A smart energy efficient home isn’t complicated or expensive
The basic message is that modern materials free us from some of the traditional design constraints of sustainable architecture. Nowadays you can have an energy efficient home and have the layout, appearance that we want: a smart energy efficient homes isn’t complicated or expensive.
Continue readingWhy Build Green In Spain
1. Build Green in Spain To Save Money
2. Build Green in Spain To Make Money
3. Build Green in Spain To Be More Comfortable
Build Green for Regulatory Reasons
I was going to tell you about the regulations but after more than 20 years living and amongst my Spanish cousins I have become anarchic like them….. to hell with the regulations!
Building with a modern timber frame in Spain
Timber frame design and technology has come a long way in the last 40 years and Spain is slowly waking up to the benefits. These days, a modern timber frame building can actually outperform a reinforced steel concrete frame (which is almost the only Spanish house construction method) in most circumstances. While not totally unknownContinue reading
Container homes Spain: Can you build with recycled shipping containers in Spain?
Shipping container homes come in all shapes and sizes, from luxury villas made up of several containers, to single units for those looking for a way to get off-grid. But is it really a good idea to build container homes in Spain? While it’s entirely possible and there are a few good examples, there areContinue reading
It’s hot hot hot! Cool your building with no electricity, no moving parts and no noise
Conventional air conditioning burns a hole in your wallet and if the electricity is generated from fossil fuels it contributes to climate change. So cool your building with no electricity, no moving parts and no noise. Solar Cooling Spain Solar Cooling with Salts It’s a brilliantly conceived system. It just uses the energy from theContinue reading
Living off-grid in Spain: Is total freedom from mains services possible?
Living off-grid in Spain is often cited as a path to both escaping the rat race and saving money on hefty monthly bills to heat and cool your home. Eco Vida Homes clients are increasingly asking if we can design a home with all mod-cons that is not just off-grid, but totally independent from mainsContinue reading
Mechanical Ventilation and Heat Recovery (MVHR) In Spain
An intelligent building isn’t one with a computer: it’s a building so designed that the computer has little to do. Passive Ventilation All good design should allow air to pass through a building. This is especially true in Spain where for most of the year you will want the windows open and to be livingContinue reading
Market Research Suggests it Makes Financial Sense to Build an Eco Home
This is very interesting for someone who is thinking of building a home. It doesn’t actually cost anymore to build an energy efficient home than to build a conventional home of the same quality. Building green makes financial sense. Some market research carried out by our own Louise Johnsen in Spain suggests people will payContinue reading
