EPQ, sustainable architecture

Striving for a sustainable aesthetic, self-build solutions for a 21st century lifestyle. As design has evolved through time, there have been fewer and fewer boundaries preventing architects from achieving ever more extravagant results. In the past when new building materials were discovered, there was limited if any concern over the environmental implications of producing said materials. So it is perhaps not surprising to discover that architecture is accepted to be the cause of 45% of the United Kingdom's carbon dioxide emissions. However, emphasis on new forms of architecture such as 'sustainable architecture' can be at least a significant part of the solution to this issue and so should help drastically reduce this statistic. There is therefore, a cycle evolving with architecture being at first the cause, and then the resultant solution to the same problem. Increasing concern driven by the world's environmental situation has led to this new architectural field emerging commonly known as ‘sustainable architecture’. As this is a fairly new topic there is no universally accepted definition for what is meant by sustainable. Speaking to numerous practising architects it is clear that sustainability has become essential in the specification for new buildings and whilst taking part in work experience at a large London architectural practice it was emphasised to me that specifications for new buildings (especially public ones) must incorporate a certain amount of energy produced by renewable energy sources. This leads to implementations such as solar panels, wind turbines and many others becoming an integral part of new building design. However, whilst many people have included these new technologies over the years when building their own homes, and so have taken the first important step to a sustainable future, the viability of such methods remains questionable for 21st century living. One of the most exciting eco houses to have been shown on Channel 4's Grand Designs programme was a passive house in Kent called 'Crossway', notable visually for its dominant unsupported clay tiled parabolic arch. The arch alone was the subject of mass admiration as a display of skilled engineering not attempted since its popular use in Spain in the 14th Century. However, the really noteworthy qualities of this house lie in the many modern avant-guard technologies utilised. The parabolic arch is highly insulated by foam and provides a natural area for local flora, with wild grasses and flowers growing on the 20 tonne layer of gravel and additional 40 tonnes of soil laid on top. The arch is constructed by the gluing together of 26,000 individual clay tiles in three layers each offset at different 45 degree angles. These tiles were dug and formed locally, a mere 4 miles from the site. The tiles are not only dramatic aesthetically, but also naturally regulate humidity and temperature offering a healthy and airy internal space, which is essential to not feeling claustrophobic in an enclosed passive house. It is fitting that the arch, the iconic symbol for the house is well insulated, as lying beneath, is an air-tight modern home, proving that modern design need not be compromised in boasting highly environmentally friendly attributes. Beneath the arch the house is built upon a foundation of eco-friendly concrete. On top of this are effectively two buildings in the form of timber frame boxes, which are joined together under the great wings of the arch. These boxes are heavily insulated by a vast amount of recycled newspaper pumped into the wall cavities, and are clad in English cedar. The main living areas are south facing so as to soak up as much of the sunlight as possible which is retained by the triple glazed, glass panelled windows. This high-end insulation isn't cheap with for example, the windows for the build costing in all around £46,000. The insulation is however, essential in making the concept behind a passive house a genuine reality. Other areas such as the bedrooms are on the north side so coolness is retained in these spaces for comfort. The south facing areas soak up the sunlight and heat the vast concrete slab at the base of the house. To further make sure this house is air-tight and retains heat, the whole structure is enveloped in a metalized tough membrane. Richard Hawkes who designed the house for himself and his family has achieved possibly more than he originally set out to with his eco experiment, as he has created the first retrospectively certified passive house in the United Kingdom attracting a vast amount of attention. ‘Crossway’ has been shortlisted for a prestigious RIBA award, the RIBA Download prize, the Kent Design Awards and has been a finalist for the Grand Designs Awards in 2009. As well as the various means of insulation there are great steps forwards in sustainable technologies displayed in this build. The use of heat recovery ventilation helps there to be less of a need for high energy consumption, the main issue of standard housing. This ventilation system also means that the house is not dangerous by being too air-tight from the metalized tough membrane. I went to the Eco Build trade fair (Excel, London), this summer to gain an understanding of sustainable technologies and materials, and discovered information relating to passive houses and heat recovery systems. The system works by extracting out the stale air from rooms in the home, predominantly areas such as bathrooms, kitchen, utility rooms etc, and sending it to a heat recovery unit. Heat is then recovered by the air passing over a heat exchanger before it is transferred outside. A G6 pollen filter draws in fresh air from outside simultaneously, and the heat recovery unit then warms this air via the heat recovered from the stale air This new clean, fresh air is then passed on into the main living areas of the house such as the bedrooms, living room etc by supply vents. There is also a range of recycled materials used throughout the build, which include newspapers (for insulation) and crushed bottles (for use as lime mortar and in the polished ground floor). There is also the use of a waste treatment and rainwater harvesting equipment, as well as a vegetable