Self-sustainable homes

[synchromesh]

Hiya.

For the people who don't have a self-sustainable home:

If you were to build (or have built) a self-sustainable home, what do you think it would be? And also, where do you think that you would have it?

For the people who do have a self-sustainable home:

What kind of self-sustainable home do you have, and where do you have it?

Yeah, that should be enough to get the ball rolling. Of course if anybody wants to include any extra information, you are very welcome to do that.

[incognito]

[Yeti101]

I guess it depends on what level of self-sustainability you are going for and in what context. Were you thinking a stand-alone self-sustaining home,or being part of a self-sustainable community?

Currently, we're renting in the suburbs, so my meager veggie/herb/entheo garden and compost regime are the only real self-sustaining practices available, though I did grow up on a farm where we were more independent in terms of our food, timber and water.

I think that for a single dwelling to be totally (or at least mainly) self-sustaining would require a a decent sized property - you need room to grow timber, plants for fibre (I know which one I'd choose ), plants or animals for protein, a water source etc. Perhaps 20 acre fully integrated permaculture set up going out to at least Zone 4. Further details depend on the level of self-sustainability you are going for. I mean, is installing silicon solar panels sustainable, or even self-sustainable?

Ideally, I'd go for the property as described, with at least some marketable produce to trade/sell. I would tend to go with low-tech solutions, unless the high-tech was clearly more sustainable (which is often not the case). But for things like electricity production, I'd hold off installing solar for a few more years until the organic-based panels and solar paints are better developed as I think they will be more sustainable (in the broader sense) than current technology.

I'd consider a mud-brick or straw bale and mud render house - not sure what roofing I'd go for. Semi or completely underground (depending on local geology) could also be good. Insulate the living daylights out of it, save every drop of water.

Edit: spelling.

Edited October 18, 2010 by Yeti101

[psili sausage]

nice one incog!

[synchromesh]

20 acres? I was thinking of more like 5...

[ThunderIdeal]

i reckon you could do a lot with 5, you could do a lot with 1 really, it depends on how intensively the land is used. to be producing all kinds of things for yourself and surviving years of adverse conditions, 20 seems more like it.

anyway http://www.yeomansplow.com.au/yeomans-keyline-system.htm this is some heavy stuff that the permaculture books don't touch on a great deal, keyline plowing is mentioned and some of the other concepts probably effected the overall permaculture mould, but it's kind of a different approach in some ways. it's earlier than permaculture, and was mainly designed for large properties. as i said this is heavy gear and NOT to be overlooked if you are deadly serious about sustainable land use and getting the most from your land. interestingly soil development is considered one of the last priorities (eg you sort out other things first, dams, fencing etc) whereas permaculture you would be more inclined to get started building the soil right away. i think that some soil development should begin ASAP, it isn't hard to throw some legumes or acacias around, but there's a lot of merit to paying most of your attention to other areas first. you want your dams in the right spot so check it out, i'm sorry i don't have the right links but you can probably look at the books at your local horticultural TAFE library.

keyline plowing would be mandatory for me.

edit: books by PA yeomans and i suspect his work may have been updated posthumously. i seem to remember his ideas went by some name, but i only remember the authors name.

Edited October 18, 2010 by ThunderIdeal

[ThunderIdeal]

i guess they key word is keyline. this seems like a good site to begin looking http://www.keyline.com.au/

[synchromesh]

Thanks for the info, but I doubt I'll ever be going that big.

If the conditions were regularly good, and I wanted to be a beekeeper/hobby farmer, would 1 acre see me through?

[kindness]

as TI said you can do heaps with a small area. The bee's don't have to forage in your acre... and it depends what sort of hobby you want your income to come from? Could specialize in growing something rare, hard to grow... then the acre, in the right climate might work.

If you are looking to make a home and piece of land as sustainable as possible then there are tonnes of information you can get hold of and every effort you make is likely to be in the right direction.

Would you be looking at buying an existing home or building a new one?

But yeah, soil type and climate... position of the land etc are going to dictate what sort of stuff you are able to do... oh yeah and of course soil condition.

No excuse not to start composting, insulating, and flicking off light switches today however

[bℓσωηG]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wRtDh6YUt-0&feature=related

[synchromesh]

as TI said you can do heaps with a small area. The bee's don't have to forage in your acre... and it depends what sort of hobby you want your income to come from? Could specialize in growing something rare, hard to grow... then the acre, in the right climate might work.

At first I was just thinking of selling the standard things (apples, carrots and eggs, etc), but I guess the sky's the limit.

If you are looking to make a home and piece of land as sustainable as possible then there are tonnes of information you can get hold of and every effort you make is likely to be in the right direction.

Thanks for the encouragement.

Would you be looking at buying an existing home or building a new one?

