Eco-Friendly Home Alternatives
Do you love youtube home tours of tiny homes and eco fortresses as much as I do? If so, this post is for you! It’s also for all the eco-warriors who are looking to take their sustainable journey one step further by choosing to transform the way they live and challenge societal norms in order to benefit the future of our planet.
First off, I am going to answer the question why are home alternatives a viable solution for a greener planet?
Eco-friendly home alternatives take the planet’s needs into consideration. Instead of bulldozing land to build concrete foundations, many utilize resources that already exist, and are mindful of the size and location the structure takes up.
It really goes back to the degrowth movement and the idea that we need to all reduce our capitalistic drives in order to save our planet. The state in which the majority of the western population lives is fraught with consumerism, waste, and a lack of appreciation for natural resources. Rooms of mega-mansions sit empty for most of the time while there are individuals struggling to find homes with landlords focused on profits instead of the quality of living. If everyone were to transition their lifestyle to a more conscious one, including a reassessment of their huge homes and true needs, home alternatives could significantly reduce, if not eliminate, a huge amount of waste and carbon emissions.
What are the non-eco reasons someone may choose an alternative home?
While most individuals factor in the environment, there are tons of other benefits to a life with less. Not only does it encourage the brain to be more aware of its needs, but it forces you to be creative with your consumption and number of possessions. With a more eco-centric focus, homeowners are more than likely to spend more time out in nature and take up sustainable hobbies. Consuming less and saving more isn’t just good for the planet, it’s good for the human experience too.
Although we are looking at eco-friendly homes, please know that your current home can be more sustainable as well. I recommend looking into local programs and incentives that will help your home be more efficient and sustainable.
Keep reading to learn about 8 different eco-friendly home alternatives to traditional brick and mortar:
Rammed Earth
Zero Carbon
Tiny Home
Cobb House
Earthship Biotecture
Log Cabin
Treehouse
Bamboo House
I will be sharing a bit of information about each home alternative, how they are beneficial for our earth, plus a link to a home tour of each so you can explore them further.
Rammed Earth
Rammed earth walls lining a pathway, an example by Wasanti on Getty Images
Often seen as an architectural marvel and an expression of the landscape they rest on, rammed-earth homes are constructed from sustainable compacted soil molded in plywood forms. They are basically really advanced sandcastles. The soil is pressed into nearly solid dense boards with integrity that can withstand over 1000 years. In modern rammed homes, engineers often add 5-10 % cement as needed to support construction needs. The walls can be painted, or pigments can be added to them to display beautiful natural colour.
Why are rammed earth homes eco-friendly? Due to the lack of synthetic material and chemicals needed in the construction process, rammed earth homes produce significantly less waste. These homes also have a high thermal mass. The walls absorb heat during the day and release it at night which can significantly reduce heating and cooling costs. The composition easily absorbs and releases air humidity which improves the air quality inside the structure.
Take a look inside: CBC did an interview with sustainability-motivated couple Wes and Julia on their choice to build a rammed earth home if you are interested in learning more. They included beautiful amethyst, turquoise and ammonites right into the walls!
Zero Carbon
Zero Carbon home example by Tattiewelshi on Getty Images
Zero carbon homes are built with two main goals in mind. Firstly, they are built to be nearly completely airtight and are very well insulated. Both the home's position and the windows are designed to take advantage of the sun's heat in the winter and minimize it in the summer. In many cases, ground source heat pumps are used to heat and cool homes by using the earth's temperature. By doing so, the home can maximize its energy efficiency.
Homes that are carbon neutral do not have natural gas lines; all energy consumption is electric, which can be produced by renewable sources such as the sun or wind. Fuelless electricity generation eliminates the use of fossil fuels and other contaminants, including carbon monoxide and volatile organic compounds.
