Sustainability
Forward Thinking
We believe in creating beautiful buildings that incorporate environmentally and ethically responsible design elements. Stamp and Hammer participates in and exemplifies this shift toward sustainability by embracing decarbonization and resilient design strategies that benfits communities, future generations, and the natural environment.
We have listed below some of the items in your design we can help you with.
Size
An efficient design layout allows for a smaller house design without having to compromise on comfort. Smaller houses are more efficient: it reduces material and energy use making them more efficient and less wasteful.
Orientation
Orientation is important in order to build a more sustainable home. Evaluation of the site is the first step to understand it’s unique character. When living in a colder climate taking advantage of the sun by having more window’s facing south is a cheap and efficient way of using natural resources helping to heat the home, as well as bringing in natural light.
Insulation
Deciding on the insulation used is an extremely important choice. The most common types of insulation are fibreglass, cellulose, and foam and ICF forms. The option to add insulation above the required insulation value is something that is always an easy option to reduce heat loss.
Local Material Selection
Using local materials will reduce the need for shipping. This might be a bit of a harder choice simple because options might not always be available however for example using stone from the local stone quarry goes a long way.
Window and Doors Selection
Efficient windows and doors are a must; they should at minimum be a double or triple pane window with proper weatherstripping to keep out the elements. Choosing windows with higher glass and material insulation value balances the cost by showing savings with lower heating bills.
Energy Star Appliances
Using energy efficient appliances and equipment is the easiest energy efficient home ideas to achieve. As a minimum requirement, use Energy Star rated appliances, AC units, and water heaters.
Efficient HVAC Design/Radiant Heat
Heat and AC is typically the largest source of energy consumption in a home, and it is important to use an efficient and well-designed system:smart thermostats can reduce energy consumption by learning patterns and optimizing comfort levels. Zones breaks the house into zones, so the temperatures are independent by room.
Solar Panels
Solar power is both a clean and a renewable source of energy. Even through the upfront cost is fairly expensive as a long term investment this is a great option to lower future electric bills while making the carbon footprint of your home smaller.