growing and animal raising area to add to the self sufficient lifestyle. The main aspect of this modern styled eco-home is the use of newly operating energy systems (including the massive solar panel), which are needed to make this technical experiment work for a comfortable family life. To monitor and manage the running of this self sufficient way of life, a monitoring system is used which displays the efficiency of the building and the current level of energy it is producing. This is then sent to Cambridge University, who are conducting research into these data trends. The house is an undeniable success as the production in excess energy of 3600kwh a year can be sold back to the grid resulting in a cheque from the government each year of £1800. With grants of people making their own energy as well the house could be supplying its occupants with an income of £2000 a year. With these occupants being a family consisting of a husband, wife and children the house has also succeeded in not impeding on the functionality of family life, proving that sustainable living can be applied to 21st century living. Although the evidence discussed above clearly outlines the many positive outcomes in using technologies such as these, this evidence is mainly supplied by the architect himself and could therefore be partly influenced by an obvious conflict of interest. After spending over a year living in a caravan on site waiting to move in and spending close to £500,000 on this experimental build he is clearly going to promote these technologies as a possible step for the future. Whilst I don't doubt its validity, as the presence of Cambridge University’s interest shows how innovative this build is, I do question whether this is applicable for popular 21st century living. The focus for the future shouldn't be on the technologies and insulating systems displayed here, as these simply won't be applicable to normal urban surroundings. The concept of air tight living might not appeal to the vast majority and it doesn't offer any solution to improving current styles of housing which is common in urban areas worldwide where heat and energy are drastically lost. So whilst this is applicable for new builds, I feel 21st century sustainable architecture needs to adopt developing technologies to suit existing urban and rural structures. Also the term sustainable here is based around energy usage and not about limiting the impact embedded in the build itself. For example, the 26,000 clay tiles will have had a vast environmental impact, as the production of such a material requires energy to extract the clay and to bake it into form. Therefore, this refers to the obscure nature of defining sustainability, and whether this interpretation is relevant to the question proposed of self- build solutions for 21st century lifestyle. Perhaps the opposite in term of design and approach to 'Crossway', but similar in regards to moral aim is a self-build house in Northern France. Whilst also deciding to build a house with the aim of creating a more sustainable approach to family life, there is not the same sleek modern design and stress on technological experimentation as in the Kent example. However, there is a greater modest intent for this build with satisfaction gained not only from the end sustainable result, but also by physically building the house with their own hands. Whilst 'Crossway' also used a much older method in regards to the clay tiled arch, this build too utilizes an uncommon approach with its walls made of old tyres. The method consisted of filling in an individual tyre with soil, making sure it is compressed, and then placing one on top of the other; an efficient method for retaining heat but one which requires a great deal of physical effort. So it is clear that these two examples share a principal value that insulation is key in making a sustainable home work. Darren, the architect/builder had a major role in the development of the first structure in Britain to have a tyre wall - a community centre in Brighton, and does not share the common view that these so-called 'earth ships' have to be aesthetically ugly. It then comes down to what the client of the build wants from a house, and how valuable the aesthetics of a house are compared to its basic function and potential moral statement. However, Richard Hawks managed to make his statement over the importance for a sustainable future, whilst also designing a sleek and interesting piece of modern architecture. This allowed a breakthrough from the clichéd image of sustainable living being only about living off the land and helped promote a new era in architecture, which includes modern buildings being driven by environmental factors. However, in my opinion the end result of this particular build achieved an aesthetically pleasing building, which functioned just as the specification intended. Using past experience of previous buildings in which he had worked upon, Darren was able to design and crucially build his house and try out the tyre wall technique on a rotunda, which was built the previous summer. This circular room was also made from tyres and when the rest of the building was finished, became one of the main living spaces. During the build, this room was ventilated via a skylight at the tip of the conical roof and by use of the large south facing glass doors. The second part of the build entailed the construction of a single storey section to go alongside the rotunda, which with the flat roof and tyre walls created the living room and open plan kitchen, bathroom and three bedrooms. As this was a much larger scale than the rotunda, it was key to acquire more assistants in order to finish the construction of this tyre wall in a reasonable amount of time. Volunteers were recruited who then lived on site and in return for free stay, food and learning new skills, made up the extra necessary labour to complete the tyre wall. This new section of the house looked out across the land via south facing glass and also at the back had two concealed rainwater collection tanks beneath a mound of earth which offered another layer of external insulation regulating the appropriate heat needed for summer and winter. The roof was sloped