Alternative housing: eco-friendly house. ECO styles and materials in construction: new products, ideas, personal experience

Building green houses is not easy fashion trend, but taking care of your health. Recently, our ecology has been too polluted due to industrial complexes, so eco-housing was created for those who want to live in harmony with nature and themselves. Today, owners of country houses are trying to use natural and natural materials, this allows them to significantly save money on energy resources and get a safe home.

Eco-friendly house

Ecological housing involves the use only natural materials. Architects and doctors claim that such housing can improve not only health, but also extend a person’s life cycle. Natural materials include:

wood, bamboo, reed, straw;
cork, wool, felt, leather;
sand, stone;
silk and cotton;
natural drying oil, glue and rubber.

The process of building environmentally friendly houses consists of:

rational and effective use water, energy and other resources;
reducing waste and reducing its impact on environment;
use of local building materials;
use the power of nature: solar collector, wind energy, biological fuel;
using some materials twice.

The main component of such a structure is energy consumption, which is achieved through:

complete insulation of the entire structure to minimize heat loss;
maintaining the temperature regime and creating air exchange processes (ventilation, air conditioning);
creation of low-temperature heating using heat pumps;
reducing power consumption by installing energy-efficient lighting.

What materials are green construction made from?

Today, it is possible to build ecological housing from many materials. For example, the following are successfully used: logs, straw, adobe, clay, clean compacted earth or earth in bags. At first glance, all these eco-friendly materials seem unreliable, but with the right construction technology, the house turns out to be strong and durable. Let's look at each material in more detail.

Construction of a house from logs

From afar the walls log house they resemble stone ones, but if you examine the structure from a close distance, it becomes clear that the house is wooden. The construction process takes place by laying logs, fastened together with lime-cement mortar. The materials used are rocks soft trees, for example, cedar or pine. These rocks are highly resistant to expansion or contraction, and are also capable of providing high thermal and sound insulation. Building a house from logs is not so easy, it will require use self made, but if the structure is built correctly, it will meet all your expectations.

Building a house from straw

Most skeptics will immediately say that straw is not the best material from which to build an eco-friendly house. However, compressed straw in bags can be used to build a durable structure with excellent insulating properties. The construction process involves laying compressed straw on a masonry foundation, which is secured with wooden posts. The outer surface is covered with lime or soil plaster, which is not capable of allowing air to pass through. This will allow the walls to breathe and prevent moisture from appearing in the straw. As a result, you get environmentally friendly clean house made of straw, which has high fire-resistant qualities.

Expert advice! To protect your home from rodent attacks, use a fine metal mesh. For construction, it is best to use rye straw, because... Rodents don't like it.

Building a house from straw and clay

This type of construction is also popular and reliable. The construction process involves mixing clay with sand and straw. The frame is erected and the walls are built using adjustable formwork. The inside is plastered, and the outside is insulated with straw or reed. Due to this, the design is lightweight and has high thermal insulation characteristics.

Rammed earth construction

In addition to the environmental friendliness of the material, such a house is fireproof, durable, reliable, and most importantly resistant to attack by various insects. Such designs from environmentally friendly clean material ov have gained great popularity in warm and dry places such as Australia. The construction process is that the walls are erected from blocks of pressed and moist soil. You can build such a house on your own, or seek the help of specialists. In any case, such a design will be reliable and will last for decades.

Construction of an eco-house from bags of pressed earth

In order to make an eco-house you only need ordinary land and polypropylene bags. This type of building is the cheapest. The construction process involves filling wet soil into bags that are compacted tightly. The use of bags makes it possible to build such complex designs, such as domed, round buildings and even underground structures.

How to choose the right site for an eco-house?

If you are determined to live in a clean home, you should choose correct area. Experts advise paying attention to the following points:

the total area of the land plot must meet all necessary requirements;
there should be nothing nearby that can pollute the environment: railway, airport, industrial enterprises;
the site should not be located in shady area, there should be a lot of sun;
mandatory presence of reservoirs;

Eco-house project

Eco-friendly housing consists of several important points that are an integral part of the design of the entire house. The house project consists of:

