Selasa, 02 Oktober 2012

Façade Design Inspiration


In general terms, a façade is the skin over something deep which porpoise is to somehow hide what is really kept inside. In architectural terms, however, a façade is the very essence of a building. It probably has the strongest impact at a first sight in the street. Often the façade shows the essence of the general structure and all its shapes. So working with facades is something very special and delicate. The entire look of a house can depend on the perfection and precision of the façade.
The basic inspiration for facades designing in modern architecture comes from a variety of places. There isn’t an established inspiration source from which architects take their ideas. Architects are actually characterized for being able to find inspiration in about anything they see. An architect can be watching a documental on the ancient Rome and at the next day start designing Doric columns all around their houses. This is how most of all architects find their inspiration. Looking at a landscape or a single object somewhere can be enough to plant a seed of inspiration in one of these artists’ mind.
Another architect can approach to the South Ocean Islands to take a rest and come back home full of inspiration to use natural materials.  A trip to Asia, Africa, India or just about any place in the world can get an architect on the mood to design something fresh and something new. So it is clear that an architect’s inspiration when it comes to façade designing comes from anywhere.
However, it is clear that clients have the last word when it comes to design. Even though the architect might feel like designing an Asian-like house, the client might be looking for something different. It is important for architects to be able to adapt to the client’s needs and likes. This way they can find inspiration on what they need to build and not what they want in the moment. There are a lot of common façade designs that can be found almost in any city around the world; bricks. However, it is impressive to see the amount of styles and textures of brick there are in the market. This is probably the reason why people seem to really like it. Bricks are also one of the most inexpensive facades available.
However, there are hundreds of façade styles that can be found in different parts of the world. Some people really like stone, marble and such materials. However, the cost of a construction using them can really increase. This is because not all builders now how to deal with these less-common facades.
The reality is that the whole façade choosing is up to the house’s owner. It is important for those that are building a house to take some time and check all the façade styles there are available. Don’t go for the first brick imitation or anything like that. A house can really change its complete look just by using a different façade. Always take into consideration that some facades are not designed to go through some kinds of weather. If you choose the wrong façade, you might end up having to change it entirely a few years later. This is why it is important to take an architect with you in order to chose well and avoid future problems. An architect will also be able to tell you which façade will be cheaper to install and maintain. Remember that each material has to be washed in different ways and all of them require a different type of care. Some facades are very expensive to maintain, and that’s what keeps people from buying them.

Senin, 01 Oktober 2012

How to Build a Green House


First of all it is very important to be clear about what a green house really is. A green house is a building that manages to use self-generated energy in order to save electrical energy and help the environment. These houses were not very famous ten years ago. However, as the global warming issue has started to get worse, more people are considering building their houses like this in order to not suffer any issues in case something went wrong with power suppliers. These systems also represent substantial money saving in a long term perspective, as there will be no power supplier to pay to. There are some things that have to be taken into consideration if you are willing to make your house able to use a green system. These aspects have to be revised from the very beginning of the construction.
The Building’s Orientation – There is a specific way to place your house in order to take as much energy as possible from heat and the sun. This orientation is exactly within 10 degrees of true south. This will help your panels take as much heat as you might possibly need. Always take special care of trees or other buildings surrounding your house. Remember that these can work as shadow producers and keep you from getting the energy you need.
Window Designs – the “Window Area” is what they call the area in which solar panels will be laced. Some people think that it is better to have very big window areas in order to take more energy from the panels. However, having a larger window area can cause the system to overheat. Then you will be forced to use cooling materials like concrete and so to keep your house from being too hot during the summer.
There is actually a formula that will give you the exact amount of window area that you should install in each room. That is the percentage given bellow, divided into the total floor area (times 100 as it is a percentage).
  • If the glass is facing south – 5% to 12% of the total floor area of the house.
  • If the glass is facing east – less than 4% of the total floor area.
  • If the glass is facing west – less than 2% of the floor area (this will avoid the house to overheat during the summer.)
  • -          If the glass is facing north – less than 4% of the floor area.

These are very basic tips that will help you install a very nice green system in your house. About 80% of all the problems people have with these systems are caused by a misunderstanding of the percentages above. This is exactly why it is important to be very careful about them and find the exact amount of window area to place.
This is not something you will have to do by yourself. Remember that there are specialists that can get the idea you want in your roof and make your dream house start working. However, it is also important that you measure your floor area, and make your calculus several times so that you know you are not making any mistakes. This way you will avoid future problems with your solar system.
A secondary aspect to also be careful about is the placing of the common windows in the house. The position of these will affect the amount of air that will get into the house. This can also keep the house from overheating due to the solar panel system. Good ventilation is enough to keep a house fresh even during the summer.