Eco
Architects Ireland
mission is it to work within a set ecological & environmental design
strategy to assist reducing carbon emissions.
Many people are becoming increasingly aware
of the environmental problems facing our planet and hence our everyday lives.
These global problems are daunting and it is common to feel that individual
efforts to conserve resources and reduce the carbon footprint of our human
activities has little or no effect.
Our projects aim to demonstrate that living
and working in harmony with the micro-cosm of a individual site can develop an
understanding about minimising our day-to-day impact on it and on the macro-cosm
of our world as a whole.
The
Current Climate & Eco Design Standards
National
governments are striving to find solutions to achieve reductions in CO2
emissions and energy consumption. The Irish Government & the EU has set
itself challenging targets over the next decade including promoting the idea
that all new housing should be carbon neutral by 2016.
The aim of our
projects is to tackle these issues and to develop an understanding at the same
time, by re-thinking what can be achieved at a local level through integration,
education and co-operation.
Our
Mission
Eco
Architects Ireland projects aim to integrate health, education and working
with the natural environment. Our buildings will generally generate their own
clean energy from on site renewable resources, harvest their own water and
recycle waste materials causing no pollution or CO2 emissions.
Our buildings
will be designed to passive solar guidelines following the Association for
Environment Conscious Buildings, AECB, Silver, Gold or Platinum standards
comparable with the acclaimed zero heat German Passiv Haus projects.
General Eco Aims for the Site Beyond the
Building
Minimise disruption to site flora and fauna
both during construction and subsequent use.
Increase in bio diversity. New trees and
plants will be planted and more planned for the future.
The landscape will be managed to promote a
wide range of native species of flora and fauna as part of the on going
management plan for the site.
An increase in biomass (timber, straw, etc)
to counter the effects of construction and energy use, so that over a period of
time the net CO2 emissions will be negative.
Our
Approach
From the outset our key projects aim to
inspire and inform future projects and for each new building to be an
opportunity to create a demonstration model of innovative partnership, between
integrated health, environmental education and ecologically sustainable
architecture.
Hence an environmental strategy has been
developed to promote a non-polluting, resource conserving development, which is
respectful to the immediate and wider environment and people as possible. This
has been considered in the broadest holistic sense, developing a `green'
strategy, which gives real value and respect to those issues, not as `optional
extras' or as `add ons', but as generators of genuinely sustainable and holistic
projects.
Conservation of Energy
To reduce to a minimum the consumption of
fossil fuels required to service the building. (i.e. zero )
Reduction of CO2 emissions, to a minimum
within the given site restraints and client briefing parameters.
To reduce embodied energy used in the
construction process to less than 60% of the `norm' for an equivalent
project.
Super insulated building fabric with
efficient insulation in roofs, walls and floors. (U-value< 0.12 Watts/m2
°C)
Integrated heat retaining thermal mass to
walls and floors to a minimum 75% of visible surface area.
Passive solar design, through orientation,
window layout and integration of solar pre heat buffer spaces.
Super efficient glazing; double or triple
glazed units (U-value< 1.1 Watts/m2 °C).
eco
design
Airtight construction tested to achieve 1.5
to 5 air changes per hour at 50 Pascal’s.
Provision for careful detailing to minimise
cold bridging and incidental air infiltration.
Use of heat exchangers and heat recovery
ventilation systems to recover 60-70% of extracted heat from
ventilation.
Use of low
energy appliances - fridges, cookers, compact fluorescent light
bulbs
Working With The Environment
Maximise use of natural renewable energy
sources available on site including:
Use of passive solar energy, south facing sun
buffer spaces to provide passive solar gain.
Integrated design of thermal mass collector
systems to store and radiate latent solar energy.
Maximise natural day lighting internally,
minimising use of artificial light.
Wind power using a micro generation wind
turbines. From 2.5kW to 15kW’s
Hydro Power
using cross flow, Arcademies Screw or Pelton wheel turbines
Use the sun's energy to power tube solar
collectors to pre-heat hot water.
Use of solar photovoltaics to produce
electricity.
Ground source
heat pumps to extract latent heat from below the ground for low temperature
under floor heating systems.
Use of local bio-fuels; pellet, chip or
hopper fed log boilers to provide back up for space heating &
cooking.
Use of photosynthesis to break down grey
water in natural biological sewage systems.
Minimising Use of New Resources
Where possible recycle and reuse existing
buildings or products rather than extracting new raw virgin materials and
manufacturing new products from virgin materials.
Reduce water consumption to 70% of the norm
and actively collect and recycle water. Collection of rainwater from roofs via a
Rainharvester system. Further reduce Water consumption by the use of water
efficient WCs & composting toilets, aerated low flow spray taps and shower
heads.
Collect and reuse waste for composting and
recycling including dry `compost' toilets, kitchen wastes etc.
Ensure that after the useful life of the new
buildings they will not scar or pollute but will be dismountable, recyclable and
as far as possible, biodegradable.
Working with Respect for your Site and Our
Planet
Avoid the use of materials from non
sustainable sources or which harm the environment or people in their production,
extraction, use or disposal. Prioritise use of fair trade FSC certified
timber products.
Create buildings of quality and beauty, which
embody a positive connection with the site, using local resources, people and
products.
Aim for minimum impact on the site and
maximise varieties of flora and fauna habitats through development of
microclimates and bio diverse landscaping. Incorporate principle of Permaculture
gardening as appropriate.
Use of natural and 'local' building materials
to maximise connection with the site and reduce transportation, whilst
maintaining the sites established eco systems.
Summary
The above criteria outline a `green
strategy’, which can help us to establish the optimum holistic environmental
agenda. This strategy can be further developed with partners and other parties
through the design process and as the proposals develop ongoing environmental
assessments will be made to ensure the aims are being achieved.
Our projects, when implemented set themselves
apart from other projects by being at the leading edge of the integration of
innovative partnership working arrangements, sustainable design, and
environmental education.
