Home Design
346 articles on home design.
Is hempcrete considered environmentally better than standard concrete?
Hempcrete vs concrete on the environment: hemp is carbonnegative while growing, but concrete's durability and hurricane performance still winout.
· Read →Are there earth-home or alternative-building specialists worth knowing about?
Alternative building specialists worth knowing: Tierra Viva, theCal-Earth Institute, Earthbag Building, The Mud Home and Build With Rise.
· Read →Could sargassum bricks actually solve two problems at once?
Sargassum bricks' benefits are real but narrow: they cut beachwaste and insulate, yet stay non-structural and unproven at residential scale.
· Read →What exactly is a sargassum brick, and how are they made?
A sargassum brick blends dried Caribbean seaweed with lime, clayor cement binder, pressed into molds and cured into lightweight building blocks.
· Read →Is hempcrete structural, or is it just insulation?
Hempcrete isn't structural. It's an insulating infill that pairs with aconcrete, steel or wood frame, which still carries every load in the house.
· Read →What is hempcrete, and is it actually used here yet?
Hempcrete is a bio-composite of hemp hurd, lime and water. It'sstill new to Mexican residential construction, but architects are watching closely.
· Read →Do thermal windows actually lower my air conditioning bill?
Thermal windows lower AC bills by cutting heat gain, and theywork best paired with shaded terraces, roof overhangs and cross-ventilation design.
· Read →Why do dramatic window shapes and glass walls cost so much less here than in colderclimates?
The cost of custom window shapes drops in concrete construction:no wood-framing limits, no cold-climate glazing premium, and lower local labor.
· Read →Can thicker glass actually reduce outside noise?
Thicker glass does reduce noise: double-pane helps, but laminatedsystems deliver the biggest drop, which is why homes near traffic specify them.
· Read →How does window placement help keep a home cool without relying on AC?
Window placement for natural cooling relies on cross ventilation:opposing openings, sliders, vertical windows and clerestories that cut your AC load.
· Read →What actually makes a window system “hurricane-resistant” beyond the glass?
A hurricane-resistant window system is more than glass:laminated panes, reinforced frames, real anchoring, and lonas or mallas on bigopenings.
· Read →How much cheaper are custom windows here than in the US?
Custom window prices, US vs Mexico: $2,000–$8,000 per windowstateside and $15,000+ for glass walls, versus a fraction of that here. Here's why.
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