The foundation, as a rule, is made of pile-boring or monolithic slab. Work on its construction can be carried out at any time of the year.
Material for walls. The materials often used are wood (spruce, pine, larch). Eco-concrete, aerated concrete, foam concrete, as well as ceramic bricks are used as wall dividers;
Interfloor ceilings are erected from wood or monolith;
The facade part is faced with: block house, clapboard, facing bricks or clinker tiles;
The insulating material is made of mineral wool or expanded clay;
The roof is made of cement-sand or ceramic tiles;
Windows are made of wood or PVC, in in this case PVC is absolutely safe for health and does not emit harmful substances;
The floor covering is used from ordinary floorboards, laminate, ceramic tiles or linoleum made from PVC;
Interior decoration involves the use of textile or plant wallpaper, tiles or plaster for painting;
The ceiling is finished with water-based paint;
For furniture, rattan or wood products are used. For wooden furniture the following species are used: beech, pine or oak;
Textile design is made of bamboo, linen or cotton;

Decorative elements. Used for decoration houseplants, as well as any items made of wood, leather, fabric. As you can see, an ecological house is aimed at preserving nature and improving the health of its owners.

You can build an eco-friendly house from various natural materials. For each landscape and environment, you need to use a different material so that the house fits into the environment. One of the main principles of an eco-house is zero energy consumption. Such a house must itself generate energy for its work.

Before starting construction work ecological house, of course, we need to make his project. Think through every detail, both at home and in the environment, such as sunrises and sunsets.

In order to make a house project, you first need to analyze the environment and landscape of the area. Decide on the place where you want to place the ecological house. Next you need to select the material. If you see that the place around you has the slightest predisposition to fire, then you should use materials that are resistant to fire.

An eco-friendly house project should be “easy” in design. It should not “load” the environment and look out of place. Therefore, we recommend that you take the design of your home into your own hands. professional designers. They will offer to do beautiful houses different shapes. In practice, there was even a round eco-house.

The housing project must strive for zero energy consumption. The house must independently generate energy for its operation. To do this, you can install solar panels on the roof of the house, sewer septic tanks, use wind collectors and fuel-free energy generation. It is important to strive for an eco-house that will work entirely on. This main principle ecological housing.

How to build an eco-house so that it lasts for decades is a question that is often asked by people who are planning to build eco-friendly houses. At the same time, it is important to know the features of an eco-house. They will help guide the owner in which direction of construction to go in order to build real eco-friendly housing.

Main features when building an eco-house:

The house must fit into its surroundings. In this case, it is necessary to take into account sunrises and sunsets;
The house must be energy efficient. Both externally and internally. It is necessary to install environmentally friendly Appliances;
Small energy losses. Housing must be made of materials that have high thermal insulation;
Correct windows with reduced thermal conductivity. Wooden windows are often used for eco-houses;
Using columnar, strip foundation with protection from groundwater.

Housing must have one home control system. Today, such a system is presented in the form of technological applications on Cell phones and computers.

Consider all the above features to build an eco-friendly home. Then you will create strong, reliable and durable housing. It will consume a minimal amount of energy, which will save your money significantly.

Induction heaters are needed for economical operation of heaters and household appliances. You will learn how they work from the following material:

How to make an eco-house with your own hands

You can make an eco-house with your own hands if you have construction skills or are deeply familiar with this topic. Otherwise, you will have to plunge headlong into the eco-theme. Alternatively, you can call specialists who will quickly and professionally build an eco-friendly house.

There are several options for making an eco-house with your own hands. Each of them depends on the selected materials. You can make a house even without special materials, but using only improvised means.

Logs. Wood construction – a good option. To build it, I use trees or materials left over from the sawmill. For logs with a diameter of 30-90 cm, you can use structures both without a frame and with a frame.
Rammed earth. One of the old technologies still used today. In terms of reliability, the earth is almost identical to wood logs. To make such a house, you need to mix the earth with clay, gravel and concrete. After pressing this mixture, a solid material is obtained. In addition, it can regulate the temperature of the house. In cold weather, such housing will give off heat, and in warm weather, coolness. If we build an eco-friendly house from earth, it will also protect you from microorganisms.
Straw. The material is durable and has good thermal insulation properties, despite the fact that it is straw. The material is usually placed on top of a stone foundation. Packages of compressed straw must be secured together with bamboo poles. This will add strength to the structure.
Hemp. Used as a thermal insulation material. It is a natural and non-toxic plant. Using hemp in an eco-house will allow you to save a lot. And you will spend less money on heating. At the same time, mold or germs do not form on the material.
Adobe. It is made from clay, straw and sand. When the mixture hardens, it becomes strong and strong. Therefore, buildings of any complexity can be made from them.

These are the main environmentally friendly materials from which the house is made. As you can see, each material has its own characteristics.

