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| # Low-impact building | This topic is part of [[gt:buildings|Buildings & construction]]. |
| | ====== Low-impact building ====== |
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| ## What is low-impact building? | ===== What is low-impact building? ===== |
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| Apart from caves and very basic shelters, all human habitation damages nature to some extent. Low-impact building is about keeping this damage to a minimum. This introduction is about new builds (or extensions) - but remember that [retrofitting](/retf/retrofitting) an existing house is more environmentally-friendly than demolishing it to build an eco-home. Building your own home, either yourself or with a contractor, is a big project, and this is necessarily only a brief overview. There are lots more contacts and sources of information on this site that will help you with the details of low-impact building. | Apart from caves and very basic shelters, all human habitation damages nature to some extent. Low-impact building is about keeping this damage to a minimum. This introduction is about new builds (or extensions) - but remember that [retrofitting](/retf/retrofitting) an existing house is more environmentally-friendly than demolishing it to build an eco-home. Building your own home, either yourself or with a contractor, is a big project, and this is necessarily only a brief overview. There are lots more contacts and sources of information on this site that will help you with the details of low-impact building. |
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| <caption> | <caption> |
| Self-build [natural homes](http://lowimpactorg.onyx-sites.io/pembrokeshire-says-this-home-is-harmful-to-the-rural-character-of-the-locality-and-must-be-demolished/) can allow you to indulge your creativity: unique not identikit.dulge your creativity: unique not identikit. | _Self-build [natural homes](http://lowimpactorg.onyx-sites.io/pembrokeshire-says-this-home-is-harmful-to-the-rural-character-of-the-locality-and-must-be-demolished/) can allow you to indulge your creativity: unique not identikit.dulge your creativity: unique not identikit._ |
| </caption> | </caption> |
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| </WRAP> | </WRAP> |
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| ### Materials | ==== Materials ==== |
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| Building materials can be manufactured and delivered, or [natural](http://lowimpactorg.onyx-sites.io/infoarticle/the-natural-house/) and local. Materials that don't require factories to manufacture them, and don't need to be transported large distances will have the lowest environmental impact. In a best-case scenario, materials will be natural and biodegradable, and found on-site or nearby. Natural low-impact building materials include timber, clay, lime, rammed earth, cob, straw, hemp and stone. Learn more about using these materials in their individual [topic sections](http://lowimpactorg.onyx-sites.io/category/natural-building-retrofitting/). Bricks, cement, metal, plastic and concrete all have a high environmental impact, but because they are familiar, easy and quick to use (and therefore profitable), they're the most common building materials. It's a different matter if those materials are reclaimed of course, as the energy and waste associated with manufacture is avoided. See [Salvo](http://www.salvo.co.uk/) for reclamation yards near you. | Building materials can be manufactured and delivered, or [natural](http://lowimpactorg.onyx-sites.io/infoarticle/the-natural-house/) and local. Materials that don't require factories to manufacture them, and don't need to be transported large distances will have the lowest environmental impact. In a best-case scenario, materials will be natural and biodegradable, and found on-site or nearby. Natural low-impact building materials include timber, clay, lime, rammed earth, cob, straw, hemp and stone. Learn more about using these materials in their individual [topic sections](http://lowimpactorg.onyx-sites.io/category/natural-building-retrofitting/). Bricks, cement, metal, plastic and concrete all have a high environmental impact, but because they are familiar, easy and quick to use (and therefore profitable), they're the most common building materials. It's a different matter if those materials are reclaimed of course, as the energy and waste associated with manufacture is avoided. See [Salvo](http://www.salvo.co.uk/) for reclamation yards near you. |
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| ### Size | ==== Size ==== |
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| Our homes have a footprint, i.e. they replace natural habitat, and are made from materials that have to be manufactured or harvested, and delivered. So from an ecological perspective, the smaller the better. An unnecessarily large home can't really claim to be a low-impact building (although that claim is made all the time). See [this letter](http://lowimpactorg.onyx-sites.io/size-matters-why-a-big-house-cant-be-a-green-house/) from Oasis design. | Our homes have a footprint, i.e. they replace natural habitat, and are made from materials that have to be manufactured or harvested, and delivered. So from an ecological perspective, the smaller the better. An unnecessarily large home can't really claim to be a low-impact building (although that claim is made all the time). See [this letter](http://lowimpactorg.onyx-sites.io/size-matters-why-a-big-house-cant-be-a-green-house/) from Oasis design. |
