Ana Goglin

5/29/18

Green House

EQ

How can I design/create an eco-friendly/energy efficient etc house using revit software?

Abstract

This project is to create a small, and eco-friendly house using the tools I have

available. These days while people care about the environment, and recycle, they don’t

seem to understand the environmental impact a house can have. Having an eco-friendly

house helps with water conservation, lower carbon footprint, and reduced chemical

emissions. If someone doesn’t care about the environment who can argue with lower

building costs, higher value of their property, and a more efficient home. Researching

the aspects of a clean and efficient home, then using Revit, an architectural software

used by professionals in the industry, to create a 3D model and design, are what this

project is all about. By using Revit the project went fairly smoothly, and the house came

out fitting all the basic requirements that an eco-house may need. Researching for this

project provided information about houses impacts on the environment. This one senior

project could affect an entire generation and change the world, bringing the problems

with the environment to the forefront of everyone's mind, ending global warming and

saving the planet.

 Introduction

Houses usually require a large amount of energy, and most of it goes to waste.

Almost 75% of energy and electricity are used to power buildings. Often times the

materials that houses are made of are bad for the environment. Having energy efficient

and eco friendly homes are the future. Eco-friendly building materials, energy efficient

appliances, clean, renewable energy, and designing the house in a specific shape and

style can make a house that is efficient and good for the environment.

Sustainability, energy efficiency, quality, affordability, and waste manageability

are just some of the criteria that a building material has to meet to be able to qualify as

green. There are a surprising amount of options available, from recycled materials to

renewable ones. They can be even better than the materials that are typically used.

“Alhough [sic] that recycled materials represent one option, green materials also include

reused materials, renewable materials … a green material does not have to cost more

or be of lesser or higher quality” (Tolson). Steel and glass can be recycled without any

loss of quality, and recycling steel actually causes less carbon emissions that

manufacturing new steel. Reclaimed wood is usually interior accessories but it is much

better for the environment than using fresh timber. Surprisingly using leftover straw can

be a very good insulator, it may not seem particularly modern but if it is sealed properly

it can be even better than the more common insulation used today. Another good and

environmentally friendly resource could be bamboo. “Bamboo takes five to seven years
to mature as opposed to the 50-100 years of other trees like maple and oak used for

hardwood flooring. This makes it an environmentally sound. Some bamboo is even

harder than red oak. It can withstand some wetting and though is prone to scratches,

can be refurnished [sic] easily to remove traces of wear and tear and look new again.”

(Kinhal). Bamboo is a very good option to replace the more traditional materials; it

grows very quickly so it is easily renewable, a few species of bamboo actually have the

same strength ratio of steel, and the compression ratio of concrete, which has the

highest compression ratio of all common building materials It is an eco-friendly building

material, being more quickly renewable, easier to manufacture, and more

environmentally friendly.

Other than the materials used to build a house, energy efficient appliances are a

key factor in making a house better for the environment. The majority of America's

electricity usage is from buildings, and they account for a large percentage of

greenhouse gas emissions. Using energy efficient appliances would greatly decrease

the costs and need for energy. “Living in an eco-friendly home reduces your carbon

footprint, helps sustain our natural resources, and saves money on your energy bills.”

(Quilty). Having appliances that are efficient and use less energy means that less

money would be spent on energy, which while isn’t necessarily good for the

environment, helps sell the product and also benefits the buyer. Alongside this, less

resources would be used up powering the appliances; which prevents environmental

problems. “Use of energy efficient appliances minimizes the exploitation of natural

resources...Generation of energy using water, oil, coal, and natural gas leads to water,

soil, and air pollution through industrial effluents and emissions. Energy efficient
appliances help in controlling pollution.” (Matter of Trust). Energy efficient appliances in

homes and buildings use less energy. By using energy efficient bulbs people can save

upto 25% on energy costs. The need for energy is a huge drain on the environment.

Despite the large initial cost of many of these appliances, in the long run they will pay

for themselves and have a greater more positive impact on the environment.

To power energy efficient appliances what better than using clean and green

energy? Using clean and renewable energy to power a home is probably going to be

one of the bigger factors in making a house environmentally friendly. “Generating

electricity from renewable energy rather than fossil fuels offers significant public health

benefits. The air and water pollution emitted by coal and natural gas plants is linked to

breathing problems, neurological damage, heart attacks, and cancer. Replacing fossil

fuels with renewable energy has been found to reduce premature mortality and lost

workdays, and it reduces overall healthcare costs” (UOCS). Switching to clean and

renewable energy can have many benefits to the environment and a person’s health.

Renewable energy is a very broad subject, there are many kinds of energy that have

their own pros and cons. “Fossil fuels are exhaustible sources of energy, whereas

renewable energy sources are inexhaustible, and can be easily replenished… Reliability

and consistency is a significant drawback with respect to renewable energy.

Atmospheric conditions and geographical locations make a huge impact on the efficacy

of these sources. Their initial investment or setup cost is significantly high. This acts as

a deterrent in people for switching over to these options.” (HSN). There are both pros

and cons of clean energy, the pros are that they are very good for the environment and

can save money over time. The cons are that the initial cost is high and depending on
the location the practicality of the energy gathering source may be lower. However

overall switching to renewable and clean energy is much better for the environment and

can even power a house much better than fossil fuel type energy.

