Green Dwellings in the Tropics
The Jakarta Post - WEEKENDER | Thu, 04/23/2009 6:46 PM |
Blinds shut, windows closed, the AC system blasting a steady stream of simulated freshness – you have finally sealed off your fortress from the dirty outdoors. Under siege indeed – the analogy is tempting. But let down your home’s guard, and you might be surprisingly rewarded. This month, architect Marco Kusumawijaya sheds some light on home green tips and his own breezy abode (in Central Jakarta no less).
A dwelling unit, be it an apartment or a landed house, contributes to green living through the process of its creation. This has a lot to do with energy use – price reflects the relative rate of energy used in constructing the unit. But no less important is how the dwelling’s design determines the amount of energy used to live in it.
An apartment unit is obviously more energy-intensive, in both its construction and its operation, and this can be deduced from its price and operation fees. An apartment building of more than four stories will need elevators, custom pumps, special structures and construction methods, along with other requirements that are not needed in low-rise apartment buildings. That is why high-density but medium-rise (four to six floors) apartment buildings are considered optimal.
High-rise apartment buildings are material-intensive – hence energy-intensive – not only in terms of their construction, but also while they are operated and lived in. The wind at higher sections can be very strong, making it uncomfortable to open the windows, and hence forcing you to depend solely on AC (air conditioning). Even if the windows are open, the cross-ventilation may not be sufficient because of limited openings in the opposite walls. It is almost certain that you will have to depend on exhaust fans for toilets and kitchens. All that makes up for higher monthly electricity bills.
So, what can we do to green our homes?
• Size does matter: The problem with apartment units is that they are difficult to modify once they are built. Moreover, your landlord or building manager might not allow you to change things. You might try to isolate your bedrooms so they are the only spaces that rely on AC. If your lifestyle permits, smaller rooms are better. Knocking down the walls that divide other spaces makes air flow more freely.
• Hiding from the sun: Tropical wisdom is to always have all outside walls protected from direct exposure to the sun and rain. Overhangs do just that, so the outside wall temperature will be more “flat” during the day.
• Letting air flow: A house that is correctly positioned in regard to the sun and prevailing winds, with appropriate windows, roof shape and materials, needs much less electricity (energy!) for AC and lighting – at least for a good part of the day – even in a crowded city like Jakarta. I live in a small landed house in Central Jakarta without ever using AC – I don’t even have it installed. The secret is the free flow of air, not only horizontally but also vertically. My roof simply consists of exposed clay tiles that fit together enough to be rainproof, while being sufficiently loose to let air escape through the gaps between the overlapping tiles. Between November and February, I usually sleep with a thin blanket, as it is comfortably cool during those months. The mosquito problem is solved with the use of a net, which can be fashionable with the current trends in interior design.
• Living with less energy also means living organically: A house freely connected to the outside organic world will also experience some “organic revitalization”, both outdoors and indoors. If you have a yard, free it from any dead material covering it. Let the space breathe. If you worry about dirt, you can cover the area with loose pebbles or punctuated blocks so rainwater can still seep into the soil. Grass is an option, but it needs direct sunlight and continuous watering, because grass roots are short.
• Plants, fragrance and the garden: Your dwelling breathes the outside air, which in crowded urban areas is not always clean. You might want to plant trees and bushes that filter the air passing through your house at different heights from the ground. Position the trees near doors and windows to efficiently filter the air entering your house. Correctly positioned, fragrant trees and bushes will carry their natural fragrance inside. These plants will also attract insects, and insects attract birds, which you will soon notice singing in the morning. An even more radical suggestion is to use your yard to grow your own food! Compost your organic waste, and use it to fertilize your vegetables and tomatoes.
• Saving water: Unless you already use renewable energy to heat water, think about showering with cold water, which is in fact generally healthier for your skin and more effective for overall freshness. If you can afford a solar heater, choose one without an electrical converter and which automatically uses electricity when the sun does not shine enough. Some brands (e.g. Thermomax) are really efficient even when there is little sunlight, and do not need any electricity backup at all.
There’s obviously much more that can be done to green your dwelling. But through these slight adjustments, step by step, you can begin to evolve your home into a space that adapts to the environment, rather than shutting yourself away from it.