in order for the rainwater to collect into these huge tanks. The south facing front of the building had solar panels and along with the water tanks and a method of water recycling, the self sufficiency target for Darren's family was realised. There was a desire throughout the project a desire as there was in the Kent example to use local or reclaimed materials, and this was done with the wood needed for the structure, acquiring the tyres for the build from a local tyre yard in France and with other materials as well. The modest design of this building allowed for a variety of personal touches such as the glass bottle walls, which became a feature in various rooms and resonated the fact that this was a self build. This building did truly have a very limited affect on the environment and with self sufficiency gained, continues to do so. This build reflected a different take on sustainable architecture, as there was a stress on limiting the impact on the environment from the first activity on site. I appreciate the importance of this theory, as unlike the Kent example where the energy, which is being created, is in some way produced to account for the impact of constructing their house, there is no such obligation on this site. After the building in France was finished they truly could live by their own means knowing that their structure has had as little impact on nature as possible. The idea of using a material such as the common tyre for practical use has great potential as around 55 million waste tyres a year are recorded in the UK. Past disposal of tyres used to take the form of burning them, which caused the issue of this type of fire being very difficult to extinguish (could last several months). Then also the petroleum based rubber, released hydrocarbon fumes as they burned, polluting the atmosphere. Water used in an attempt to extinguish this fire could pick up an oily residue that in turn contaminates the fertility of the soil. Whilst innovative examples of recycling tyres have been carried out recently such as using them for artificial ‘coral’ reefs, this build offers the potential for this previously non-useful object to be used for a wide scale purpose in the building industry. Similar to my concerns raised when looking at the 'Crossway' build in that the appeal of living in an air tight passive house would not appeal to all, the use of the tyre as a building material for homes could share the same unpopularity. This is due to people wanting to retain their traditional vernacular aesthetic at home, although this would not prohibit the use of the tyre on builds such as community centres, schools and so on. This is what Darren achieved when using this material in the UK for the first time for his Brighton community centre and this example could benefit the rest of the UK. The other important aspect of this project was the self-build approach alongside volunteers. This helps create a greater network of people for projects such as these and provides a new range of skills and experiences, which is important for this approach to continue. So in these two examples there can be seen a contrast in statements with the modern design and technological advancement of the Kent project still a major showcase, not hindered but enhanced by the environmental foundation set. Compared with the stricken back design of the France build which turned a non-environmentally friendly subject 'the tyre' into the main building material of a sustainable house. Both have shown how modern advancements and past back to basics living can both work in unison to create a solution for sustainable living in the 21st century. Sustainable architecture is not just about utilising exciting new technologies, as was key in Hawkes' Kent revelation, but also about the development of new materials to replace existing environmentally costly ones. There is also a need to reduce the environmental impact of existing materials such as concrete, which is used throughout the building industry and is harmful both in its production, and utilisation as is seen through adverse affects such as surface run-off in urban areas, which lead to flooding. Therefore by promoting 'recycled concrete' into the building industry there will be a decrease in the environmental impact of this material as for one, less landfill space will be consumed, as well as a decline in the necessity to produce concrete reducing the amount of energy needed for its production. With the way in which recycled concrete is produced (breaking down existing concrete and removing extremities), you will also gain additional material, which can be re-used for other purposes. This is because as the concrete is broken down any extremity material such as iron can also be broken down and reused. When making concrete it is also apparent that 30% of the natural crushed coarse aggregate used can be replaced by recycled coarse aggregate. When altering the properties of materials such as these it is important however to ensure the balance is right, as an increase in the proportion of too much recycled aggregate could result in there being negative implications on the material's properties. Drying shrinkage along with creep can increase, as well as there being a decrease in tensile strength and modulus of elasticity. Although there would be no noticeable change in compressive strength and resistance to freeze thaw. So it is clear that efforts are being made in keeping with a worldwide recognition to re use, reduce and recycle, for existing building materials to be adaptable and applied innovatively. As well as this trend there is also a great deal of attention being focused in utilising a range of new materials, as was seen with the tyre in the Northern France project. However, this is where the issue of what makes a house, or way of life worthy of being thought of as 'sustainable living' comes into question. For instance there is a house in Islington, North London, which boasts an array of unique and unusual materials setting an example for how these materials can be effective for urban use. However, whilst these materials are indeed sustainable the parties involved were not attempting to create a finalised sustainable way of life in terms of