How To Design Great Houses That Protect Against Severe Weather Events – CleanTechnica

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Check out the latest Green Builder Media demonstration house, the VISION House Austin — a climate-responsive, carbon-neutral, beautiful powerhouse.

“The climate is changing. We must design accordingly,” warns Green Builder Media CEO Sara Gutterman. “The latest project in Green Builder Media’s VISION House demonstration project series, the VISION House Austin, has been designed for optimal climate responsiveness.”

So what exactly is climate responsiveness, when it comes to housing? It’s both art and science. Smart residential designers who understand the importance of fortifying homes

• Embrace climate-resilient design elements like proper orientation, overhangs, shade structures, and landscaping that reduce solar gain.
• Use passive cooling systems that use pressure differences within a structure to increase natural ventilation and circulate cool air.
• Take advantage of window films and reflective surfaces on roofs, walls, and hardscapes to keep interior and exterior spaces cool.

“It’s a never-ending battle to address weather shifts that have resulted in flooding, extreme temperatures, and storms,” Gutterman adds. “The VISION House Austin addresses all these in a charming home that will allow an elderly couple outside Austin to age in place in comfort and safety.”

The VISION House Austin was meticulously designed by internationally renowned architect Peter Pfeiffer and his Austin-based Barley|Pfeiffer Architecture team. It uses passive solar design to respond to sun angles and prevailing breezes to maintain a comfortable indoor environment.

The intelligent design enhances energy efficiency by reducing the heating and cooling load; resilient materials increase the home’s ability to withstand nature’s fury; and an integrated solar + battery storage system ensures that the house will remain functional in an extreme climate event or power outage.

“We are excited to partner with Green Builder Media in this program and see it as a great opportunity to showcase our design philosophy of ‘sustainable from the start,’” says Pfeiffer. “The most successful designs work in partnership with the surrounding landscape, taking into account local climate conditions. That is why we believe the quest for true sustainability in our built environment begins with the very earliest of design decisions, where you choose to locate the building on the site.”

The VISION House Austin demonstrates that sustainable architecture can be affordable and practical for everyday living, and that a home with a lower carbon footprint (net zero, all-electric, healthy, connected, and solar-powered) can lead to a higher quality of life for homeowners.

Construction on the VISION House Austin is underway, with the Grand Reveal planned for early 2025. Stay up to date on this project and all our sustainable education and news by subscribing to our weekly Vantage enewsletter.

About Green Builder Media

Green Builder Media is North America’s leading media company focused on green building and sustainable living content. With a comprehensive suite of content marketing, digital, social, and print media options, high-profile demonstration projects, market intelligence, data services, and live events, Green Builder Media offers a blend of visionary and practical information covering a broad spectrum of topics, including decarbonization, electrification, smart home technologies, energy efficiency, intelligent water, indoor air quality, resilient housing, renewables, and clean transportation.

Courtesy of Green Builder Media.