INTD 51 human environments

alternative housing types

alternative housing types

tree houses

•buildings constructed among the branches•around or next to the trunk of one or more mature trees•and are raised above the ground

alternative housing types

•tree houses are built and used for recreation•as temporary retreats•even for permanent habitation

alternative housing types

treehouses are an option for building eco-friendly facilities in remote forest areas, because they do not require a clearing of a certain area of forest

alternative housing types

in some parts of the tropics, ordinary houses are built in trees or elevated on stilts to:

•keep the living quarters above hazards at ground level •to keep the occupants & any stored food out of reach of scavenging animals

alternative housing types

earth sheltered housing

the architectural practice of using earth against building walls for: •external thermal mass •to reduce heat loss•to easily maintain a steady indoor air temperature

alternative housing types

earth sheltering is popular in modern times among advocates of passive solar and sustainable architecture

but has been around for nearly as long as humans have been constructing their own shelter

alternative housing types

•living within earth shelters has been a large part of human history •the connection to earth shelter dwellings began with the utilization of caves•over time evolving technologies led to the construction of customized earth dwellings

alternative housing types

•progress has been slow•earth shelter construction is often viewed by architects, engineers, and the public alike as an unconventional method of building

alternative housing types

natural solar architecture

passive solar technologies are means of using sunlight for useful energy without use of active mechanical systems (as contrasted to active solar)

alternative housing types

passive solar technologies:

•convert sunlight into usable heat (water, air, thermal mass), cause air-movement for ventilating•store heat for future use

with little use of other energy sources

alternative housing types

passive solar systems have:•little to no operating costs •often low maintenance costs •emit no greenhouse gases in operation

they do, however need to be optimized to yield the best performance and economics

alternative housing types

passive solar technologies often yield high solar savings, especially for space heating

when combined with active solar technologies or photovoltaics even higher conventional energy savings can be achieved

alternative housing types

straw-bale construction

building method that uses straw bales as structural elements, insulation, or both

commonly used in natural building

has advantages over some conventional building systems because of:•cost•easy availability•high insulation value

alternative housing types

straw bale building typically consists of stacking rows of bales (often in running-bond) on a raised footing or foundation, with a moisture barrier between the bales and their supporting platform

alternative housing types

bale walls can be tied together with pins of bamboo, rebar, or wood (internal to the bales or on their faces) or with surface wire meshes, and then stuccoed or plastered, either with a cement-based mix or an earth/clay render

alternative housing types

bale buildings can have structural frame of other materials, with bales simply serving as insulation and stucco substrate, ("infill" technique), most often required in northern regions where the potential snow-loading can exceed the strength of the bale

alternative housing types

alternatively, the bales may actually provide the structural support for the building in a "load-bearing” technique

alternative housing types

a combination of framing and load-bearing techniques may also be employed, referred to as "hybrid" straw bale construction

alternative housing types

typically "field-bales", bales created on farms with baling machines have been used

recently higher-density "precompressed" bales (or "straw-blocks") are increasing the loads that may be supported

where field bales might support around 600 pounds per linear foot of wall, the high density bales bear up to 4,000 lb./lin.ft.

alternative housing types

this has just been a brief overview of four alternative types of housing

other alternatives include:

•floating homes•log homes•manufactured homes•modular homes•pre-fab houses•rvs & trailers

alternative housing types

other alternatives include:

•floating homes•log homes•manufactured homes•modular homes•pre-fab houses•rvs & trailers

alternative housing types

•floating homes

alternative housing types

•floating homes

alternative housing types

other alternatives include:

•floating homes•log homes•manufactured homes•modular homes•pre-fab houses•rvs & trailers

alternative housing types

•log homes

alternative housing types

other alternatives include:

•floating homes•log homes•manufactured homes•modular homes•pre-fab houses•rvs & trailers

alternative housing types

•manufactured homes

alternative housing types

other alternatives include:

•floating homes•log homes•manufactured homes•modular homes•pre-fab houses•rvs & trailers

alternative housing types

•modular homes

alternative housing types

other alternatives include:

•floating homes•log homes•manufactured homes•modular homes•pre-fab houses•rvs & trailers

http://www.metropolismag.com/story/20100512/big-idea-small-package

alternative housing types

alternative housing types

this has just been a brief overview of four alternative types of housing

other alternatives include:

•floating homes•log homes•manufactured homes•modular homes•pre-fab houses•rvs & trailers

http://www.treehugger.com/files/2005/12/the_mini-home_f.php

alternative housing types

•rvs & trailers

alternative housing types

•rvs & trailers

http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/WSU-Airstream-Studio/124541544245926?v=photos&ref=ts

alternative housing types

What other alternatives can you think of?

binder activity:Section 5—Alternative Housing Types

Research 3-5 alternative housing types and print appropriate information for your file/binder. For each of the types that you research, include images and answer the following questions:•How does this style work in this climate? If it is not appropriate for this climate, where does it function best?•Could modifications to the design be made that would make it appropriate for this climate?•How does this housing type meet the needs of your client?•What are the basics that a designer needs to know before choosing this housing type?

binder activity:Section 6—Selected Housing StyleDecide upon the alternative housing type that you will be using—write 500 words (2 pages) describing the housing type & the pros and cons of the type according to your client & location. Include any diagrams and images that help illustrate the building style.