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| <caption> | <caption> |
| Natural builds can be great fun, and you're much more likely to get volunteers to help you. | _Natural builds can be great fun, and you're much more likely to get volunteers to help you._ |
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| </caption> | </caption> |
| </WRAP> | </WRAP> |
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| ### Energy & water efficiency | ==== Energy & water efficiency ==== |
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| A low-impact building won't require much energy in its use. This can be achieved via [passive solar gain](http://lowimpactorg.onyx-sites.io/rammed-earth-straw-bale-no-heating/), super-insulation, passive ventilation, no air conditioning and low-impact appliances. These things should be considered before energy generation via renewables. [Passivhaus](/buil/building) is an example of a European building standard based on airtightness, super-[insulation](/insu/insulation) and mechanical ventilation. Passivhaus buildings are designed to be heated passively by the sun, by electrical appliances and by body heat. Water use can also be minimised via water-saving devices, [rainwater harvesting](/watr/water), greywater recycling, [compost toilets](/cptt/compost_toilets) and lifestyle change. The concept of eco-minimalism involves a restrained use of 'bolt-on' technologies and devices. With an appropriately-sized, well-designed, super-insulated house, plus [energy-](/ensa/energy_saving) and water-saving measures and appliances, you won't need so many extras. See [here](http://www.elementalsolutions.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/ecominimalism-revisited-2.pdf) for more on eco-minimialism. | A low-impact building won't require much energy in its use. This can be achieved via [passive solar gain](http://lowimpactorg.onyx-sites.io/rammed-earth-straw-bale-no-heating/), super-insulation, passive ventilation, no air conditioning and low-impact appliances. These things should be considered before energy generation via renewables. [Passivhaus](/buil/building) is an example of a European building standard based on airtightness, super-[insulation](/insu/insulation) and mechanical ventilation. Passivhaus buildings are designed to be heated passively by the sun, by electrical appliances and by body heat. Water use can also be minimised via water-saving devices, [rainwater harvesting](/watr/water), greywater recycling, [compost toilets](/cptt/compost_toilets) and lifestyle change. The concept of eco-minimalism involves a restrained use of 'bolt-on' technologies and devices. With an appropriately-sized, well-designed, super-insulated house, plus [energy-](/ensa/energy_saving) and water-saving measures and appliances, you won't need so many extras. See [here](http://www.elementalsolutions.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/ecominimalism-revisited-2.pdf) for more on eco-minimialism. |
| ### Location | ==== Location ==== |
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| If the occupants are not farmers, smallholders or forestry workers, a house doesn't need more land than a conventional garden, and doesn't really need to be in the open countryside. Productive land is limited, and if it's turned into large areas of lawn or pony paddock, it's a waste. A home for anyone other than land workers will have a much lower impact if it's in a town, close to jobs, shops and mains utilities. | If the occupants are not farmers, smallholders or forestry workers, a house doesn't need more land than a conventional garden, and doesn't really need to be in the open countryside. Productive land is limited, and if it's turned into large areas of lawn or pony paddock, it's a waste. A home for anyone other than land workers will have a much lower impact if it's in a town, close to jobs, shops and mains utilities. |
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| <caption> | <caption> |
| Low-impact self-build homes are not just for the countryside - they can be urban too, like this one in London. | _Low-impact self-build homes are not just for the countryside - they can be urban too, like this one in London._ |
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| </caption> | </caption> |
| </WRAP> | </WRAP> |
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| ### Lifestyle | ==== Lifestyle ==== |
