How to Design a Home Naturally

Designing a natural home generally requires the use of natural instead of manmade materials, sustainable energy sources and the use of techniques using features on the building site to help make the home both livable and efficient. This requires giving more thought to the design of the home, as well as its position on the site. Using existing light efficiently, positioning the home to take advantage of sunlight for most of the day and using trees and other landscaping to provide shade to help cool the home are all features of designing your home naturally.

Home site
Solar path calculator

Instructions

- 1
  Determine the best solar path that will catch the greatest amount of sunlight for solar panels. This will give the greatest amount of usable power from available sunlight. There are a number of solar energy calculators on the market to help you determine how to provide for your solar energy needs.
- 2
  Integrate the solar panels directly into the roof design for a better appearance and the best performance. Solar systems can stand alone or be connected to the community electrical grid. A solar energy professional can calculate which is the best system for your needs and will help you determine how much weight the roof design will need to hold.
- 3
  Use natural, sustainable materials like adobe, cob, rammed earth, straw bale, cordwood, concrete or stone as your building materials.
- 4
  Use additional insulation for walls and floors to hold heat in cold climates and keep the home cool in warm climates. Insulation in the range of R-20 to R-30 in walls and R-50 to R-70 in ceilings is most efficient. Air and vapor barriers will limit water vapor migration that causes cold and heat to escape. Insulate the foundation to the same extent as the walls.
- 5
  Design windows to catch the most natural sunlight in rooms. For instance, plan more windows on the south side of the home and windows high on walls to provide the most light. Awning and basement type windows provide a tighter fit than sliding windows.
- 6
  Leave large trees in place during construction to provide shade in summer to reduce energy costs and as windbreaks against cold winds in winter.
- 7
  Build cisterns to catch rainwater falling from the roof to reuse on landscape plants and lawns.
- 8
  Plant native species of landscape plants to minimize water use and maintenance.

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