Biogas is a popular alternative fuel. We make it ourselves. Guide on next page:

What are cavitation units

Cavitation units are used for houses that are located far from cities and are needed for water purification. If you live in an eco-house, then the water should be as clean as possible for consumption.

Buying eco-friendly housing is a must cavitation units. They will purify the water from impurities and microbes.

Water flows through the filter, then crosses the heat exchanger and flows into the hydrodynamic system. In this system, water is treated by cavitation. Then it goes back for cooling, and then it is filtered again. Energy consumption is reduced by 40-50 percent. In such a filter, you can additionally use carbon or a silver cartridge. They will improve the softness of the water. Therefore, purchase such installations for your home.

Do-it-yourself eco house construction (video)

There are more and more eco-friendly houses. People want to preserve their health and the environment. Therefore, houses made from environmentally friendly materials with zero energy consumption are becoming popular these days.

Examples of eco-houses (photos)

Autonomous ecological housing, fully equipped with effective support systems, is able to “maintain” itself. And without causing harm to the environment. But it’s quite possible to build it and equip it with smart technology.

We will tell you how to build an eco-house with your own hands, using exclusively natural building materials - clay, sand, straw, wood. For you, we have collected, studied and presented information about the most promising options. They described in detail the technology for constructing environmentally friendly housing.

For beginning builders effective assistance The recommendations we provide will have an impact. To facilitate the understanding of a difficult topic, photo selections, informative diagrams, and video instructions are attached to the text.

Interest in the construction of eco-houses is growing every day - projects that previously seemed fantastic are being brought to life and showing amazing results. Some principles of eco-friendly housing are familiar to anyone who has lived or vacationed in a village.

To this day, outside the city, houses are built from rounded logs, timber, bricks - that is, natural materials that do not contain harmful artificial impurities.

Residential scheme two-story house according to technology " double beam» – walls, internal floors, ceilings are made of two layers of wood (profiled dry pine timber)

Advanced villagers and summer residents have long installed septic tanks and biological stations– compact modern systems waste processing. Household plums decompose naturally, then the solid sediment is used as fertilizer, and the liquid is purified (up to 98%) and put into secondary use - for watering the garden or vegetable garden, maintaining the territory.

System diagram biological treatment water with two chambers (aerobic and anaerobic) and a filtration field. After purification, the liquid enters the ground

The first stage is choosing a construction site. The most favorable site is a flat area with a close source of water, open to sun rays and wind. If northern winds often blow in the region, if possible, the northern part of the house should be protected (for example, by planting tall coniferous trees).

An interesting design solution is the partial construction of a house “in the ground.” Part of the building is protected and insulated in a natural way, the only drawback is the mandatory artificial lighting of the underground part

The second stage is to determine the nuances of building an eco-house. Important role The thermal insulation of the house plays a role - the more efficient the natural protection system is, the less energy will be spent on heating.

To increase the thermal insulation properties, several techniques are used, for example:

strengthening thermal protection in areas with “cold bridges”;
construction of a multi-layer wall structure (up to 4 layers with gaps filled mineral insulation, waste from the pulp or cotton industry);
additional insulation of the foundation and basement.

Interesting architectural solution For northern regions– division of space into “winter” and “summer”. As you know, our ancestors also had a winter hut (with a Russian stove) and a summer one, which was not heated.

A lot of energy goes into keeping light bulbs running, so you should maximize daylight. To do this, one wall of the main room can be made glass, using triple glazed windows with wooden frames and shockproof glass.

Option of a house with circular glazing. During daylight hours Almost all rooms of the building are illuminated naturally - through glass walls built around the perimeter

The airtightness of the house will be extreme, so it is worth thinking about ventilation. The more useful qualities are incorporated during construction, the less energy will be required to provide the residential area with heat, light, and clean water.

The installation of “green” roofs creates an additional effect of insulating the building and delays rainwater. In order for grass to grow on the roof, technology has been developed for equipping inverted roofs.

Secrets of planning: drawings and diagrams

Visualization of the project simplifies its implementation, and sketches, drawings, diagrams indicating the exact location, specific parameters and materials help “launch” the process of completing the task.

We remember that the construction of a house (including those with an eco prefix) cannot be started without permitting documents government agencies that give the go-ahead only after a thorough study of the project. We recommend that “serious” documentation be drawn up together with design engineers to avoid protracted red tape.

One of the options general scheme construction of a green house indicating the elements of the water supply system, thermal insulation, ventilation, lighting and decorative design (+)

What needs to be shown on diagrams for the construction of eco-houses? Anything that causes even the slightest difficulty - for example, location.

