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It’s never been more important to reduce your reliance on the outside world. If you’re thinking of redesigning your home to live a more self-sufficient life, here are three things to consider.
At the time of writing, the UK is under lockdown due to the Coronavirus outbreak. Schools are closed; most shops are shut. We’re not allowed to leave our homes except to buy essentials or for an hour of exercise. We hope this period of upheaval will be over soon and life can return to normal. However, it may go on for longer than expected, or there may be other viruses in the future.
It would benefit us all if we could be more self-sufficient in our homes. During lockdown periods, it would mean we do not have to leave the house as much. On top of that, becoming less reliant on outside resources is better for the environment. Plus, once you have paid the upfront cost of redesigning your home for self-sufficiency, you spend less money on food and energy.
Here are three things to think about when designing your self-sufficient home.
Every self-sufficient home must be able to produce enough food for the people living in it. The best way to do this is by adding a large enough vegetable plot to your garden and growing your own crops. You should also think about an orchard for fruit and a herb garden for smaller produce.
However, most vegetable crops are seasonal, so you will also need to allocate space for a large enough greenhouse, so you can grow food for the whole year round.
You may also want to think about space for livestock. Chickens are the ideal animal for the self-sufficient garden as they will produce eggs all year round. When you have eggs, the variety of different meals you can create increases.
As you redesign your home, make sure you create the space for this activity, even if it means the living area is slightly smaller.
Your home cannot be truly self-sufficient unless you create enough energy to power it, meaning you don’t need to rely on the grid.
There are many ways to generate electricity on your property. The most popular methods are by installing solar panels or wind turbines. Solar panels absorb energy from the sun and transport it to a battery, connected to your home. If you generate an excess of power, you can sell it back to the grid if you wish. Wind turbines work in the same way, but they need to be located in the right place.
Your self-sufficient home will also need its own source of water. If you do not have a natural source of water on your property, your options are to build a well or collect rainwater. A well taps into underground water sources. The water is then filtered, so it is safe to drink, and pumped into your home. A rainwater collection system involves directing rain through guttering into large barrels. Again, it is filtered and pumped into your home.
Finally, your home will need heating. The greenest way is through an air source heat pump, which takes heat from the air outside your home, then compresses it to create a new source of heat, which you can use to provide heat and hot water in your self-sufficient property. You could also use a wood-burning stove to heat your home. However, you must make sure you use fuel that does not emit particles into the atmosphere.
In your self-sufficient home, you must reduce your footprint as much as possible. This means creating as little waste and boosting recycling.
Ideally, your redesigned home should be made from recycled and renewable sources. For example, you could use natural materials for insulation, such as straw.
You also need to think about recycling human waste. The best way to do this is by installing a composting toilet. Rather than being connected to a sewer, a composting toilet separates your waste to an area where it can compost. The compost can then be used in your vegetable garden.
You will find as you redesign your home, that the smaller the living area is, the easier it is to be self-sustaining. Smaller homes are easier to heat, they require less power and they use up fewer resources during the build. Also, having a smaller living area on your property gives you more room for a garden. Talk to your architect about smart designs for your home, so you can make the most of the space available.
We hope the Coronavirus crisis will end soon and life can return to normal, but it will be fascinating to see how it all plays out. Will architects be more inclined to start designing for self-sufficiency and sustainability? It will be interesting to find out.
To find out more about Harvey Wright Architects, call 020 3239 6044 or visit hwarchitects.co.uk.
© Copyright Harvey Wright Architects 2024.
© Copyright Harvey Wright Architects.
