Minimizing Our Impact on the Earth's Resources

Jonathan Vincent’s observations about “Green Building” are “right on”. Another aspect of doing our part to minimize our impact on the earth’s resources is to maximize the efficiency of the use of the volume within the structure. More and more folks are backing away from wasteful spaces such as fancy foyers that never get used (everyone comes in the “back door”) and those huge vaulted spaces. (Many folks have said “I’d rather use that space for something more than to just look at.”) We are seeing designs that combine the formal entrance with the so called “service entrance” between the home and the garage, a much more efficient use of space.

We also recognize that one and a half or two level construction is much more cost effective than a sprawling single level building. Why spend money on both a foundation and roof for a single level of living space when stacking the living space could save so much in terms of materials, labor, thus dollars? For folks who are planning for their later years and the potential challenge of negotiating stairs, residential elevators provide a cost effective solution. They design their homes with space allowed for the later addition of an elevator; it serves as stacked closets now and an elevator shaft later. The dollars that they save by going two levels more than covers the cost of the elevator which can be added only if is needed.

Minimizing hall space and dead end spaces has long been recognized as smart planning. We see folks giving serious thought to multi-function spaces such as combining the home office with the guest room. We also see folks taking advantage of that now well insulated, clean, dry basement. Finishing off that basement is much more cost effective than adding another wing to the footprint of the building, particularly if the building site is sloped and can allow for a walk-out basement.

Wrap around porches look great and invoke images of “the good old days” but they are relatively expensive and frankly seldom used, particularly during black fly season. We see many more designs that feature a screen room…that doesn’t block the view out of the entertainment areas of the plan…and can serve as a semi outdoor entertainment area free of the interruption of those pesky flying insects. Some even incorporate glazing to extend the seasonal usefulness of that outdoor space. They also provide for operable ventilation near the peak of the roof so the BBQ grill can be brought into the room and fired up during inclement weather.

All too often we get trapped into old ways of thinking when it comes to designing our dream houses. It really makes sense to consider the impact of our choices, listen to others, and be willing to adjust our choices to better accommodate the realities of today’s energy, building cost, and life style environment as well as do our part for “Mother Earth”.