Why are zero carbon homes eco-friendly? Carbon is the top contributor to climate change. As burning fossil fuel accumulates in the atmosphere, there is becoming less and less biocapacity to absorb these emissions. The atmosphere is not able to filter out the bad stuff as quickly as it is being produced. From manufacturing plants, to car use, to the heating and electrical systems in our homes, humans’ over production of carbon is the leading factor in climate change and the increased natural disasters we see happening across the world. A zero carbon home follows the degrowth model and focuses on fulfilling human needs with sustainable energy.
Take a look inside: From the insulation focus to its rainwater collection system, this near zero carbon home tour is a great example of the components compiled to maximize sustainable impact in a modern way.
Tiny Home
Tiny home exterior example by GROGL on Getty Images
A tiny home is a term that is used broadly to denote the structural and social movement to reduce living spaces, simplify, live with less. Some are made from natural materials, others a scaled-down version of a brick and mortar, and others are still made from sustainable reuse of materials such as shipping containers. The concept of a tiny home is more an overarching type of home rather than a specific material or building style.
Why are tiny homes eco-friendly?
The premise of living with less closely follows the Degrowth movement, which has been scientifically proven to have the possibility to reverse human’s current impact on climate change. Smaller-scale living encourages sustainable choices across the entirety of a person’s lifestyle. Instead of relying on large-scale comforts, tiny homeowners must prioritize their comforts. Many of these homes incorporate renewable energy thanks to their reduced heating and cooling needs.
If you are interested in learning more about container homes, check out this article from Ownerly- “ How Much Does a Shipping Container Home Cost?”
Take a look inside: I have watched hours worth of tiny home house tours over the past few years. You can check out a whole youtube channel’s worth with Tiny Home Tours. You should also keep an eye out on my blog for an upcoming interview with a tiny home homeowner here in PEI if you are as intrigued by these homes and accompanied lifestyles as I am.
Cob House
A cob house exterior example from - Wikimedia Commons
No, these are not homes made of corn (though trust me, that was my first thought too) Cob, also known as cobb or clom homes are made from a natural building material that is a combination of clay, water, straw, sand, and sometimes lime. The walls are built up with lumps of the wet mixture that is sculpted and smoothed. It isn’t built with any traditional wooden or cement frame as most homes are, the mixture creates thick walls that often have unique curves, waves, and arches. The walls are shaved down to the desired thickness using special tools. It’s basically a large-scale clay sculpture — super neat!
Fun fact, I actually lived in a cob house from age of 6 till the age of 13. When I was young I lived in a small village in Romania with my mom and my grandad. At the time, I didn’t care too much as I was a kid, but now that I think about it, it was a really cool house.
Why are cob houses eco-friendly?
The cob material is very cost-effective as it takes advantage of the natural earth. Instead of requiring electric machines, these homes are handcrafted which eliminates the need for carbon consumption. The natural material makes these homes virtually zero waste. What isn’t used can be returned to the earth or utilized to make other sturdy structures.
Take a look inside: This tour by Exploring Alternatives features one of the coolest and most famous cob buildings in the world, located right here in Canada! The details of this Airbnb cottage are absolutely stunning and so unique.
Earthship exterior example from helovi on Getty Images
Earthship Biotecture
An Earthship is a creative and ingenuitive structure made from natural and recycled materials. It’s actually a trademarked structure by the company Biotecture who builds homes to serve the 6 human needs for a harmonious life on earth, which are: food, energy, clean water, shelter, garbage management, and sewage treatment. There are approximately 3000 Earthships across the globe. The homes make use out of recycled items such as tires and glass bottles to incorporate into the structure.
Why are Earthship biotecture homes eco-friendly?
Earthships’ focus is to blend with the earth using non-polluting renewable energy sources and smart design to meet heating and cooling needs. All contain rainwater filtration systems, internal sewage filtration, and even greenhouses to provide all human necessities in the most sustainable way.