Possible scheme ventilation with a recuperator - a device that is a heat exchanger that uses the heat of exhaust gases to partially heat the heating system (+)

Saving energy generated also implies equipment of a complex complex various systems, including hot water supply.

The diagram shows a dual source system electrical energy: solar panels located on the roof slope and a boiler installed in the lower part of the house (basement, ground floor). This solution will be considered environmentally friendly if biofuel is used to operate the boiler (+)

Here is another installation option solar system with water collector. The disadvantage of such systems is that the heated water can only be used as a coolant or sanitary water. Moreover, only immediately after heating.

Those wishing to accumulate solar energy and use it to charge household appliances it is better to build a solar system from.

The solar collector is mounted separately on the roof standing building, specially built to accommodate a water heating system. Hot and cold water enters the house through an underground pipeline

It is irrational to install in regions with forest plantations or other protection from the wind, however, on the seashores, reservoirs, in the steppes and mountains they justify the installation costs.

The operation of a solar collector and a wind generator can be combined using a hybrid controller that distributes the received energy to points of consumption or directs it to storage devices (+)

Before building a country house or village house from timber or logs, it is necessary to consider the arrangement of a heat-insulating layer.

Depending on the location, different insulation materials are used: mineral wool, hard and loose thermal insulation materials on natural basis, wool or cotton mats

This is the kind of house scientists from Wales came up with. It spends less energy than it produces. The miniature "electrical factory" is standard project, that is, anyone can buy a house. It is said to cost almost the same as a regular house.

Powerful solar panels installed on the roof and part of the wall, energy-efficient household appliances, “smart” distribution automation are factors that provide an excess amount of electricity (+)

Ready-made diagrams can be found on the websites of companies involved in the construction of eco-houses and passive energy-saving buildings.

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Now let’s take a closer look at two projects - the construction of eco-houses from straw and firewood with the addition of clay, which plays the role of a binding material.

Construction of an eco-house from straw and clay

Straw, which has excellent properties, has long been used in peasant houses - it was used to cover roofs, stuff mattresses, and insulate grooves between logs. In the southern regions you can find huts made entirely of straw bales.

Knowing the properties of the material and the features of the frame assembly technology, you can build a “straw house” on your own.

Adobe houses can have different number of storeys, wall or roof configurations, and sizes. Because of clay plaster sometimes it is difficult to guess that the main building material is “straw” brick

Pros and cons of straw bale

The first thing worth noting is the availability of the main building material. It is obtained as a result of growing and processing agricultural crops (legumes, grains, hemp, flax, etc.).

Grains, inflorescences, and seeds go into further processing, and the stems with the remains of leaves are dried and sent to feed livestock. Straw is also suitable for making rustic decor.

The relative lightness and compact size of the material plays into the hands of thrifty owners who plan to do it on their own, without involving a work crew or renting heavy construction equipment.

With the growing demand for environmentally friendly raw materials, a whole industry has emerged for the production of adobe bricks (a building material made from pressed straw and clay) and biofuel.

Adobe and just straw bales are actively used for the construction of private houses, as they have the following qualities:

have a low degree of thermal conductivity;
do not ignite, but only smolder (we are talking about pressed plastered material);
do not contain chemical inclusions;
have a budget price.

The disadvantages are hygroscopicity and the associated predisposition to rapid decay. In addition, straw bales are an attractive place for rodents, who also value environmental friendliness.

To get rid of the shortcomings, they increase the density of the building material to 300 kg/m³, reinforce the blocks and cover them with plaster with the addition of slaked lime.

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Rules for preparing material

To build a house faster, you can purchase ready-made straw bales or adobe bricks. Both options are easy to prepare on your own, having prepared a sufficient amount of material in advance. The procurement period occurs at the end of summer or autumn - harvest time.

Only during this period do dry stems fully correspond in their characteristics. Straw rarely survives until spring without changes, as it deteriorates due to dampness and becomes moldy.

Adobe bricks (adobe) are often prepared independently: a mixture of clay, plant fibers, manure and lime is placed in molds resembling boxes without a bottom, compacted and allowed to dry for 7-10 days, turning in different directions

To store the material, it is necessary to build a large barn with a strong insulated roof, a dry microclimate and good natural ventilation. Mats also made from straw (preferably rye, since that’s what mice don’t like) are used as natural insulation.

Construction of foundation and frame

While the material is “ripening”, the foundation can be prepared. It will be equipped with the usual scheme For frame house. Experts recommend a lightweight belt version because the bales are light in weight.