Building a new one. A dome shell or a cabin is probably what I'll go for.

But yeah, soil type and climate... position of the land etc are going to dictate what sort of stuff you are able to do... oh yeah and of course soil condition.

No excuse not to start composting, insulating, and flicking off light switches today however

Yeah, I know. That's why I really need to do my research. And I'm hoping that this thread will help me with that.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wRtDh6YUt-0&feature=related

That's doable! - http://thehempbuilder.com/pictures/hemp-home-under-construction-at-billen-cliffs_s

[Sola]

How much acreage one requires to be fully sustainable is definitely dependant on climate, aspect and

available natural resources. Also I guess what level of comfort one expects. Here in SA many of the old

buildings and ruins are made of stone as there is a lot laying around. Many farmers will let you take it for free

just to get rid of it. So that's what I'd build the house with, should only have to do it once so less of an impact

than continuous up keep. If you had a larger property, 80-100 acres, you could use fallen tree limbs for fire wood

and construction, definitely not cutting anything down.

Of course half burying the house into a hill where it is naturally protected and using lots of insulation/ double

glazing is mandatory. Also utilising second hand materials and avoiding new manufacturing energy helps.

Having the space to do your own vegetables, fruit, meat (sorry vegetarians) and chooks avoids expense and

relying on unsustainable inputs used elsewhere. If you can produce more than you can use then you have a small

income to pay rates.

Storing your own water is essential here at least, for yourself, food and animal production and I spose potentially

fire protection. Recycling every drop and using sparingly one could get away with tanks to 50 000L, to be safe.

Minimising energy use can mean you can use solar or wind generation etc, depending on location.

Small or no fridge, all cooking done with wood stove, utilising community computers, washing machines etc. and living

with less could be very rewarding and far more sustainable.

Composting, permaculture and aquaponics there are so many elements to going off the grid.

I'm heading outside to do some more.

[synchromesh]

What can I say man, you're on my wave-length. Thanks for the excellent post.

[synchromesh]

Cody Lundin's Self-Reliant Home...doing more with less.

The Small House Society

Woman content living in 84-sq. ft. dream home

[San Rainbow]

What can I say man, you're on my wave-length. Thanks for the excellent post.

 

What he said

[synchromesh]

Come on, there must be somebody on this forum with a self-sustainable home...

[kadakuda]

great posts!

we just bought a house, and i am hoping to make a self reliant home...but being married with a woman who likes comfort isnt making that easy.

i have decided to try and build a traditional taiwanese style house that uses a walled rectangle with rooms and roof less courtyards in teh middle. Also thinking of using underground heating produced from fireplace/stove. still not sure how ideal a stone home in canada willbe, anyone (perhaps european people) have good points on heating a stone house in cold areas? canada is mostly woode fram housing, which i find quite nasty personally.

[synchromesh]

Sounds great, kadakuda.

I'm going to a salvage warehouse today to see what I can find for my future cabin. I will let you all know if I find anything interesting.

[kindness]

So, if you have your block already what is the soil like? If there is a good amount of clay will mud brick be an option for you? If it's near an area of high wheat production, (read straw) perhaps straw bale would work for you. If there are lotsa trees you can mill em onside, get someone with a Lucas mill to do it for you. Or you could just go tipi style or old caravan with a shelter attached while you work out exactly what you want

One thing I wish I had done and may yet start is keep a journal/book that is soleley about houses I see that I like. It may only be one little thing on the house like the clothes rack above the fire place or nooks created in a straw bale wall... If I could reference all the sweet stuff I've seen in peoples homes I could be doing that at mine now!

[synchromesh]

No block yet. I'm still just trying to work out what I want.

Mud brick is a possibility, although I'm still edging towards a timber cabin. One that is passive solar and made mostly with second-hand building supplies...

Cheers, kindness.

[alphaomega]

Come on, there must be somebody on this forum with a self-sustainable home...

 

i live in what you could call a self sustainable home.. north facing, mudbrick, poured earth floor, straw batt ceiling insulation, solar power, fire/solar heated hot water.. also 14 acres of paddock, bush, veggie/herb/ornamental gardens. we used some recycled timbers also no paint/chemicals..

[synchromesh]

Awesome. Did the mudbrick home cost you much?

[alphaomega]

Awesome. Did the mudbrick home cost you much?

 

i think around $110,000 all up. thats materials, labour, and all the things i mentioned above. that figure could be drastically reduced by sourcing recycled timber, making your own bricks on site, doing labour yourself etc..

[alphaomega]

Awesome. Did the mudbrick home cost you much?

 

btw, its an open plan three bedroom, two storey 120 square meter house.

Edited November 9, 2010 by alphaomega

[synchromesh]

Thanks mate. It looks like you got a really good deal.