SUSTAINABLE TECHNOLOGIES FOR OVERVIEW OF PROTOTYPE GREEN-BUILT HOUSE DESIGN

INTRODUCTION

Guy Architects, Ltd. reviewed the ways in which green technologies could be incorporated into the general housing market. The following is a review of sustainable technologies we considered for incorporation into a prototype housing design. The litmus test for the selections of systems included the following:

• Are the systems easy to maintain?

• Are the materials durable and the layouts flexible?

• Does the design have curb appeal to attract a broad range of homeowners?

• Does the design encourage a more widespread use of Green Design principals in the construction sector?

• Does the design use familiar off-the-shelf technology?

The prototype was designed for southern Canada where farms and industry are available to provide the materials needed for the unit’s mass production. The design incorporates long-lasting materials to extend the building life to an estimated 80 years. By doing this, the house could provide multi-generation abodes for families, while amortising the initial cost of the unit over a longer period of time. The flexible plan has dynamic spaces, which can accommodate a variety of lot orientations. We anticipate that the unit’s construction cost would be between $200K and $300K, depending on the configuration.