The layout of a house can have a great impact on its efficiency and save on

energy costs. By designing houses in certain ways, such as facing the windows a

certain direction, using non-traditional roofs, or even arranging the plants in a particular

way outside can impact the energy conservation of a house. “Homes that have simple

or uncomplicated shapes are typically more efficient to heat and cool than homes with

complex or irregular shapes.” Simple compact shapes are more energy efficient, they

have a less exposure to the elements due to a smaller surface area, and use fewer

building materials. “passive solar home collects heat as the sun shines through south-

facing windows and retains it in materials that store heat, … Well-designed passive

solar homes also provide daylight all year and comfort during the cooling season

through the use of nighttime ventilation.” (Energy). Passive solar homes are homes that

are supposed to use very little energy to heat, cool, and light their houses. Placements

of the windows absorb solar energy, and roof overhangs can help shade as well. The

design of the house has a large effect on the energy and heat consumption.

Materials:

1. Autodesk: Revit 2018 (Architecture software)

2. Computer
 3. .Stl converter

4. 3D Printer

5. 3D Printing plastic

6. Tri-fold board

7. Paper for tri-fold

Methods

First thing that had to be done was research the design aspects and

requirements of an environmentally friendly and energy efficient house. Next up was

brainstorming a general outline for a house with these components. This was done just

by drawing out little sketches. There were a few different concepts that were explored

but eventually the final design was decided on.

After the design was chosen, the next and probably hardest part of this project

was learning how to use the Revit software. There was a lot of trial and error after which

was starting to make the house that was the finalish design. This stage of the house

was okay but there were somethings that had to be changes while making it, at first the

kitchen was in one area then it was moved because it would be more energy efficient if

it was moved towards the south wall of the house; where the other water appliances are

which overwall saves water and heating which saves energy. The design changed a

bunch while working around in the program. With some of the designs the livability

wasn't great and others it loses the energy efficient and eco friendly components. It
originally had a turret because it would be cool, but ultimately it was trashed because

it’s not great in terms of the eco-friendly and energy efficient-ness. So that’s why there

is a little trapezoid type shape on the side of the house, to compromise and have the

little aesthetic bit while still having a “green” home.

Using Revit 2018 to create the rough sketches made it so they can be brought

to scale and look just overall nicer was the next thing that had to be done. Once the final

design of the house was decided, the final product was rendered to look put together

and nice. After which for the design to be 3D printed it had to be converted into .stl file.

This was done by downloading a converter for the specific year of Revit that was used,

which was actually a lot of trouble. Then the files could easily be converted. They were

put onto a flash drive and given to someone who could printed them out using a 3D

printer. They should be in the middle of being printed during this.

Data

The research that was researched was the elements of an eco-friendly/energy

efficient house. There are many ways that can constitute a house as “green”; this can

range from the building materials used, how efficient the appliances are, type of energy

used, and the shape and overall design of the home. Bamboo, glass and metal are

good examples of this. This research was used by the researcher and incorporated into

the design that was designed. Although the first three aspects can’t really be shown in

the program used. Just give the benefit of the doubt and just believe it’s in there. The

design of the home is a small and simple shape, orientated south, with less windows to
the west and most of the water utilities close together. The utilities would assumably be

energy saving and eco-friendly. The result, would be that because of process by which

the house was designed, a lot of adjustments, and trying to balance a super efficient

home and one that looks sort of okay, the information learned and the program that was

used, this house is environmentally friendly and fairly energy efficient.

Bibliography

“5 Tips to Design Eco Friendly Buildings.” Eco Friendly Houses,

www.ecofriendlyhouses.net/5-tips-to-design-eco-friendly-buildings.html.

“55places.Com.” 10 Features of Green Eco-Friendly Homes | 55places.Com

Blog, 55places.Com, 23 Apr. 2018, www.55places.com/blog/10-features-eco-friendly-

homes.

Chapa, J. (2007, September 05). THE COSTS OF GREEN ARCHITECTURE.

Retrieved from https://inhabitat.com/the-costs-of-green-architecture/

 Construction Materials & Methods. (n.d.). Retrieved May 28, 2018, from

http://buildipedia.com/aec-pros/construction-materials-and-methods

Energy Efficient Appliances And Their Benefits – Matter Of Trust. (n.d.).

Retrieved May 28, 2018, from http://matteroftrust.org/13895/energy-efficient-appliances-

and-their-benefits

Kinhal, V. (n.d.). Green Building Materials. Retrieved May 28, 2018, from

http://greenliving.lovetoknow.com/Green_Building_Materials

Passive Solar Home Design. (n.d.). Retrieved May 28, 2018, from

https://energy.gov/energysaver/passive-solar-home-design

Pickerill, Jenny. “The Built Ecovillage: Exploring the Processes and Practices of

Eco-housing.” In: “Realizing Utopia: Ecovillage Endeavors and Academic Approaches,”

edited by Marcus Andreas and Felix Wagner, RCC Perspectives 2012, no. 8, 99–110.

ROAF, S. (2017). ECOHOUSE. S.l.: ROUTLEDGE.

 Tolson, M. (n.d.). Green Homes vs Traditional Homes. Retrieved May 28, 2018,

http://buildipedia.com/at-home/design-remodeling/green-homes-vs-traditional-homes

Virginia Tech. “Energy Series: What about House Design and Room Location?”

Virginia, Virginia State University.

https://pubs.ext.vt.edu/content/dam/pubs_ext_vt_edu/2908/2908-9019/2908-

9019_pdf.pdf

What Defines an Eco-Friendly House? (n.d.). Retrieved from

https://www.buildsoft.com.au/blog/what-defines-an-eco-friendly-house