LIHU‘E — Living in a grass hut, tepee or igloo may not be ideal for most people, but these structures provide the fundamental concepts of sustainable living that have been around “a lot longer than we have,” said architect and
LIHU‘E — Living in a grass hut, tepee or igloo may not be ideal for most people, but these structures provide the fundamental concepts of sustainable living that have been around “a lot longer than we have,” said architect and sustainability consultant Peter Arsenault.
By using natural elements, these age-old homes are not only environmentally friendly, but are inexpensively made. In addition, they bring families and communities closer together which is the perfect recipe for “truly sustainable” and affordable homes, he said at the Dec. 17 “Sustainable Design in Affordable Housing” presentation hosted by the Kaua‘i Planning & Action Alliance and the Kaua‘i Association of Architects.
The same concepts can actually be applied on Kaua‘i, but the “government must take a stand” and work with others like KPAA to make it happen, Arsenault said.
“Ecovillages” are popping up all over the world, including Ithaca, N.Y., where two 30-home co-housing neighborhoods exist, according to the village’s Web site. Community members take part in activities such as growing their own produce on part of the 175-acre site (where more than 80 percent of the land is kept green) and eating meals with each other.
“One house on one lot may no longer be sustainable or affordable,” Arsenault said in reference to current real estate trends which are in opposition of ecovillage concepts.
People have the “mentality” that they “need more space,” University of Hawai‘i-Manoa School of Architecture associate professor David Rockwood said. And it is not the size of the home that matters, it is the quality.
Arsenault agreed that “choosing sustainable means good quality too.” Not using materials that have to be replaced every few years is ideal and constructing homes so that they are “properly” positioned is important. For instance, the most efficient home would be located where sunlight can filter in and would contain windows which face directions that would allow breezes to flow through.
Smaller, more efficient homes means construction periods and material cost would be reduced, especially if the products were locally made, Rockwood said. Items would not need to be shipped from the Mainland which would preserve money and energy.
Building blocks made out of solid waste generated on island would be an inexpensive and renewable solution, long-time Lawa‘i resident John Hoff said last week.
Homes could be built in as little as two days and all construction materials would be strong enough to endure hurricanes and extreme temperature fluctuations, said Hoff.
The high cost of land presents a serious snag to sustainability and affordability coming to fruition on Kaua‘i, where the median home price is $400,000 to $500,000, according to Multiple Listing Services.
“Sometimes the land is really the driving cost,” Arsenault said.
With the goal of being Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design qualified, Grove Farm Senior Vice President Michael Tresler said becoming sustainable and affordable is not an easy process.
Not only are Environmental Impact Statements required, but the length of time and cost it takes to satisfy all infrastructure regulations and acquire permits is difficult, he said.
“All these different road blocks and challenges affect sustainability,” he said.
So perhaps ecovillages are a part of “pie in the sky applications” which may not currently be feasible for Kaua‘i, but there are several ways to begin reaching for these ideas, KPAA President and CEO Diane Zachary said at the conclusion of the presentation.
“There may be more applications than we think,” she said, adding that sustainability starts with the individual by increasing activities such as recycling and living together.
“There is plenty more out there to talk about,” Zachary said.
