades. Step 3: Design Your Custom Floor Plans Now for the fun part – envisioning and designing your perfect eco-home. Use your vision to brief the architect on your optimal layout. Consider: Primary living spaces like kitchen, dining, living room Sleeping areas and number of bedrooms Home office, gym, yoga studio Multi-generational needs like in-law suite Garage, shop, storage Connection to the outdoors through patios, decks, porches Focus on sustainability through features like: Passive solar design that harnesses free energy from the sun Strategic window placement for daylighting, ventilation, and views Ceiling fans for natural air circulation Rainwater collection system Solar panels and battery storage Geothermal HVAC Non-toxic and renewable materials like straw bale, earth, or hempcrete Remember – a compact floorplan is most efficient to heat, cool, and construct. But still make spaces livable for your lifestyle. Review multiple layout options. Refine the best fit design. Do this before finalizing plans. It prevents expensive changes later. Step 4: Analyze Your Lot Your home must seamlessly integrate with the land. Take time to assess the lot’s unique conditions before finalizing home plans: Climate zone and weather patterns Amount and direction of sun exposure Prevailing winds Trees to preserve for shade and windbreaks Topography and drainage Soil conditions and build ability Setbacks and easements Access roads and driveways Existing utility locations and capacity This analysis helps optimize solar orientation, drainage, access, and landscaping. Your eco-architect can then tweak the floor plans to maximize sustainability opportunities on your specific lot. This avoids headaches and delays during construction. Step 5: Choose Green Building Materials Now select durable, healthy, and sustainable materials. Prioritize natural, locally sourced options like: Stone Straw bale Adobe brick Rammed earth Hempcrete Timbers from responsibly managed forests Indigenous plants and trees Avoid toxic materials like: Formaldehyde composites VOC paints and finishes Synthetic carpets and fabrics Pressure treated lumber Using natural building materials and healthy interior finishes creates better indoor air quality. This makes your home safer and more comfortable for occupants. Research product certifications like Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) wood and Green guard Gold. This ensures materials meet strict standards for sustainability and low emissions. Step 6: Hire Your General Contractor With detailed plans and materials selected, you’re ready to hire a general contractor. Find candidates experienced constructing eco-friendly, high performance homes. Ask for multiple references with direct contact info for previous clients. Interview at least three firms before deciding. Meet in-person and visit active job sites. Get a feel for their quality of work. Compare experience, portfolio, pricing, responsiveness, and communication style. Ensure a strong personal fit. Negotiate contract terms like schedule, payment schedule, allowances, change order process, insurance requirements, lien releases, and warranties. Hiring the right contractor avoids delays and prevents defects that can compromise your home’s performance and durability. Step 7: Monitor Construction Progress Building your dream eco-home takes time. 12-24 months in most cases. During construction: Visit the site weekly. Do informal inspections. Verify work matches plans and meets quality standards. Review change orders thoroughly before approving. Watch for scope creep that affects your budget without improving the home’s functionality. Communicate regularly with your GC. Ask questions. Proactively address issues before they escalate. Document progress with photos and videos. Useful records if disputes arise regarding work completed and payments owed. Close monitoring keeps your project on-schedule and within budget. Leads to better end results. Step 8: Complete Landscaping and Move In You did it! Construction is complete. Time for finishing touches. Install native, drought tolerant plants. Add compost and mulch to nourish the soil. Plant fruit trees and berry bushes. Create habitat with bird baths, bee boxes, and wildlife shelters. Add personality with hand-crafted walkways, benches, garden art, and water features. Finally, it’s move-in day! As you enjoy

What is Autoclaved Aerated Concrete Designs(AAC)? Autoclaved aerated concrete designs is made with completely inorganic, sustainable materials and there is no waste byproduct in its production. Unlike conventional formed concrete blocks (CMU) which is made with cement and course fine aggregate it is made with sand, lime a special kind of white clay and cement. It is mixed with water in large square forms and aluminum oxide is added to the slurry and this causes a chemical reaction to occur. This reaction causes thousands of tiny hydrogen bubbles to rise in the mix and the slurry rises like yeast in bread dough. The result is millions of tiny air pockets are trapped in the concrete as it begins to cure. It is then placed in autoclaves to provide heat and pressure to cure it to its intended compression strength. Though it requires a certain amount of energy in this process it is still less than half the energy that is consumed in the production of bricks and