Today, what we build is as important as how we build it, from healthier materials to more advanced construction methods. A successful, sustainable home design is one with the least amount of negative impact on the environment as possible. And creating a sustainable home with Stillwater Dwellings means you are no longer required to make sacrifices. Gone are the days of having to choose between a home that’s better for the planet and one that is designed with luxury in mind. Doing good and looking good go hand in hand.
It Starts With Location
Location is incredibly important, especially when it comes to sustainable home design. Ideally, the home site is situated on infill or previously developed property and in proximity to existing infrastructure for roads and utilities. The home’s orientation is also a consideration to take advantage of opportunities for passive heating and cooling.
Forward-Thinking Construction
New home design is in a period of positive change as it moves toward more sustainable construction methods. Those for whom sustainability is a critical component of a home’s design, a Stillwater Dwellings systems-built home is a great choice. Components of systems-built homes (also known as prefab homes) are manufactured offsite in a climate-controlled facility then transported to the job-site and assembled. Prefab home advantages include significant reductions in materials waste, unmatched energy efficiencies, increased quality control, predictable project cycles, and fewer job-site deliveries, reducing the overall environmental footprint and impact. Our systems-built architects are also shattering long-held misconceptions about prefab or factory-built housing, and they are trailblazing the luxury-meets-sustainability new home marketplace.
Sustainability As Design
Manufacturers of building materials are answering a demand for eco-friendly products in exciting and innovative ways. While our team at Stillwater Dwellings is more concerned about long-term mindsets and lifestyle changes over trends, this movement is encouraging because it means there are more eco-friendly products on the market than ever before. A luxury, well-designed home can create less waste, use less energy, and be healthier for the planet with today’s ever-increasing choices of materials and products.
Whole-Systems Energy Approach
We can’t talk about sustainability without talking about energy. A home’s overall energy consumption should be considered at every point along the design and build lifecycle, from site selection and floor plan layout to materials specification and interior design. Insulation and sealing are critical to keep a home’s envelope airtight and reduce energy needs. Energy Star products, and high-performance windows and doors further decrease energy requirements. The use of solar power is another sustainable consideration that can be incorporated into the design of the home.
Healthier Materials
Being mindful of the materials specified for your home - where they are sourced, what they are made from, their labor origins, their mode and length of transport - is an important consideration in sustainable design. Some examples include:
- Engineered timber that protects old-growth forests
- Eco-friendly, low-VOC paints and adhesives
- Non-toxic sealers and stains
- Natural, renewable materials like bamboo, cork, and FSC-certified wood
At Stillwater Dwellings, creativity and innovation are at the heart of our home designs. Inside and out, we create beautiful and healthy one-of-a-kind spaces for our homeowners.
Photography by: The Creative Collective
