Definitions
How do you define ‘sustainable’?
There are many definitions for the term ‘sustainable’. We like this one, from the NZ Ministry for the Environment:
“A sustainable building, and its fit-out or refurbishment, considers the environmental, social, and economic impacts over the “life cycle” of the building. If properly designed, constructed, and operated, a sustainable building will require less money and fewer resources to operate, and will be healthier for its occupants.
“Sustainable buildings are sensitive to:
- the environment – local and global
- resource, water, and energy consumption
- the quality of the [indoor] environment – its impact on occupants
- financial impact – cost-effectiveness from a long-term, full financial cost-return point of view
- long-term energy efficiency over the life of the building. “
(from http://www.mfe.govt.nz/issues/sustainable-industry/govt3/topic-areas/sustainable-buildings/what-is.html)
I’ve heard a lot about ‘carbon footprint’ and being ‘carbon neutral'. What does this mean?
Your carbon footprint can be defined as:
'a measure of the exclusive total amount of carbon dioxide emissions that is directly and indirectly caused by an activity or is accumulated over the life stages of a product.’
(from: Wiedmann, T. and Minx, J. 2001. A Definition of ‘Carbon Footprint’. ISA UK Research & Consulting. http://www.isa-research.co.uk/docs/ISA-UK_Report_07-01_carbon_footprint.pdf )
Your home’s carbon footprint is derived from both essential elements of the above definition:
- Life stages of a product relates to the materials used in the building itself (for example, the timber, steel, concrete, aluminium, glass, linings, insulation, etc.) – including the energy and resources used to produce and transport them; how long the materials last; what maintenance they require; and what happens to them at the end of their life.
- Activity relates to the way we live in our houses – including the energy and resources needed for heating and cooling, lighting, cooking, cleaning and other functions; how waste is managed and disposed of; how the home’s location and amenities allow the occupants to interface with the community, especially with regard to traveling to and from work, shops, schools and other important places.
Scientists attribute the phenomenon of global warming in large part to an excess of carbon in our atmosphere, which is acting as an insulation layer and retaining more of the sun's heat than is normal for the earth. Many people believe that if every individual person living on earth took steps to reduce their carbon footprint, or even became carbon neutral (not producing any more carbon than they were able to absorb), the effects of global warming will be reduced or even reversed.
What’s the difference between photovoltaics and solar hot water?
Solar hot water systems use the warmth of the sun to directly heat water, which is then stored in an insulated cylinder for use when you need it.
Photovoltaic panels absorb the light of the sun and convert it to electricity. The electricity produced is converted from DC (Direct Current) to AC (Alternating Current) by an inverter unit, allowing it to be safely used in a home or other building. Excess AC power can be fed back to the grid to reduce your total electricity consumption, or DC power can be stored in batteries until it is needed. For a white paper on photovoltaic system payback in New Zealand click here.
Many home designers and builders claim to be ‘sustainable’ these days. Why is ebode ‘truly sustainable’?
The difference between ebode and many others who claim to provide sustainable homes is that every aspect of ebode is designed with health and sustainability in mind from the beginning, rather than having a few ‘eco’ features tacked on as ‘extras’ if you ask for them. As the NZ Ministry for the Environment points out:
“It is a common myth that it is possible to make a building sustainable simply by adding some energy-efficiency and water conservation measures. While they are commendable in themselves, such improvements miss the point that there are many things that need equal consideration if a building is to be sustainable. If sustainability is not treated as a “whole” and only some elements are introduced, you put the sustainability of the [entire] building at risk.”
(from http://www.mfe.govt.nz/issues/sustainable-industry/govt3/topic-areas/sustainable-buildings/what-is.html)
GO TO PAGE TOP
Company and Values
How long has ebode been operating?
ebode limited was formed in 2007 by Niel and Jette de Jong, who originally developed a reputation for sustainable homes as directors of Heritage Design Group - a company established in 2004 to assist owners of older homes to renovate in a sympathetic and sustainable way.
How is ebode different from other design & build companies?
ebode is only involved in residential housing work, and only provides truly sustainable homes.. Sustainable homes are not a 'sideline' for us - they are everything.
ebode was founded in response to requests from clients who wanted a company with shared values and a reputation for 'walking the talk' to take care of the design and construction of their sustainable new home from start to finish.
Are you architects or are you builders?
