But that doesn't mean my thoughts haven't been busy. I have ideas for two houses (specifically at the moment, there are about a gillion more tucked away in the folds of my favorite feature (noggin size, get it?)) and one is about as obviously green as it gets. I'll tell you about that one later, cause it's so awesome. The other is more conventional. It's modern, it's modular, it's prefabricatable, it's glassy and steely, and earthy and delicious, and simple and small! All in all it's pretty green, but for one thing - structural materials. I have ideas to make all the verticals the supports for wind turbines (check!) and they can be timber, or bamboo, or something totally salvaged or renewable, or whatever (hopefully grown on site and harvested!) it's all the other stuff. The spanning members, the decking, the insulation, the finishes, the waterproofing, the flashing. Is it really possible to build a fairly normal house without violating the 4 system conditions of The Natural Step? I want it to be, but so far, it's pretty impossible.
Do you know what flashing is made of? Mostly petroleum, or aluminium. Two very energy intensive products that are from the earth's crust. So maybe that means no flashing, and only crazy sweet wood window systems that a self flashing somehow. I don't know yet, but i'd love to have some input. I'll get these designs up here soonish, as soon as I take this next architecture test!
Wish me luck and keep the green growing.
Eli