For the foundation, a shallow pit is dug, formwork is knocked together from boards around the perimeter and filled with a thick mixture of clay and sand. By the way, straw is sometimes added to the foundation of the house.

Until the clay sets, metal reinforcement is fixed in the corners and along the walls for future strapping. Then, when the foundation gets stronger, from wooden beams(15 cm x 15 cm) assemble the frame. First of all, fix corner posts, then - auxiliary supports for the walls. Horizontal elements are added to the vertical elements - boards or bars of smaller cross-section.

If a basement floor is planned, the foundation must be deepened to at least 45 cm, and the basement must be waterproofed during construction.

Straw bale tying

The blocks are stacked alternately, in rows, according to the principle of brickwork. The seams between the rows are caulked. Each block is secured with a metal rod and strapping. After filling the entire frame, shingles are made diagonally with thin boards to give the walls more stability. The roof is installed at the very end, using conventional technology.

Before using straw bales, double check their quality: good material has a nice golden color and the smell of dried grass, dry to the touch

The resulting seams and gaps are sealed with adobe mixture. If protection from rodents is necessary, the walls around the entire perimeter are covered with a metal mesh with a fine mesh. Sometimes a second layer of thinner straw mats is laid out for insulation.

The outer part of the thatched hut is plastered with a lime mixture (2.5-3 cm thick) and decorated with white or colored paint. Ultramarine, umber, violet cobalt, red lead and chromium oxide are used as colors.

Final stage - interior decoration, simultaneously with which the building and the adjacent area are equipped with life support systems.

Technology for constructing a building from wood and clay

Firewood, which is perceived by everyone as a traditional but obsolete type of fuel, can be used differently - as a material for building walls.

For the technology of constructing buildings from logs in Russia they came up with an interesting name - “clay churn”, and in America, where it is also known this method construction, it is called Cordwood. If a house made of wood is equipped with a smart energy saving system, then it can be safely classified as environmentally friendly and does not pollute the environment.

An original “green” house, built using cordwood masonry technology. Naturalness is emphasized using various structural elements: lawn inversion roof, log supports, natural stone finishing

Advantages of the clay pot method

Ancient buildings with walls made of wooden blocks held together clay mortar, have been found all over the world. Some of them are several hundred years old, which means that the technology is justified, at least in terms of strength and stability. Having wall thicknesses from 15 cm to 45 cm, the houses not only retained their shape, but also still function.

Clay and pieces of wood are not only the main, but also the only materials for masonry. They complement each other perfectly, creating a pleasant, comfortable microclimate for living in the house.

People who have lived in houses like cordwood masonry claim that they are quite warm in winter, and amazingly cool in the summer heat. The walls are taking away excess moisture and keep it to yourself.

The interior of a wood-burning house is also distinguished by the use of natural materials - exposed masonry walls, solid wood countertops, wooden floors and window frames

Another advantage of natural material is its low cost. Residents of secluded communities, living far from cities and accustomed to saving on everything, willingly use wood to build housing, including “clay” ones.

Features of building houses from chocks

The method of assembling a clay “woodpile” resembles an ordinary one brickwork, with the difference that logs can have different diameters and shapes. Their length is equal to the width of the wall, so they should be the same.

The process of constructing a log wall various shapes And cement mortar: around the edges – hard cement frame, inside it there is insulation made of pressed sawdust

The clay solution is prepared as follows:

take clay and sand, mix it with water;
add chopped straw as a reinforcing element;
bring to the desired consistency;
laid on firewood like mortar.

For strength, cement is sometimes used instead of clay, lime is added, and then the technology turns into “chock concrete.” It's a little different from the previous one. The cement mixture is spread only along the edges of the logs, and the middle is filled with insulation - adobe mortar or sawdust mixed with lime.

Collective construction of a round building using the “clay chock” technology: each layer of firewood is leveled, the chocks protrude slightly from the clay mortar

As a finishing layer, plaster is used, also made from natural ingredients. To soften the structure finishing mortar, manure is added to the clay - a natural antiseptic.

The clay mortar hardens for at least one and a half months - during the entire period the walls must be kept dry. To do this, a large canopy is erected over the building body. As the clay dries, it will crack, so it is necessary to regularly cover the cracks and monitor the integrity of the structure.

If you decide to buy a house made of logs, start preparing the wood about a year before the start of construction. It must be dried for at least 10 months so that the structure does not deform in the future.