concrete blocks or even in kiln drying wood. When it is completely cured it is wire cut into dimensionally accurate blocks unlike CMU blocks which are not dimensional accurate and thus require being put together with thick bed mortar which can deteriorate and weaken the structure. All the shavings from cutting the block are captured and used to make thinnest mortar for putting the blocks together and to also make lightweight stucco which is an ideal finish for the exterior or a lightweight plaster for the interior walls. In this process it is completely sustainable with no waste by-products since everything is recycled. I became very fascinated with this product and yet skeptical as usual, and so I continued to research the product looking for performance reports. I read about a chemical factory in Germany made of Autoclaved Aerated Concrete Designs, which had a fire, and the fire was so intense the firefighters had to stand back and watch it burn for 4 days straight. It was assumed that the exterior structure made of AAC was compromised so engineers checked it out and took core samples and it was as sound as the day it was completed even though the steel internal structure was vaporized. In 8 weeks, the factory was back in business. I have seen what happens to CMU block structures when exposed to such intense heat. It just crumbles under this kind of stress. I found another article and saw pictures of a house that survived a wildfire. The picture showed hundreds of slabs and basements all around except for this one house made of Autoclaved Aerated Concrete Designs and had a clay tile roof was the only thing still standing. I also found an article and pictures of two Autoclaved Aerated Concrete Designs houses that were the only structures still standing after massive flood had swept all the other structures away. Later I read about an Autoclaved Aerated Concrete Designs house in Indonesia that survived a class 4 cyclone. The pictured showed a vast expanse of vacant slabs and rubble and this one house standing unscathed. It had not only survived the high winds, but also the storm surge of water. It is often the case that a house may survive the high winds of a hurricane/cyclone and even the objects that fly around and hit the structure during the storm, but when the seas recede, they finish off the houses already impacted. This Autoclaved Aerated Concrete Designs house had survived all these harsh elements that had destroyed all the other neighboring homes. I was truly impressed and began to wonder if this material was available in the United States. I had read that one of the manufacturers, Hebel had plans for production of their Autoclaved Aerated Concrete Designs blocks in America and that they already had a factory in Monterey, Mexico and shipped their products worldwide. I decided to make a call to Hebel in Germany to learn as much as I could. I learned they were building a manufacturing plant in Adel, Georgia, which is about a 4 ½ hour trip from Atlanta. I asked for all the literature they have on their products and asked the engineer who I was speaking to me to let me know when they would start production in Adel. I learned all I could about building with Autoclaved Aerated Concrete Designs and decided I would design and build a house for my own family using this product. Twelve weeks later I got a call from the German engineer whom I had spoken with earlier. He told me that he was in Adel, Georgia and they were starting production of their blocks. I made an appointment to meet him down there. In the meantime, I came up with at least a hundred questions I jotted down that I wanted to ask while I was there. I took my house plans down with me and spent 2 ½ days there. I got a tour of the plant and watched a slurry being made and the chemical reaction when they introduced the aluminum to the mix. It was a marvel to behold, seeing the batch rise. They had a two-day class for me to attend, which included building a small room with Hebel blocks and mortar.  This was a great hands-on experience, seeing how easy it was putting the blocks together and sawing the block with a basic hand saw. I spent at least half a day going over my building plans and learning what alterations I needed to make and the reinforcement necessary to make this house a strong solid monolithic structure. I got a certification as a Hebel approved builder. I was convinced enough to make the investment of my time and financial resources to build my first AAC house for my own home for my family. I had known even before I had finished my research that I would be building a house different and superior to conventional stick framed

