Welcome. This is a forum for talking about all things “home”: design, building, living in homes, commuting to homes (or not), sharing homes, home renovation, growing food at home, and lots more. Our homes may be the best place to begin re-establishing a balance between our species and the world of life, energy and resources that sustains our survival and enjoyment of life.
First, a few words about me. I am a residential designer. I design new homes and renovations and have done so since 1990. When people ask me what’s special about my projects, I usually point to a few things:
- Efficient use of space
- Design with the sun and the site in mind
- Careful listening to what my clients are really looking for
- Graceful and timeless lines and proportions
In short: good homes that fit their owners and fit the land. Not earth-shaking, but solid.
Over the past couple of years though, I’ve been feeling like there’s got to be more to it. These homes may feel really good to the people that build them and live in them, but how do they feel to the planet? Can we keep on building the way we do in perpetuity and expect that everything will be okay?
I don’t think so. Once you start looking at the bigger picture, all the decisions made in our homes come into question. Each person on earth has rights to something like 5.2 acres of ecological footprint (the average North American uses 18 acres or more). Many resources are running out, and many of our local ecosystems are feeling tapped out. And there are more people every year… Continuing to do business-as-usual involves increasing amounts of denial and unfounded optimism. So I would like us to change how we design homes and how we build and live in them.
Through my practice, I’ve come to know a few things, and have been able to nudge my dwellings a little bit towards greater sustainability. I’ve read a lot and know that there’s a lot more to read. The pieces to the puzzle are out there. People I know in our community have gone further and put things into practice. With this blog, I hope to further the conversation about how to create homes for the future we need. Thus the conversation has two parts, the home part – everything from design to construction techniques to technology – and the future part – what does a truly sustainable human culture and, in particular, its housing look like?
The areas I’d like us to explore together reflect this reach:
- Environmental ethics including living within our means, ecological footprint, levels of consumption, permaculture
- Creating resilience in our communities and “future-proofing” our homes
- The principles of sustainable design
- Alternative building materials and construction techniques
- Net-Zero and Net-Zero Ready housing
Let’s explore these questions and quest together for answers. Your comments and questions are always welcome.
John Gower
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