producing renewable energy sources such as in 'Crossway', but merely to promote and experiment with these new building techniques. In terms of the finished product of the physical house fitting into its surroundings, yes it is sustainable, but this is a different form of sustainability than the merits of 'Crossway'. One example of a material used in this case, which has now become increasingly popular is the straw bale. This material has a number of advantages such as being recyclable and cheap, but the most practical being its quick assembling time in creating a wall, as they have to merely be stacked upon one another between load bearing timbers, making sure the straw is compressed. They offer a great form of insulation for a building and whilst the most common concern is simply whether this material promotes an obvious fire hazard, this is solved by placing lime plaster on the outside, which is very fire resistant. As the Islington house is located next to a railway line, there needs to be some way of blocking out the harsh sound in order to fulfil a relaxed, family atmosphere. This is where a clever use of sandbags filled with sand, lime and cement have been placed next to the office in order to fully soundproof the room from the disrupting sounds of the railway. However, what is really unique is not the use of this unusual material but how once the sandbag has decayed the mixture within the bag would have made concrete keeping the original sandbag shape. Other unique materials found on the Islington build were springs which took the vibrations of the railway line, and the first domestic use of Gabions filled with recycled concrete which when stacked formed a wall. There is also the addition of a green roof, which in this case intended to grow strawberries. A green roof has a host of benefits for a building and the surrounding environment by either breaking up the sight of a dense urban environment, or if a building is in an open area such as 'Crossway', helping a building to become grounded in its new rural setting. In an urban environment this last point is less of a concern, however there are other practical benefits such as a green roof making the temperature regulation of buildings much easier through roofs having varied heat loss in summer and winter, and also a green roof making a local community have a 'green' respectable image. It is also said that green roofs offer more in terms of soundproofing so it is clear how beneficial this is in an urban context. So there is a difference where sustainability in 21st century living can refer to either using what is around you in new and innovative ways such as was shown in the Islington project and in Northern France, or to make a push to use new technologies, which will produce an energy output surplus. This is similar to whether it is best to either invest in a new energy efficient car which whilst the fuel consumption might be considerably improved there would have had to of been a sizeable energy consumption in actually manufacturing the product. Whilst others would say that it is best to buy a cheap second hand car which therefore means you are not causing a need for new manufacturing to take place and also using what is currently available - not creating a need for a use of energy to break down this old model. However, it is reasonable to say that both avenues are valid to pursue in the current climate where we reuse as much as we can, whilst also making as much technological improvement as possible for the future. There is another type of sustainable living taking place, which is interesting in a different sense to the other examples discussed. This is where people are using the natural environment around them to create a house/way of life and bringing in as few extra materials as possible. A case study for this is Ben Law's wooden house. Located in the woodland where he works in Surrey, Ben Law created a house made from the rediscovered past traditions of round wood timber and used coppice wood which was in abundance in the forest around him. The durability of this material allowed Ben Law to use his exceptional carpentry skills to create a house, which stands out in a world where design is at the forefront. This was I believe achieved through a close connection between himself and the material he used where his respect allowed him to bring out the best qualities of this timber. He collected the majority of materials he required from the forest where he has worked all of his life. However he only used wood which had fallen or in a way, which the forest had naturally provided him with. Out of this building approach he formed a unique building which expressed the story of his life’s commitment to respecting and caring for the forest around him. There is another example where homes are being built underground offering a contrast to the original function of shelter being to escape and protect oneself from the elements, and instead to create a new way of living alongside nature to help preserve the environment. These homes are naturally heated by the insulation of the earth and provide the feeling that the inhabitants are truly protected by the environment. However, of course there are vast environmental implications of creating such a house in contrast to Ben Laws example. For instance machinery is needed to dig out the large space required in the earth. These buildings are also modern and require a large amount of glass at the front as well as numerous skylights, to allow natural light to penetrate the darkness associated with underground living. So whilst it is true that in terms of insulation these homes are sustainable with the weight of the enveloping earth reducing heat loss, the energy required to create the home itself causes a major environmental impact. However, in the long term as with many of the examples discussed there will be an overall benefit to the environment. These homes can also be created on sloping terrain, which is hugely beneficial. Increasing urbanisation is a real concern as there is clearly an environmental impact of constructing the buildings, but also the need to make the land relatively flat and suitable for construction. Therefore with buildings that can be constructed