I have had inquiries about Insulated Concrete Form (ICF) construction. What is ICF? Should I consider ICF house plans for my new home? Those who have read my profile know that for more than 20 years I have designed and built using solid construction systems. I did so because I believe solid construction methodology is superior in every way to conventional composition construction as in framed construction. It is important when planning to design and build a house for your next home to take into consideration that when you clear a lot and build a structure you permanently change the ecosystem that was there. Pinpoint your home’s ideal location on the property. Assess which trees to preserve and plan how to repurpose any timber you must clear. This strategic approach ensures optimal site utilization and minimizes ecological impact. Next, instead of just orienting your house to the street, consider orienting your house to the sun to take advantage of passive or active solar energy to heat and cool your home. Survey your site for materials that complement your habitat. Look for stone or timber you can incorporate. Blend these elements seamlessly into your design. Consider how each resource enhances your plan. Integrate local materials to create a harmonious living space. Is there water on your site? Is your lot large enough to use convection ground tubes or bore wells for geothermal heating and cooling?  These are just a few of the things you should peruse when finalizing and implementing a plan for the construction of your next home. My point is your primary concern should be to reduce as much as possible your impact on the environment. Now this brings me back to solid construction and the use of Insulated Concrete forms (ICF). Most of my experience has been in specializing in using a hybrid approach to designing and building a solid concrete house. I recommend using ICF as the best system for construction below ground level either in a basement or in an earth bermed house. For above grade I prefer using Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (AAC), which I will address in a future blog. There are at least a dozen companies which have their own patented insulated forms. What is common to all of them is they make a permanent concrete form using polystyrene foam for the shell of the building blocks for the forms or as in the case of Rastra Forms they make a cement form blocks in which use polystyrene beads as an aggregate and insulating element. Most of the companies use 2 inches or more of 2-pound density foam on the inside and outside walls of their form blocks. 2 lb. density polystyrene foam has a resistance to heat transfer from inside or outside with a rating of R-6 per inch so a standard 12” form has a rating of R-24 and the solid 8 inches of concrete on the inside has a thermal mass that is hard to calculate but is at least R-2. Save Green by Building Green These thick, airtight walls act like a warm hug for your home. Cozying you up while fending off sky-high utility bills. In fact, studies show ICF homeowners can slash energy costs by over 50%! But that’s just the start. These sustainable stunners will keep your wallet and Mother Nature happy for decades. Boasting fireproof forms, steel-reinforced durability, and low (like, hardly any) maintenance needs. Fortresses for the Modern Age Worried about wild weather? Scoff at severe storms when you live in an ICF stronghold! With their beastly steel-reinforced concrete cores, these homes shrug off raging winds and angry skies. They’ll keep your family safe and serene, no matter what’s happening outside. And that solid construction isn’t just brawn, it’s function too. With superior noise insulation, ICF houses hush the chaos of the outside world. More Than Meets the Eye (And Budget!) Okay, we know what you’re thinking: “This all sounds amazing, but what about the price!” True, ICF houses can have higher upfront costs. But stick with us for a second! Over the lifetime of your home, those energy savings, low maintenance, and storm-defying strength, house resell value, more than make up for it. We’re talking decades of cost-effective comfort! Plus, with free ICF house plans and concrete house plans available online for every dream home—from snug cottages to sprawling estates—you can easily find an affordable fit. ICF House Plans Advantages Insulation When you consider that a standard wood framed wall is R-13 using conventional fiberglass insulation between wood 2×4’s the difference is remarkable in energy consumption over the lifetime of your habitation. Another factor to understand is that fiberglass insulation ratings are primarily based on heat transfer from the inside of the house to the outside, but not so much from the outside in. Solid foam insulation is superior in this respect because it is unbiased in that it is as effective in resisting heat induction from the outside and this can be very important especially in hotter climates in reducing cooling loads.  Solid foam insulation is also at least twice as effective in sound isolation than fiberglass insulation. Sound Isolation Another advantage of solid insulation as in the use of ICF construction is its high sound isolation over conventional construction and insulation.  Such solid construction makes for a quiet home, whether from the sound pollution from outside or the hum of mechanical systems. Rebar Another common aspect of ICF systems is that they all use an integrated way of placing rebar reinforcement in proper spacing both vertically and horizontally. This is critical to this form of construction. Block Patterns What distinguishes these different companies’ forms is primarily in how the blocks fit together, such as in a tongue and groove pattern or a waffle pattern. Wall Attachments The other factor is the method they provide for attachments to the forms such as sheetrock, furring strips or paneling. Wall Strength Concrete volume affects form strength and thermal properties. More concrete often yields sturdier