Greenlifestyle is a community of urban dwellers in Indonesia with more than just a passing interest in adopting an environment-friendly lifestyle. From saving on electricity bills to getting the ultimate compost going, visit www.greenlifestyle.or.id or send an email to greenlifestyle@gmail.com to tap into Greenlifestyle’s tips and best practices. You can also join the mailing list at http://groups.google.com/group/greenlifestyle.
A dwelling unit, be it an apartment or a landed house, contributes to green living through the process of its creation. This has a lot to do with energy use – price reflects the relative rate of energy used in constructing the unit. But no less important is how the dwelling’s design determines the amount of energy used to live in it.
An apartment unit is obviously more energy-intensive, in both its construction and its operation, and this can be deduced from its price and operation fees. An apartment building of more than four stories will need elevators, custom pumps, special structures and construction methods, along with other requirements that are not needed in low-rise apartment buildings. That is why high-density but medium-rise (four to six floors) apartment buildings are considered optimal.
High-rise apartment buildings are material-intensive – hence energy-intensive – not only in terms of their construction, but also while they are operated and lived in. The wind at higher sections can be very strong, making it uncomfortable to open the windows, and hence forcing you to depend solely on AC (air conditioning). Even if the windows are open, the cross-ventilation may not be sufficient because of limited openings in the opposite walls. It is almost certain that you will have to depend on exhaust fans for toilets and kitchens. All that makes up for higher monthly electricity bills.
So, what can we do to green our homes?
• Size does matter: The problem with apartment units is that they are difficult to modify once they are built. Moreover, your landlord or building manager might not allow you to change things. You might try to isolate your bedrooms so they are the only spaces that rely on AC. If your lifestyle permits, smaller rooms are better. Knocking down the walls that divide other spaces makes air flow more freely.
• Hiding from the sun: Tropical wisdom is to always have all outside walls protected from direct exposure to the sun and rain. Overhangs do just that, so the outside wall temperature will be more “flat” during the day.
• Letting air flow: A house that is correctly positioned in regard to the sun and prevailing winds, with appropriate windows, roof shape and materials, needs much less electricity (energy!) for AC and lighting – at least for a good part of the day – even in a crowded city like Jakarta. I live in a small landed house in Central Jakarta without ever using AC – I don’t even have it installed. The secret is the free flow of air, not only horizontally but also vertically. My roof simply consists of exposed clay tiles that fit together enough to be rainproof, while being sufficiently loose to let air escape through the gaps between the overlapping tiles. Between November and February, I usually sleep with a thin blanket, as it is comfortably cool during those months. The mosquito problem is solved with the use of a net, which can be fashionable with the current trends in interior design.
• Living with less energy also means living organically: A house freely connected to the outside organic world will also experience some “organic revitalization”, both outdoors and indoors. If you have a yard, free it from any dead material covering it. Let the space breathe. If you worry about dirt, you can cover the area with loose pebbles or punctuated blocks so rainwater can still seep into the soil. Grass is an option, but it needs direct sunlight and continuous watering, because grass roots are short.
• Plants, fragrance and the garden: Your dwelling breathes the outside air, which in crowded urban areas is not always clean. You might want to plant trees and bushes that filter the air passing through your house at different heights from the ground. Position the trees near doors and windows to efficiently filter the air entering your house. Correctly positioned, fragrant trees and bushes will carry their natural fragrance inside. These plants will also attract insects, and insects attract birds, which you will soon notice singing in the morning. An even more radical suggestion is to use your yard to grow your own food! Compost your organic waste, and use it to fertilize your vegetables and tomatoes.
• Saving water: Unless you already use renewable energy to heat water, think about showering with cold water, which is in fact generally healthier for your skin and more effective for overall freshness. If you can afford a solar heater, choose one without an electrical converter and which automatically uses electricity when the sun does not shine enough. Some brands (e.g. Thermomax) are really efficient even when there is little sunlight, and do not need any electricity backup at all.
There’s obviously much more that can be done to green your dwelling. But through these slight adjustments, step by step, you can begin to evolve your home into a space that adapts to the environment, rather than shutting yourself away from it.
Greenlifestyle is a community of urban dwellers in Indonesia with more than just a passing interest in adopting an environment-friendly lifestyle. From saving on electricity bills to getting the ultimate compost going, visit www.greenlifestyle.or.id or send an email to greenlifestyle@gmail.com to tap into Greenlifestyle’s tips and best practices. You can also join the mailing list at http://groups.google.com/group/greenlifestyle.
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