on sloping terrain such as these underground homes, there is an improved use of space and not a requirement to alter terrain in the future which requires a great deal of energy consumption via use of machinery. Perhaps mixing the merits of these two examples are the ‘hobbit’ style houses, which have grown in appeal in recent times. Whilst being a display of carpentry particularly regarding the interior, the fact that this type of house is partly covered by earth enables a form of natural insulation to occur similar to that expressed in the underground houses. However, this type of house does not require a great cost to create, unlike many of the modern underground houses, offering a way for cheap affordable housing to be developed. There is also the benefit with this build over the short time required for construction. Simon Dlae constructed his hobbit style house for himself and his family in a period of just four months. The real opportunity for these homes is the chance to offer low cost living to many families who struggle with the high rents of today’s property market. The cosy nature of these homes is the result of their layout entailing a main living room and open-plan kitchen with a split-level bedroom area. Wooden finishings add to the atmosphere. The simple layout meant that Simon Dale who had no real relevant skills associated with carpentry or building design could quickly make a comfortable family home. This house really does have a low impact on the environment and with solar panels providing the power and a wood burner offering the sole source of heat; this family has a truly sustainable way of living. These hobbit style homes seem to offer the best choice as a model for use on a wider scale due to the low cost and low level of relevant skill needed. Ban Law's creation was only possible due to his vast experience in carpentry and knowledge associated with the past traditions of round wood timber. The underground houses can still be an expensive project to undertake and therefore will not appeal to a vast number of people and make them adopt this new way of living for such a sum. Therefore the hobbit houses are the clearer choice to draw a blueprint from and apply on a wider scale. In fact after Dale created his own home, the appeal caught on and he is now working on a similar home in Pembrokeshire. This is part of the Lammas project, which has seen the rise of the first government authorised 'low impact' ecovillage in Wales. In terms of future sustainability options I feel there is no doubting the merits of 'Crossway' as the importance of producing excess energy to what is used is potentially crucial for the future and further technological development. However this does not answer the question in regards of 21st century living, as the passive house approach is not applicable to current housing layouts. The self build aspect to the question can justly refer to individuals such as Ben Law but again his exceptional skills will not apply on a wider scale. Therefore I feel that the hobbit house and the Northern France approach is pivotal in the current housing and economical environment as they offer a cheaper alternative which allows any individual who possesses the same determination to achieve a similar outcome. The hobbit house is a great answer for those struggling with the high rent tendencies featuring in urban life, and the Northern France house demonstrates how an unorthodox material for building such as the tyre can be applied to communal buildings, on a large scale. It is necessary then for these approaches to be the focus for a sustainable 21st century lifestyle whilst there is also the continued bravery of individuals in experimenting with sustainable technologies and building materials as was shown in 'Crossway' and the Islington house. This is because these examples enable people to extract technologies such as solar panels and the importance of insulation, as well as building materials like the hay bale and apply them on a more broader scale, fitting current urban and rural requirements alike. Bibliography Specific Sources in sequence they appear in essay Initial 45% Statistic http://www.microgeneration.com/Audience-groups/Architects-and-Consultants ‘Crossway’, Kent, Parabolic Arch House http://www.hawkesarchitecture.co.uk/grand-design http://www.sphc.co.uk/crossway http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/ethicallivingblog/2009/feb/18/crossway-eco-home-grand-designs-kent http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1148302/Theres-place-like-dome-An-eco-dream-house--straight-medieval-drawing-board.html http://www.envirovent-newbuild.com/heat-recovery.php Information gathered at Eco-build conference for passive houses Self-build House, Northern France, Tyre Wall http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/homeandleisure/waste/138215.aspx Materials Section, Sustainable Concrete http://www.cement.org/tech/cct_aggregates_recycled.asp Islington, North London House http://www.archinnovations.com/featured-projects/houses/sarah-wigglesworth-architects-stock-orchard-street/ http://www.whowithwhat.com/company/BuildingDetail.php?name=Stock%20Orchard%20Street Ben Law The Woodland House, Ben Law, Permanent Publications, June 2005 Roundwood Timber Framing, Building Naturally Using Local Resources, Ben Law, Permanent Publications, August 2010 Underground Houses http://aspire2enquire.typepad.com/aspire_to_enquire/2009/12/swiss-cottage.html http://www.search.nl http://www.christian-muller.com ‘Hobbit’ Houses http://uk.finance.yahoo.com/news/Man-builds-stunning-hobbit-yahoofinanceuk-1514084024.html http://uk.finance.yahoo.com/news/Man-builds-stunning-hobbit-yahoofinanceuk-1514084024.html http://www.simondale.net/house/ Grand Design Episodes, Channel 4 Passive House, Kent - Series 7, Episode 1 Northern France, Tyre Wall House - Series 7, Episode 8 Islington House - Series 1, Episode 7 Ben Law House - Series 3, Episode 3 Eco-build conference 2012, ExCeL Exhibition and Conference Centre, London Background reading: The Eco-Design Handbook, Thames & Hudson / Alastair Fuad-Luke, New Edition 2004 Radical Nature, Art and Architecture for a Changing Planet 1969-2009, Barbican Art Gallery, Koenig Books, June 2009