Week 10
New website - http://www.sierraclubgreenhome.com/
Monday, 3/30
Articles
Critique projects that were incomplete or not turned in last week. All projects should be turned in.
Turn in research assignment from last Wednesday, copy and discuss.
Basics of water wise and energy-wise landscaping in North Central Texas:
- Plant evergreen trees to protect North-facing walls from winter winds.
- Deciduous trees should be planted to shade east- and south-facing walls in summer.
- West-facing walls can be protected from winter winds with evergreens or shaded from summer sun with deciduous trees.
- Trees should not be planted within 10' of a slab foundation.
- Green walls or trellises (vines growing on a supporting screen) can be used for shade when space is too tight for larger plants.
- Clay soil should be amended with organic matter before planting.
- If irrigation system is used, drip irrigation is best. Do not use mist sprayers.
- Plants selected should be native or drought-tolerant.
- Use perennials rather than annuals.
- Select some plants to attract bees, butterfies, and other wildlife
- Grass should be planted sparingly, if at all. Use drought-tolerant varieties developed for our area.
- Mulch all planting areas to protect plant roots and soil.
- Use no chemical fertilizers, herbicides, or insecticides.
- Topdress annually with compost to replace soil nutrients.
Basic landscape design resources:
- Natural Beauties: A guide to native, adapted, and drought-tolerant plants, City of Dallas, Dallas Water Itilities, http://www.savedallaswater.com/pdf/NaturalBeauties_ENG.pdf
- Texas Urban Landscape Guide, Texas A&M University, Cooperative Extension Service, http://urbanlandscapeguide.tamu.edu/waterwise.html
- Xeriscape, Landscape water conservation, Texas Agricultural Extension Service, http://publications.tamu.edu/publications/Turfgrass/B-1584%20Xeriscape.pdf
Assignment:
Select a single residential lot from your development site plan. It can be either a single-family detached or single family attached lot. Draw it to scale on an 18x24" sheet. Include a North arrow mark. Leave room for notes, similar to the commercial project just completed. This plan will be used for your residential design project. Bring Wednesday.
Wednesday, 4/1
Discuss the following issues for green home design:
- What size should it be?
- What construction method?
- What materials should be used (or not used)?
- How should passive solar features be included?
- How can the home use less water?
- How can the home harvest water?
- How can the home use less energy?
- How can the home produce energy?
- How should it be landscaped?
Residential design project:
Design a floor plan for a house on your selected site using the techniques discussed. Complete the following drawings on 18x24 sheets:
- Site - complete the house's site plan. Include the building footprint and landscaping. Notes should point out and explain techniques applicable to the site.
(Example: location of deciduous and evergreen trees, kitchen garden, rainwater collection, native and drought-tolerant landscape, etc.) - Floor plan - basic plan showing room layouts. Notes should point out and explain techniques applicable to the plan.
(Example: passive solar elements, type and amount of insulation, method of wall construction, etc.) - Elevation - basic elevation showing front view of home. Notes should point out and explain techniques applicable to the elevation.
(Example: type and placement of windows, roof material, exterior wall cladding, etc.)
Do not include any information about interior finish-out, only building construction and site/landscape.
The project should be partially complete by Monday. Bring all work in progress to class Monday for progress check and discussion. Project will be due Wednesday, 4/3.