25/09/2024
on how to build a good, REACTIVE, house.
Orientation, materials, and design are fundamental. Taking the inhabitants as the primary focus and making a comfy, efficient home is primordial. No need for heat or AC. Naturally warm in the winter and naturally cool in the summer. The house should be two rooms deep.
The primary facade should have the same percentage of glass or windows as the latitude where the home is located. The awning should cover the entire south-facing (northern hemisphere) at peak summer and allow sun to come in during the colder months.
The floors should ideally be earthen floors with no v***r barrier.
The perimeter foundation should go into the ground at least 45cm (18”) and have a 5cm (2”) foam insulation on the inside of the foundation to create a heat sink in the earthen floor to heat the home in the cooler months. He says the floor should have a final coating of ox or cow blood to seal it, although lint seed oil can also be used.
Straw bale can be used for the perimeter walls, which has one of the highest insulation values of any material and it breathes. The straw bales are then covering with mud and clay.
A metal roof which catches rainfall will provide all the water needs for the occupants.
The home should be long on the east-west axis, so the home will have long south and north facades. On the southern part (northern hemisphere) are the social parts of the home: kitchen, living/dining rooms, study/library, den, playroom. On the northern part (northern hemisphere) are the bedrooms and bathrooms. There should be a step up from the south facing side to the north facing part, which makes a natural cooling effect in the warm months to the south part and a warm effect to the north part in the cooler months.
No windows on the western facade, better not to have windows on the east side. Small windows on the north side, and large windows on the south side. Again, the percentage of glass on the sun-facing facade should be the same percentage as the latitude the home sits on. 40% for a home with a 40° latitude. This will provide all the heating needed for the home. Bedrooms are good to be cold and dark in order to sleep well. A trellis on the northern side will provide cooling and the water storage should be on the northern part, which is collected from the roof.
The roof must be insulated. Good natural insulation is wool, composted zostera, wood wool, wood chips, jute, Corchorus olitorius.
Clean, non-toxic, comfy, cozy, bright… luxury
This home is valid for latitudes 30°-70°
I’ll go into water more deeply in a later post.
What do you think of this home? Anything you think is missing?