For small country house an area of 40 m² will require about 30 m³ of wood. It is better to take not round lumps, which can crack along the fibers during the laying process, but chopped firewood, freed from the bark. The length of the blanks is 50-60 cm.

The same length of logs can be easily achieved using a bench saw, but some people can easily cope with the task by placing the logs on regular sawhorses. On one side they make an emphasis, on the other, at a certain distance, a mark is made - along it they make a cut.

When constructing three-dimensional two-story structures, it is mandatory to use wooden frame from thick supports, beams and floors, as the load on the walls increases

The procedure for building a house:

installation of a strip foundation;
assembly of the frame (with a circular laying principle it is not needed);
step-by-step laying of a “woodpile” with openings for windows and doors;
pause for clay maturation (at least 2 months);
roof construction;
plastering and interior finishing.

When building walls you can use traditional technologies. For example, timber is used for corner trim. To ensure that the firewood lies evenly, a large shield is placed vertically on one side - it acts as a limiter. To increase the horizontal stability of the structure, it is recommended to lay barbed wire after every 4 rows.

Conclusions and useful video on the topic

Thematic videos will help you understand the nuances of building eco-houses.

Video #1. Review of eco-friendly houses:

Video #2. Film about the construction of an adobe house in a northern eco-village:

Video #3. Do-it-yourself clay pot technology:

As you can see, building a house using one of the well-known eco-technologies on your own is quite possible. You can start not with a residential building, but with a small one utility room, summer kitchen or country decor. Try to apply the principles of the device energy saving house– it will be a small step into the future and a wonderful personal experience.

Would you like to tell us about another original way of constructing and furnishing an eco-house? Do you have any questions while reading the information we provide? Please write comments in the block below.

Scientific and technological progress is increasingly turning the other side of the coin towards humans. Behind the achievements there are also negative factors that are dangerous to health - various kinds chemical emissions, radiation, imbalance of microflora. It’s especially difficult for residents of big cities: the frantic pollution of the streets forces them to look for a way out - people almost rushed out of the city en masse. Who has a dacha, who country houses. Part of the problem has been solved.

Now a new question arises: what about construction? Is it really possible to endure the costs of urbanization outside the city, where it would seem there is relatively clean air around? Fortunately, people still have a choice, and they need to take advantage of it. It's time to include the principle “what I want, I do.” After all, private property is the business of the owner.

Green building has exploded in popularity over the past few years. There is a great opportunity to build an eco-house from safe materials on your personal property. However, the wording “eco home” does not end with the materials.

If you want to build a truly green home, you should also take care of providing electricity through safe installations. This is about solar powered. In daylight, they accumulate the energy of the sun's rays, then transfer it for consumption inside the building. As a result, there are no harmful emissions.

Features of some materials

pure clay;

shell rock;

sand;

cane;

straw;

natural wood;

glass;

natural insulation;

natural stone.

Alas, in reality it is not always possible to obtain a 100% result and people often have to retreat from illusions and put up with the non-ideal composition of certain materials for construction. At the same time, much depends not so much on material as on territorial capabilities. So, in some regions it is simply physically impossible to find high-quality reed. Or, let's say, there is no clay. This means that the range of acceptable materials is expanding.

Video – Do-it-yourself eco-house made of bricks

At its core, it is an environmentally friendly material, because... it is created from clay by high-temperature firing. However, in fact, clay with increased radiation can be used in production - the result is not an environmentally safe, but a dangerous version of the building material. But there is a way out: when buying a brick, measure the background radiation of each batch with a dosimeter, and the issue will be resolved.

One of the common mistakes when choosing building materials is to consider expanded clay concrete to be harmful. ecological point vision. And indeed, environmentalists have many questions for him. But in fact, all these questions come down to one thing: where, specifically from which quarry, the clay was extracted for the production of expanded clay (this is the main part of expanded clay concrete).

If the deposit has not been exposed to radiation, then you have no reason to worry about your health - feel free to buy expanded clay concrete blocks, and your house will rightfully bear the “eco” label. And in terms of strength in low-rise construction, expanded clay concrete blocks have no equal. And they are inexpensive compared to the same wood.

Clay, sand, straw

An ancient trio, known since the times of the feudal system. House building technologies based on these ingredients are successfully practiced to this day. They are mixed in different proportions, and various additives are added to them to improve the quality of the finished material.

The structure of the house looks different:

Attention! Before you begin clay construction, research your climate and weather conditions. This will determine the proportions in which to combine the ingredients of the solution. Different additives impart different properties to the clay-containing solution.

