Author: Dhrubajyoti Roy

Before we get into the various sustainable building examples, let us first understand what sustainability actually is. Sustainability is the way to create products and services that are required by humans by keeping in mind the impacts that the product or service might have on the environment. Sustainable design is the process of designing spaces that reduce the negative impacts it causes on the environment. The main objectives of a sustainable design are to minimize waste and reduce the usage of non-renewal resources, thereby creating healthy and productive environments for people to live in. Such designs improve building performances because they consider the building occupants’ health and well-being and the entire environment.

Buildings constructed in today’s world mostly emit carbon dioxide into the air which causes a considerable threat to the environment. Global warming is one such threat that is caused by such buildings. Global Warming is the long-term heating of the earth which is caused mostly due to the burning of fossil fuels, methane, and other poisonous gases into the environment. Sustainable designs or Eco-friendly designs are the only way to save our Earth from getting degraded as such designs are energy-efficient, environmentally friendly, built of green/recycled materials, and use alternative energy resources.

So as we can see, sustainable architecture is the future of living on Earth as it seeks to minimize the negative impacts on the environment. The use of sustainable or eco-friendly design is to ensure that future generations do not have to suffer from all the things we have done to our planet in the name of “comfort.” Today, the most important thing while designing a building is not that it should be big, bold, and beautiful but it must also be green and eco-friendly. Now, let us briefly look at some sustainable building examples and understand how they function.

Sustainable Building Examples

Shanghai Tower, China

Shanghai Tower, which stands 632 meters tall and is the second tallest building in the world, is considered to be a model of sustainability by various designers and architects of the world. The features incorporated in the building include wind turbines that are placed on the top of the structures that help power the outer lighting of the entire building as well as parking areas, transparent inner and outer skins located in the building help bring in natural light that cuts down the need for artificial lighting. Other features include smart control that monitors HVAC which helps cut down energy costs. Architects who designed the tower believe that it will save around $556,000 in costs due to the lighting controls alone. This, along with the other features, will help reduce the building’s carbon footprint by 34,000 metric tons annually.

The Crystal, UK

The Crystal located in London, UK is one of the most sustainable buildings present in the world today. It has outstanding ratings in LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) and BREEAM (Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Methodology). This building runs entirely on electricity that is generated using photovoltaic solar panels. The lights are a combination of LED and fluorescent lights, that switch on and off according to the amount of natural light present. There is a huge rainwater harvesting system in the building and the sewage produced by the building is treated, recycled, and reused on-site. The building is said to offer a fossil-fuel-precision of the future.

One Bryant Park, USA

One Bryant Park is a high-rise building located in New York, USA. It is one of the first high-rise buildings to get the LEED Platinum Certification and is considered to be one of the world’s greenest skyscrapers. The green features of the building include waterless urinals, LED lighting, CO2 monitors, and so on. The building also has a generation plant that makes around 4.6 megawatts of sustainable energy.

Manitoba Hydro Place, Canada

Manitoba Hydro Place is located in Winnipeg, Canada. The main features of this building include passive design strategies and natural ventilation. It also has geothermal systems installed that help regulate the temperature of the building. The roof gardens and triple-glazed windows of the building help give it a natural feel. These features help save around 60% of energy and make it one of North America’s most energy-efficient buildings.

One Angel Square, UK

One Angel Square located in Manchester, UK, is the headquarters of the Co-operative group. It houses around 3,000 employees and has been awarded an outstanding BREEAM rating. The building is powered by a pure plant oil-fed CHP (Combined Heat and Power) system. The system uses rapeseed oil that grows on the Cooperative group’s own farm. The excess energy produced is sent back to the grid. Green features of the building include LED Lighting, rainwater harvesting, and wastewater management.

Do you want to know some cozy wooden house design ideas? If yes, then you are at the exact place. You will be happy by the end.

When mankind evolved and came out of the caves, the first type of house that they created was a wooden house. They are the oldest kind of houses that we have now. It is because wooden houses are sustainable, less expensive, and more stylish. Because of these reasons even today people have started to move toward these wooden houses. Especially people who live in cold areas. Wooden houses are cozy and if created intelligently, they can be better than any concrete house.

Another reason for investing in wooden houses is that they can stand extreme weather conditions and are better for the environment. So it is a great investment for a house. With the knowledge that humans have now, many architects have done a remarkable job of innovating and combing modern resources. 

We have seen many cozy wooden house designs that are not only sustainable but also stylish. In this blog, we are going to discuss 10 of them that we think are worth sharing. So if you are someone who is planning to build a wooden house, stick to the end of this blog!

Big Wood House Design 

If you have a big budget and you are looking for a big family house then this big wood house design idea can be a nice option for you. It is a big house and even has a balcony. The windows design is what makes it unique and different than the other designs. You can have a swimming pool if you like. It is a dream house for wood house lovers.

Unique Log House 

The next design is this unique wood and log house design. The house is made of white oak wood. The whole house is covered in wooden logs. From doors to the rooftop, everything is wooden. Only the windows have glass. It has a balcony on the upper portion of the house. It is definitely one of the best cozy wooden house design ideas.

Simple Wood House Design 

The next house on the list is this simple wood house. It is a pentagon-shaped house. It is simple but has a unique design. It has two portions so a small family can easily fit in this house. The best part about this house is that the area is well-used. The resources are used intelligently. Mainly two types of wood are used in the house. The black-colored wood for the roof of the house and the regular wood for the rest of the house.

Cozy Wooden House Design 

This wooden house design is widely used in cold areas. Thus cozy wooden house design is very common and maybe you can use them for your house. The base is made of concrete and the rest of the house is made of wood. If you are somebody with a medium size family then this should be a good fit for you. Even a big family can also adjust to this house. 

Wood and Log House 

One of my favorite house designs on the list is this wood and log house design. The house is divided into four portions. So it is a huge house and a complete family can easily adjust in there. It is a pentagon-shaped house. The design is unique because of the combination of wood and glass. You should consider this design for your house.

 Unique Wood House 

If you are someone who is looking for a wooden house design that has a modern feel to it, then you should definitely consider this unique wood house design. It is a big house with a beautiful look. You can build a house like this in the countryside to spend your holidays. The house has mainly glass and wood.

Minimalistic Wood House 

This next minimalistic wood house design is probably one of the best budget wooden houses on the list. If you don’t like over-decorated or designed houses then this minimal design is what you should go for. It is small and can be a good option for a couple or small family. The door is not a regular door. It has a sliding door made of glass.

Classic Wood House Design 

If you are into old cozy wooden house designs then this next design could be the best fit for you. These types of designs are mostly famous in countries like China, Japan, and Malaysia. You can consider this design. This squared-shaped house is very spacious and enough for a small family.

Small Wooden House 

The next design is unique for its design. If you are on a budget and you are a single person or maybe a couple then you should go for this design. But if you have a big family then you should look for other designs on the list. It is a small house but it is completely stylish. With some effort, you can easily make the best out of the space. This is the kind of house one can build for small vacations in the wild. You can also build this kind of house in cold destinations. 

Modern Wooden House 

The last house on our list is this modern wooden house. If you have a big budget then you should go for this house. This house is completely modern. The design is not like the old wooden houses. The combination of brown and light brown wood with glass gives it a stylish look. It is a big house and can easily fit a big size family.

Conclusion 

Wooden houses are always trendy. Wooden houses are mostly built in cold areas because they are sustainable and cozy. But even in normal areas, people have started to move towards wooden houses. If you are also thinking of moving to a wooden house then you should consider the 10 cozy wooden house design ideas that we have discussed.