The treatise Biotecture Earthships has created is considerate of sustainable lifestyle outside of the structure as well. Earthships embody harmony and unity. Here are 4 out of the 8 points, of the treatise:
To reduce the economic and institutional barriers between humans and their habitat
To reverse the overall negative effect that conventional human housing has on this planet
To create a less stressful plane of existence for humans in an effort to reduce the stress that they in turn place on the planet and each other
To evolve humanity into an earthen harmony already exemplified by more evolved structures such as plants, animals, and water
Take a look inside: Youtuber Be My Travel Muse posted a vlog-style tour of her experience in Earthship Biotecture in Taos, New Mexico. She speaks to the sustainability details and personal touches that made her experience stand out.
Check out Jordan’s Earthship house in PEI as well. The house is amazing and it is available for rent on Airbnb.
Log Cabin exterior example by dave mantel on Getty Images
Log Cabin
Log cabins started as a sustainable byproduct of their environment. Commonly found in highly wooded areas like this one in Vancouver that is pictured, the cabins built using a series of logs that are notched at the ends and then laid one on top of another, interlocking the sides. The spaces inbetween are filled with moss, mud, plaster, or dried manure, usually from the surrounding forest.
Why are log cabins eco-friendly?
Log cabins utilize surrounding natural materials to seamlessly blend in with nature. Their construction causes little impact on the surrounding areas and wildlife seem them as just as extension of the trees. Instead of natural gas heating, many cabins rely on wood burning furnaces to stay warm in the winter. Many cabins are built close to a natural water source for cleaning and cooking needs, though more modern cabins take advantage of rain barrel filtration systems.
Take a look inside: This cozy cabin tour by engineer turned summer camp owner Ashley Bredemus that takes a look into her sweet and simple home in northern Minnesota.
Treehouse exterior example by Joel Holland on Getty Images
Treehouse
A treehouse home is any imaginative kid’s dream and a sustainable alternative to most modern homes! Treehouses can be constructed in a DIY manner similarly to the cob homes, using materials found in its environment. More conveniently, there are kits or prefabs you can buy that come with all the parts necessary to build out a livable treehouse. It is also possible (and probably advised) to hire professional craftsmen who are experienced in building these structures. Nelson Treehouse specializes in residential design and builds that are absolutely stunning.
Why are treehouses eco-friendly?
Treehouses are eco-friendly very similarly to how log cabins are. They utilize natural materials in their surrounding environment without disturbing nature and instead blending seamlessly with it. It isn’t the easiest to make a treehouse completely off grid. They require a lot of insulation to be a viable muti-season home. It is more their natural material and environment that sets them apart.
Take a look inside: This short but sweet treehouse tour from Nelson Treehouse takes a look into one of their treetop home rentals that is inspired by a cozy library.
Bamboo home exterior by foto76 on Getty Images
Bamboo House
Bamboo being one of the strongest, and fastest growing sustainable materials, it only makes sense that it would be utilized for homes. A major selling point for this material is the combination of strength and light weightness that is perfect for earthquake prone areas of the world like Indonesia.
Why are bamboo homes eco-friendly?
Bamboo requires very little water and grows very quickly. Bamboo can grow to its full size in just 3 years, compared to trees which can take over 30 years to grow. Obviously, it is more sustainable to use a material that can be regrown quickly rather than cutting down a tree that will take decades to be replaced. Bamboo also controls pollution by producing 35% more oxygen than lumber. The material is recyclable after use and can easily be decomposed back into the earth.
Take a look inside: This sustainable off grid handmade bamboo home tour by Bamboo Living has natural energy and rainwater systems inplace. It is surrounded by farmland that produces food local to the area.
A bonus video I found while browsing bamboo homes is this timelapse video by Primitive Survival Life which is almost surreal. It takes you on the entire journey from harvesting materials to building the structure, to digging a moat and adding fish; the process is a true work of art.
HEY, CLAUDIA HERE
I am a senior graphic designer, a dog mom, an advocate for a zero-waste lifestyle, climate change, and sustainability. My articles are based on personal experience and well researched to give you the best source of information for all things zero-waste.