They improve the stackability of adobe blocks (that is, they play the role of plasticizers):

milk serum;

starch;

slurry;

casein;

syrup;

liquid glass.

Accelerate hardening:

lime (it is also a good natural disinfectant - it kills germs);

cement.

Protect the building from shrinkage when drying:

gravel;

crushed stone;

sand.

Provide tensile strength:

wood shavings;

straw;

manure;

waste from processing spinning plants (their lignified stem part);

chaff.

Gas and foam concrete

During the manufacture of these fairly popular materials, aluminum dust is used. To people who are far from the intricacies of chemistry, it may seem that there is no question of environmental safety here. In fact, everything is quite the opposite. The fact is that the bubbles around each aluminum particle remain inside the block. In addition, aluminum is not a toxic metal.

Therefore, gas and foam concrete blocks are quite appropriate for ecological construction. Although, again, it is useful, just in case, to measure a batch of blocks with a gamma dosimeter to make sure of the radiation safety of your family when living in a future eco-friendly house.

Natural wood

At all times, wood has been and continues to be considered a classic of the genre - its environmental advantages are unrivaled. Not only is it easy to breathe and the soul rejoices in wooden house, but also some wood species have long-lasting fungicidal activity. In other words, the proliferation of bacteria and fungal cultures is naturally suppressed. These breeds include larch and cedar, to a slightly lesser extent - pine and spruce.

Of the non-fungicidal wood species, the most common on the domestic market are alder, ash, oak, beech. Almost no wood is used apple, maple, walnut, cherry. They have insufficient density, and are suitable only for finishing and decorative works, and even then only with painstaking processing to impart durability.

How to choose lumber - in each case the issue is decided individually. For example, in damp areas a higher density is preferred (minimal hygroscopicity) and invulnerability to fungi is encouraged. On the other hand, fungicidal pine and spruce (they have low density, 0.52 t/m3 and 0.45 t/m3 accordingly) are prone to cracking in a dry room, and in a more humid room this “flaw” disappears.

Sometimes it makes sense to prefer the highest density, and regarding protection against fungi and decomposition there are folk remedies impregnation. The higher the density and strength of the wood, the longer, of course, the structure will last without destruction. Ash can be called the hardest - its density 0.75t/m3 . It is a little lower at the beech and oak ( 0.68t/m3 and 0.69t/m3 respectively). The density of alder is even lower ( 0.59t/m3 ), but it’s a pleasure to work with – it’s superbly machinable, easy to sand, and relatively inexpensive.

This method is one of the fastest in terms of installation and low-cost in terms of financial resources:

boards are made of plywood, including any irregular scraps;

non-toxic metals are quite accessible today;

an alternative to toxic insulation - cellulose-based ecowool, straw, sawdust, pressed cake, etc.

Buildings made from glass containers

Buildings based on glass bottles occupy a worthy place among eco-solutions. If anyone thinks that bottle houses are nothing more than a game of designer fantasies, then they are deeply mistaken. At correct placement rows of bottles, observing the strength characteristics of the holding solution, it is possible to build full-fledged residential buildings.

Just keep in mind one important nuance: glass and air inside – zero thermal protection. Therefore, in cool regions, if the bottle bottoms “look” outward and perform artistic role, then from the inside it is necessary to provide an insulating barrier between external cold and internal heat.

Still, in regions with cold climates it is better to abandon glass when building residential buildings. But for outbuildings, including gazebos, greenhouses, flower greenhouses - there are no and cannot be limits to imagination. Feel free to use glass bottles of all colors, sizes and shapes. It is also advisable to “wall” bottles tightly into walls or foundations. This results in savings on basic materials and increases the thermal protection of the structure.

Video – Ecohouse with bottles in the foundation

When choosing materials Be guided in no case by fashion or TV advertising, but by common sense and personal benefit. Even environmentally friendly materials can cause inconvenience to members of your family with increased allergic sensitivity.

Besides, Calculate your budget carefully. And remember that eco-houses need to be constantly looked after and monitored for their condition. This means that rarely visited buildings ( country houses) needs to be built more thoroughly. In houses of permanent residence, but with a large population, priority is strength characteristics: increased use of individual elements can lead to accelerated wear.

Necessarily Remember about frolicking children, their playfulness and curiosity. Until they grow up, refrain from using an abundance of flammable materials (straw, wood). Although in other cases this solution is more than ideal!

