What makes an 'eco-house'?
Are the ecological materials and products used the only sign of environmental architecture, or is there much more?
'Ecological', 'environmentally friendly', 'sustainable', and 'green' appear to be similar concepts, although they can imply very different solutions.
The confusion relating to the exact meaning of these terms has resulted in many different interpretations by architects and designers.
For instance, 'ecological' means to make use of resources that come from the earth in such a way that they may be returned to the earth without causing harm, in a cycle that echoes the natural systems of all living things. 'Environmentally friendly' describes anything having no or very little impact on the environment during or after its lifetime. 'Sustainability' implies the use of resources - including land and energy, with maximum efficiency, at a rate that does not compromise the needs of future generations. Whilst 'green' is a blanket term for describing a wide range of the environmentally friendly approaches*.

Therefore, with these in mind 'eco-friendly' design becomes more than just a question of choosing between good and bad alternatives, but involves complex equations that are likely to be influenced by many things.

· the average amount of sunlight a property will receive
· the average amount of rainwater that will fall onto the property
· energy used to construct and maintain the property
· emissions from property during and after its construction

What is an 'eco' house?
A building makes its greatest impact on the environment through the energy that it consumes over its lifetime. Buildings are not regarded as disposable therefore they require the need to be properly designed from the beginning.
There are many misconceptions of what an 'eco-house' is, does and costs. An 'eco-house' is a highly energy efficient property that uses little or no fuel to maintain them and often feature solar systems for providing electricity and heating water. 85% of water used in a home is for non-potable applications - water that does not need to be of drinking quality, therefore rainwater management systems should be installed. They may have highly efficient timber-framed triple-glazed windows fitted, have heat recovery systems installed and feature many low-voltage/wattage integral appliances.

Other considerations whilst designing the 'eco-house' should include the best use of the land for which it sits, the type of building materials and methods to be used and the impact that the build will have on the site itself.

Excavated waste is another big issue, and wherever possible earth should be shifted from one part of a site to another, reducing the need for the removal and relocation of excavated waste.

But ultimately, contaminated land - deemed as 'brown field', is the most suitable site for the construction of any type of development, especially an 'ecological' one.

What does an 'eco-house' look like?
Any 'eco-building' should not necessarily be about how it looks, but how it performs, although they do not have to differ visibly from a traditional architect's design. In fact the significant differences may only be the position of the building itself, and the photovoltaic panels and solar collectors that are usually fitted to the south-facing pitch of the property's roof. However, wherever conservation is an issue, these can be installed onto a wall or even at ground level in a back garden.

Are we ready for the 'eco' home-life?
This is a question that has only presents one answer - yes, but with it comes a responsibility that we all need to accept.
Changing the way in which we live our lives and adopting a more sustainable attitude does not necessarily mean having to make major changes in the way that we currently live. Simple adjustments to your daily routine such as using less water and electricity, making sure that taps are turned off properly and lights are switched off when leaving the room and even sorting and disposing of waste properly will all make a significant difference.
But unfortunately we all live in a 'throw-away' society and as it stands, most people prefer to 'dispose of' and 'buy new' rather than reuse and recycle.
And there's a similar pattern when it comes to housing. Most people would prefer to just turn on their heating, because it's easy and they can afford to do it, rather than better investing their money into installing suitable insulation enabling them to heat their homes less often.
Yet if you were to live or move into an energy efficient house you would become very aware of the benefits associated with the 'eco' lifestyle - a massive reduction in energy bills and a healthier and more comfortable living environment.

What is the cost of an 'eco-house'?
Most people believe that eco-friendly technologies such as solar panels and rainwater management systems are expensive, and they often can be if you are installing them onto an existing property.
But with various funding available, private individuals may install eco-friendly technologies such as solar panels on to their existing property, thereby making them more energy efficient and reducing their fuel bills.

Even so, the property developers and builders of today, have the ideal opportunity at the early stages of a development to use these technologies and produce sustainable, energy efficient buildings but choose not to - and the reason is not necessarily the cost.

A complete rethink into how we construct buildings has led us to realise that it is the lack of knowledge and not the cost of the construction. There is generally however, a slight increase in the overall cost of an eco-development, usually between 5% and 20% over that of a standard build. But the cost of maintaining the standard built property far exceeds that of a sustainable, energy efficient one and therefore makes the eco-development a more viable option for the owner, for the environment and for the future.

Unfortunately we cannot entirely escape from the non-sustainable product. Televisions, computers, cookers and washing machines are all non-sustainable, but we do have the technology to create a sustainable way of enabling these products to work.
Photovoltaic solar cells and wind turbines can generate electricity to power these products, whereas solar collectors and geothermal heaters can warm the water that we use for washing or heating.

So with the ongoing evolution and affordability of computer-based 'eco-technology' within the creation and enhancement of sustainable living, the choice becomes simple - do we continue to use the non-sustainable and high-impact environmental products and methods, when there are so many 'ecological', 'environmentally friendly', 'sustainable', or 'green' alternatives?

In the meantime, we will continue to research, design and develop the technology needed to support the 'eco-house', and increase the probability of developing a sustainable future.

* taken from 'ECO' by Elizabeth Wilhide