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| In almost all cases, less environmental damage will be caused in the construction and use of a building than by the lifestyle of its occupants. You may have a 'trophy' eco-home, but its benefits will be wiped out if you're a long-distance commuter, frequent flier or high consumer. And second homes are definitely not low-impact, no matter how you look at it. Homes have become better insulated and appliances more energy-efficient in recent years, but consumption has risen too. Of course low-impact homes are important, but we'd like to draw attention to lifestyle as well, as it's often overlooked. | In almost all cases, less environmental damage will be caused in the construction and use of a building than by the lifestyle of its occupants. You may have a 'trophy' eco-home, but its benefits will be wiped out if you're a long-distance commuter, frequent flier or high consumer. And second homes are definitely not low-impact, no matter how you look at it. Homes have become better insulated and appliances more energy-efficient in recent years, but consumption has risen too. Of course low-impact homes are important, but we'd like to draw attention to lifestyle as well, as it's often overlooked. |
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| ## What are the benefits of low-impact building? | ===== What are the benefits of low-impact building? ===== |
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| **Environmental** | **Environmental** |
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| <caption> | <caption> |
| A [£3000 home](http://www.simondale.net/) in Wales. | _A [£3000 home](http://www.simondale.net/) in Wales._ |
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| </caption> | </caption> |
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| <caption> | <caption> |
| ... and a [£4000 home](http://www.envisioneer.net/) in Scotland. | _... and a [£4000 home](http://www.envisioneer.net/) in Scotland._ |
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| </caption> | </caption> |
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| Great introductory video on natural building from [Permaculture People](http://permaculturepeopleuk.tumblr.com/) | _Great introductory video on natural building from [Permaculture People](http://permaculturepeopleuk.tumblr.com/)_ |
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| </caption> | </caption> |
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| ## What can I do? | ===== What can I do? ===== |
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| This introduction is about self-build (including working with a contractor) rather than high-volume construction by large companies. However, conventional builders may not know much about low-impact building. See our [directory](http://lowimpactorg.onyx-sites.io/directory/), the [AECB](http://www.aecb.net/) or the [Green Register](http://www.greenregister.org.uk/) for listings of builders who will. If you have building experience, and you'd like to self-build, we also have listings of course providers in a range of [natural building techniques](http://lowimpactorg.onyx-sites.io/category/natural-building-retrofitting/). If you hire a builder, make sure that you obtain references, and see previous work that they've done - but also, learn as much as you can first, so that you retain control of your project. With an interesting natural build, you might be able to get volunteers to help. | This introduction is about self-build (including working with a contractor) rather than high-volume construction by large companies. However, conventional builders may not know much about low-impact building. See the [AECB](http://www.aecb.net/) or the [Green Register](http://www.greenregister.org.uk/) for listings of builders who will. If you have building experience, and you'd like to self-build, we also have listings of course providers in a range of [natural building techniques](http://lowimpactorg.onyx-sites.io/category/natural-building-retrofitting/). If you hire a builder, make sure that you obtain references, and see previous work that they've done - but also, learn as much as you can first, so that you retain control of your project. With an interesting natural build, you might be able to get volunteers to help. |
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| **Funding** | **Funding** |
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| You can build a super-eco home for very little money (see above), as long as it's small, and you build it yourself, from local, natural materials that might be free. With a more conventional home, you'll probably be looking for funding. As a rule of thumb, the land will probably be half the cost of building the house. When looking for funding, we suggest that you 'go mutual' - i.e. with a [building society](/buil/building_societies) rather than a bank. [Here's](http://www.positivemoney.org/2011/01/move-your-money-to-a-mutual/) why we think that's important. Do a bit of research first, as not all building societies are mutual - many have been de-mutualised. [The Ecology Building Society](https://www.ecology.co.uk) is a mutual with a good track record of funding low-impact builds. Talk to them about self-build mortgages, which are payable in stages, so that the builder has the finances covered, but with much less risk to the lender than if the money was all made available up front. | You can build a super-eco home for very little money (see above), as long as it's small, and you build it yourself, from local, natural materials that might be free. With a more conventional home, you'll probably be looking for funding. As a rule of thumb, the land will probably be half the cost of building the house. When looking for funding, we suggest that you 'go mutual' - i.e. with a [building society](/bsoc/building_societies) rather than a bank. [Here's](http://www.positivemoney.org/2011/01/move-your-money-to-a-mutual/) why we think that's important. Do a bit of research first, as not all building societies are mutual - many have been de-mutualised. [The Ecology Building Society](https://www.ecology.co.uk) is a mutual with a good track record of funding low-impact builds. Talk to them about self-build mortgages, which are payable in stages, so that the builder has the finances covered, but with much less risk to the lender than if the money was all made available up front. |
