Equilibrium Housing is Environment Friendly

Eqilibrium Housing involves site planning and community design that reduces demand for greenfield development, protects wildlife habitat, agriculture and fisheries, promotes resource-efficient native landscaping, and considers broader community issues such as efficient transportation, reduced infrastructure, and preservation and restoration of natural features.

To reduce the environmental impact of housing generally means doing more with less, optimizing the use of land resources, minimizing the impact of construction activities on the surrounding area and watershed and reducing the release of pollutants into the land, water and air.

Land Use Planning and Landscaping

Minimize impacts from the construction and operation of housing on land, water and air as well as housing related transportation impacts.

Avoid construction on environmentally sensitive sites, greenfields and farmland. Ensure the protection of natural watersheds /ecosystems and green spaces. Encourage efficient development density and/or the selection of infill sites in proximity to existing infrastructure and community resources to minimize the need for the development of new infrastructure.

Strategies:

• Site choice (greenfield, brownfield, infill).
• Environmental sensitivity of site.
• Minimization/reduction of development impact.
• Optimization of new infrastructure, services, and transportation.
• Use of existing infrastructure, services and transportation.
• Protection of natural habitat.
• Development density.
• Community resources.
• Installation of permanent erosion controls.
• Planting trees to provide shade from sun.

Sediment and Erosion Control of Construction Site

Provide a comprehensive, integrated approach to erosion and sediment control during site preparation and construction.

Control site water runoff to minimize the potential for soil to be eroded and transport sediment and pollutants in the surface runoff to surface and ground water.

Strategies:

• Control storm water flows.
• Minimization of erosion and run-off from site during construction.
• Protect un-built land areas and trees from compaction of soil.

Storm Water Management

Minimize storm-water flows from the developed site into municipal systems and to minimize long term erosion and run-off from site.

Minimize storm water flow from the house lot serviced by municipal systems. Limit pollutants on the site that can be carried away by storm water runoff.

Storm water from large paved sites and roof areas has serious impacts on local ecosystems (oil infiltration in ground water, erosion of natural water-courses and flooding of treatment facilities) and can inundate municipal systems.

Strategies:

• Swale;
• Sub-grade infiltration pond;
• Green roof;
• Retention of storm water on site either for re-use or ground water recharge.

Waste Water Management

Reduce the burden placed on waste water systems (site based or municipal).

Reduce waste water generation, treat waste water, and reuse where possible.

Plumbing systems can be designed to separate grey water (water which contains no sewage) from black water (water which contains sewage). The water that drains from bathroom basins, tubs, showers, and laundry rooms is usually the source for grey water. Water from the kitchen is also considered grey water, but the fats, oils and greases from dishwashing makes kitchen water hard to filter, and a likely breeding ground for disease. Some new water-efficient plumbing systems include waste water treatment and recycling systems. Reducing waste water extends the life of all water treatment systems, and reduces the need to extend or repair municipal water systems.

Strategies:

• Reduction of waste water generation.
• Waste (grey and black) water treatment.
• Dual plumbing.
• Systems design.
• Water re-cycling.

Solid Waste Management

Mitigate the amount of solid waste generated by construction, occupant activities, and demolition/deconstruction.

Identify and implement practices and processes that can be deployed to prevent waste generation, recover what waste is produced, and reuse/recycle waste on site or off site.

Waste management on the construction site should be based on four R's: a review of conventional procedures; reduction in the wastes being generated; re-use of materials, and recycling of what has conventionally been seen as waste. Use of hazardous materials should be reduced or eliminated and the need for landfills reduced as much as possible. The design of housing can also accommodate composting facilities.

Strategies:

• Reduce, re-use, re-cycle.
• Divert construction and occupant generated solid waste.
• Compost.

Air Pollution Emissions

To reduce the emission of air pollutants associated with the construction and operation of housing. (Note that Green House Gas (GHG) emissions are implicitly addressed through strategies to reduce energy in Section 2.)

Minimize air pollution caused by Chlorofluorocarbons (CFC), hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFC), halons, and particulate emissions from burning biomass and fossil fuels.

Chlorofluorocarbons(CFC), hydrochlorofluorocarbons(HCFCs) and halons are chemical compounds that cause damage to the earth's stratospheric ozone layer. Many air pollutants such as Oxides of Nitrogen (NOx), Oxides of Sulfur (SOx), unburned Hydrocarbons (Methane, etc.,) and particulates emitted during the burning of fossil fuels have adverse local and regional environmental impacts including urban smog and acid rain. These create health risks to humans, other species, terrestrial vegetation, and marine life.

Strategies:

• Minimized fuel and electrical usage.
• High efficiency combustion appliances.
• Non-CFC based refrigerants and material production processes.