Articles About Eco Construction in Spain
- Building Flood Proof Homes in Bangladesh
- Casa Al Misbah Moorish Style Modern Living
- 7 Myths of Timber Frame in Spain
- How to Choose an Architect in Spain
- Spanish House Orientation and Energy Efficiency
- How to Cool A Passive House In Spain
- Living Walls for the Spanish Climate
- Black Spots for Foreigners Seeking to Build Their Dream Home in Spain
- PVCU Windows
- Thermal Mass in Houses – A Lesson from the Past
- Redefining The Word Comfort in “Comfortable Home”
- Hemp Insulation
- Are Your Sick of Your Home? An investigation into Sick Building Syndrome (SBS)
Building Flood Proof Homes in Bangladesh
We are mobilizing a campaign to alleviate the front line effects of climate change. People living on the flood plains of Bangladesh are amongst the most vulnerable as sea levels rise. Please support this campaign by signing up to our newsletter and passing it on.
Our Commitment: A House For A House
It is our 2×1 promise [...]
Casa Al Misbah Moorish Style Modern Living
It is a real privilege to be involved in such a historical site which stimulates the imagination. Only a few hundred years ago the occupants looked across the valley at an Alhambra occupied by real Nasrid kings surrounded by their harem, visited by Ambassadors from surrounding states there in the beautiful and spectacular ambassador’s room.
Now [...]
7 Myths of Timber Frame in Spain
Myth 1. The big bad wolf will blow my timber-framed house down.
I’m afraid the big bad wolf is in for a disappointment! The little pig lived in a wooden house, not a modern timber framed structure, which measure up to or exceed the safety performance of cement and steel buildings in earthquakes, floods, and fires [...]
How to Choose an Architect in Spain
Choosing an Architect is a hugely important decision in any design and build project, so it is crucial that you get it right and find someone you are happy to work with. Obviously, if you are looking to build in Spain, or any other foreign country for that matter, the process becomes that little bit [...]
Spanish House Orientation and Energy Efficiency
At Eco Vida all our buildings are constructed on a giant revolving turntable which orientates the primary occupied rooms south in the winter for maximum solar gain and north in the summer for maximum shading. The dining room faces east for sunrise at breakfast and spins round west for cocktails at sunset………….only joking!
But such a [...]
How to Cool A Passive House In Spain
Well you’ve got three options. Break the rules and turn on the noisy fossil-fuel-burning electrical air conditioning and heat up the planet; incorporate passive cooling techniques into your design which frankly don’t work; or use a solar powered non electrical system which we install in our homes. Now I can hear you crying “hang-on he [...]
Living Walls for the Spanish Climate
It’s quite possible you’re already familiar with the idea of a ‘living wall’ – maybe you’ve seen old properties enveloped with vines, you might have seen the art project currently underway in Rio de Janeiro (see the picture above), or perhaps you’ve just been unlucky enough to witness a mildew outbreak in your house! These [...]
Black Spots for Foreigners Seeking to Build Their Dream Home in Spain
“British couple’s Costa dream is demolished”. That was the headline of an article run by The Daily Telegraph in early 2008. It describes how a ₤570,000 retirement home in Southern Andalusia was torn down by Spanish authorities just over a year after it had been built. There are plenty of other stories about corrupt officials, [...]
PVCU Windows
Is PVCu the most toxic synthetic material to contaminate the environment man has invented or is it a safe material for window frames and superior to wood or aluminium?
In this article I am going to tell you what pvcu windows are, address the debate about whether they have a negative or positive effect on the [...]
Thermal Mass in Houses – A Lesson from the Past
It has often been said that primitive architecture is an exhibition of man’s intelligent behaviour in adverse and difficult circumstances. As prehistoric man developed and began to seek places for more permanent shelter, he frequently chose caves as the best places to settle. The exposed mass of the floors of the caves helped to stabilise [...]
Redefining The Word Comfort in “Comfortable Home”
I used to think a comfortable home meant one with lots of cushions and carpets. Having a comfortable home was a bit like having a comfortable bed. Well, let me tell you my eyes have been opened. Over the last several years since we have been developing our techniques and researching materials in low energy [...]
Hemp Insulation
Hemp is a very fine insulating material. This is a bold statement. So what qualities do you look for in an insulating material and how does hemp compare?
The Cost of Hemp Insulation
I have recently been quoted under €27 per square metre for hemp roof insulation and under €19 per square metre for hemp wall insulation. [...]
Are Your Sick of Your Home? An investigation into Sick Building Syndrome (SBS)
Tired all the time? Suffer from headaches? Can’t sleep or find it difficult to concentrate? Was it the dodgy prawn you ate or the gin in last night’s tonic? Perhaps it’s a bad allergy attack, the onset of asthma or worse?
Well here’s another suggestion. Maybe your home, the place where you feel most comfortable and [...]