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| <WRAP center centeralign> | <WRAP center centeralign> |
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| <caption> | <caption> |
| You can add low-impact [extensions](http://hectorandcedric.com/) to conventional homes. | _You can add low-impact [extensions](http://hectorandcedric.com/) to conventional homes._ |
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| </caption> | </caption> |
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| <caption> | <caption> |
| Exterior and interior of self-build [earth-sheltered home](http://lowimpactorg.onyx-sites.io/three-bedroom-earth-sheltered-house-with-a-living-roof-cob-internal-walls-sea-view-for-18000/) with sea view in Cornwall. Cost: £18k. | _Exterior and interior of self-build [earth-sheltered home](http://lowimpactorg.onyx-sites.io/three-bedroom-earth-sheltered-house-with-a-living-roof-cob-internal-walls-sea-view-for-18000/) with sea view in Cornwall. Cost: £18k._ |
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| </caption> | </caption> |
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| [Size matters](http://lowimpactorg.onyx-sites.io/size-matters-why-a-big-house-cant-be-a-green-house/): huge homes are a testament to ego rather than sustainability. | _[Size matters](http://lowimpactorg.onyx-sites.io/size-matters-why-a-big-house-cant-be-a-green-house/): huge homes are a testament to ego rather than sustainability._ |
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| </caption> | </caption> |
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| <caption> | <caption> |
| [Kevin McCabe](https://www.buildsomethingbeautiful.co.uk/)'s self-built cob and thatch cottage in Cornwall. | _[Kevin McCabe](https://www.buildsomethingbeautiful.co.uk/)'s self-built cob and thatch cottage in Cornwall._ |
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| </caption> | </caption> |
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| ## Further resources | ===== Forum ===== |
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| | This topic belongs to the section [[gt:buildings|Buildings & construction]]. You can ask questions or add information on the corresponding [Forum section](https://forum.growingthecommons.org/t/buildings). |
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| | ===== Further resources ===== |
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| | - [Association for Environment-conscious Builders (AECB)](https://aecb.net/) |
| | - [Alliance for Sustainable Building Products](https://asbp.org.uk/) |
| | - [Building Research Establishment](https://bregroup.com/) |
| | - [Dirt Cheap Builder](https://www.dirtcheapbuilder.com/) - books and resources on all different kinds of natural building |
| | - [Ecological Building Network](https://ecobuildnetwork.org/) - US knowledge-sharing site |
| | - [Green Building Calculator](https://greenbuildingcalculator.uk/) |
| | - [Green Building Forum](https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/) - forum |
| | - [Green Register](https://www.greenregister.org.uk/) - training |
| | - [Greenspec](https://www.greenspec.co.uk/) - green building products |
| | - [Natural Homes](http://naturalhomes.org/) - natural homes around the world |
| | - [The Self-build Guide](https://www.the-self-build-guide.co.uk/) |
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| | ===== Related topics ===== |
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| | - [Cob building](cobb:cob_building) |
| | - [Cohousing](coho:cohousing) |
| | - [Community land trusts](clts:community_land_trusts) |
| | - [Earthbag building](eabb:earthbag_building) |
| | - [Earth-sheltered housing](eash:earth-sheltered_houses) |
| | - [Hemp building](hemp:hemp_building) |
| | - [Housing co-ops](hcoo:housing_co-operatives) |
| | - [Pattern language](ptrn:pattern_language) |
| | - [Planning permission](plan:planning) |
| | - [Rammed earth building](raeb:rammed_earth_building) |
| | - [Retrofitting & refurbishment](retf:retrofitting) |
| | - [Roofing](roof:roofing) |
| | - [Round wood timber framing](rwtf:round_wood_timber_framing) |
| | - [Roundhouses](roun:roundhouses) |
| | - [Stone building](stob:stone_building) |
| | - [Straw-bale building](strw:straw-bale_building) |
| | - [Timber building](timb:timber_building) |
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| ## Specialist(s) | ===== Specialist curators of this topic ===== |
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