Video - House made of straw and boards

Today, eco-friendly houses are not just a fashionable trend from the West. Higher and higher rising energy prices in modern world making the problem of housing operating costs increasingly acute. Currently in European countries construction is actively developing energy efficient buildings, government programs are also being developed to bring development sites to the lowest possible level of energy consumption.

Some of the most popular materials for building an environmentally friendly house are: stone, wood, glass, concrete, metal and straw.

Hot water supply and heating occurs thanks to renewable energy using heat pumps, as well as geothermal heat pumps. These are the so-called ones that do not use third-party electricity resources.

Scheme for building such a passive energy-efficient house

The design of modern eco-friendly houses implies a new approach to the thermal insulation and lighting systems. At the same time, eco-house projects do not have a boring gray design, as many people think, but a very unusual and bold design, due to which they blend perfectly with the surrounding landscape.

Wooden eco-house project

For example, 17 kilometers from Hamburg (Germany) a very cozy and, at the same time, quite unusual square eco-house with two bathrooms and three bedrooms was built. Its main areas (kitchen and living room) are located just below ground level. Floors and walls of three bedrooms, which are illuminated during daylight hours due to high-quality insolation, are made using environmentally friendly wood panels. Open layout and windows large sizes give a feeling of freedom, light and air in a small house.

The housing is heated using geothermal energy, and the windows are equipped with high-quality double-glazed windows. To gain permanent access to this heat source, the ground was drilled to a depth of 75 m, after which a vertical pipe was installed. The liquid is pumped downwards, thoroughly warmed up due to the influence of the internal temperature of the earth, and then pumped upward, which makes it possible to heat the home through pipes in the concrete floor.

The rooms located on the top floor are connected to each other. When decorating the bathroom, non-toxic paint with stone tiles. In the manufacture of floor coverings, 5 layers of spruce wood were used.

In this video you can watch an overview of the best eco-friendly houses in the world

Eco-friendly houses in Russia are practically no different from those common in European countries. In the same way, their operation uses solar energy and autonomous systems heating

The external walls and floors of the house must be dark color, which will allow the structure to absorb as much as possible thermal energy. The eaves, canopies and roof are designed in such a way that in the summer they protect the house from overheating, and in the winter they let in as much sun rays as possible. You can increase the amount of incoming solar energy by placing it on the south side of the building big windows or glassed-in verandas. The facade on the north side should be as blank as possible and small windows. Thanks to all these actions, energy consumption can be reduced by about 20-30%.

Eco-houses made of straw

Building eco-friendly homes with walls made from straw bales is nothing new. Such buildings first appeared in the last century, in the USA, after the invention of balers. The oldest building dates back to 1903, and the main peak in the construction of thatched housing occurred in the 20s and 30s. There was a slight decline in the 80s, after which this method of construction confidently spread to many countries, including Australia, France, Canada, Finland, Mexico, etc. Currently, straw construction technology is gradually becoming popular in our country, which is explained by many factors.

House made of straw and clay

Firstly, straw is an excellent insulator. According to experts, the thermal resistance of a wall plastered on both sides, in the manufacture of which standard straw bales 500 mm thick were used, exceeds the standard by as much as 4 times. As you might guess, heat loss in such a house is much lower than in houses made of more conventional materials.

In addition, it is worth noting that energy costs in the production of straw bales, unlike other building materials, are incredibly low. In such cases, fuel is consumed, as a rule, only for the operation of the baler.

The low weight of the bales and, accordingly, the entire building as a whole allows for significant savings on the construction of a lighter foundation.

At the same time, you can hear about some of the disadvantages of such houses. The most common among them are statements that housing made of straw is too fire hazardous, and the material itself can quickly rot or become unusable due to rodents and various insects.

In fact, thatched walls plastered on both sides show even greater levels of fire resistance than, for example, wooden log houses. Accordingly, you don’t have to worry about fire safety if you approach the construction issue wisely and carefully.

Plastering the walls of a straw house

To avoid rotting of the walls, certain measures should be taken to waterproof the material, and during the construction process, use only well-dried bales. For greater reliability, bales can be treated with special antiseptics.

Ideal as protective measures against rodents metal mesh with a small cell, attached to the bales on all sides, as well as their thorough chemical treatment with borax, lime, etc. In addition, rodents do not really like rye straw, so it is better to use it as the main building material.

How to build an eco-house from straw and clay with your own hands

Mixing clay and straw allows you to make the structure of the house quite light and durable, significantly increasing the thermal insulation properties of ceilings and walls. An eco-frame house made of straw and clay will give you coolness in summer and warmth in winter.