At the core of ebode is architecture, as we believe that starting with a good design is critical to the success of the end result. No matter how great the building team is, the design must be carefully thought out for the site and the needs of the occupants if it is to meet your exacting standards of sustainability as well as our own.
Our construction partners are hand picked based on their understanding of and commitment to sustainability; their ability to communicate and work constructively with the ebode studio design team and our clients; and on the attention to detail and craftsmanship they apply to their work.
Do you practice what you preach?
At ebode, we are always trying to improve the way we live as individuals and the way we run our company to ensure that we tread as lightly as possible on the earth. Some of the things we do in the office and in our homes include:
- We reduce our emissions by walking or cycling locally, and planning any vehicle trips carefully to do more while driving less. When we need to drive, our company vehicles are Toyota Prius hybrids, which have a 5.5 star energy rating. While ebode offers a New Zealand wide service, we minimize the need for long-distance driving or air travel by having consultants in your local area, and using phone and electronic technologies for most of our communication.
- We live and work in buildings designed for passive solar heating and natural ventilation; we use energy efficient lighting and LCD monitors on our computers; and we always turn off our printers, computers and monitors when we are not using them. We also generate some of our own power, with a grid connected photovoltaic electricity generation system on the roof of our premises.
- We collect rain water and heat it with the sun.
- We make conscious decisions to buy less, and consider the life cycle of what we do buy to ensure its manufacture, use, life expectancy and eventual disposal all contribute to a minimal adverse impact on our environment. This includes things we buy for ourselves, like clothing and household goods, things we buy for our office, like furniture and consumables, and things we put into ebode, like cabinetry, paints, lighting and tapware.
- We choose products with less packaging, recycled packaging or no packaging at all. We apply this to everything from fruit and vegetables at home to things like the joinery we use in ebode, which is carefully delivered wrapped in re-usable felt blankets, eliminating the need to dispose of plastic, polystyrene or cardboard packaging.
- We re-use and recycle as much as we can – from paper, food scraps and plastic in the office to timber, glass, concrete and metal on building sites. All of our ebode builders also observe and practice on-site waste minimisation systems – pre-fabricating parts of your home off-site; and re-using and recycling offcuts and other waste as they work.
- We minimise our use of paper by obtaining and storing information electronically whenever we can, and only printing things out if a hard copy is needed. We encourage our suppliers to publish their catalogues on the web or in PDF format, and we always use both sides of a page before recycling any paper in the office.
- We won't specify MDF, particle board, PVC and other materials that are toxic to manufacture, live with and dispose of - and we won't have any of it in our own homes and offices either. Our desks, cabinetry, bookshelves and other furniture are all made of eco friendly plywood or solid timber, finished in low VOC paints, natural oils or acrylic sealers.
What areas of New Zealand do you operate in?
ebode has a head office in Auckland, with construction partners and suppliers all over New Zealand.
Do you have a show home or office in my area?
ebode was founded in November 2007, and we are still working through the process of identifying suitable locations for show homes and offices. Until these are in place, several of our existing clients have agreed to open their homes by appointment. If you wish to look through an ebode home, please contact us to arrange a viewing.
Do you work in countries other than New Zealand?
At this stage, we are concentrating on providing truly sustainable homes in New Zealand and for the New Zealand environment. However, if you are looking to build overseas, please feel free to contact us as we may be able to recommend a company who shares our values in your area.
What professional affiliations and memberships do you have?
ebode is a member of the Sustainable Business Network, the NZ Green Building Council, the New Zealand Business Council for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Energy Association of New Zealand.
Key members of the ebode studio team are members of the New Zealand Institute of Architects.
All of our construction partners are members of the New Zealand Master Builders Association.
GO TO PAGE TOP
Materials and Features
I notice you only offer solid timber cabinetry and trims, but I really wanted a shiny red melamine look in my kitchen. What’s wrong with melamine?
There are three reasons why we will not specify MDF (Medium Density Fibreboard or ‘Customwood’) or melamine in any ebode cabinetry, fittings, architraves, skirtings and trims:
- Melamine is a plastic that is fused to an MDF substrate. Both MDF and melamine contain a chemical called formaldehyde, which readily vaporizes into your environment and has been classified as “a known carcinogen by the State of California (Prop 65) and the World Health Organization (International Agency for Research on Cancer). It also has a range of other health effects including being a bronchial irritant and asthma trigger and is connected to multiple chemical sensitivity.”
(from: http://www.healthybuilding.net/formaldehyde/index.html)
- As soon as the melamine or lacquer covering an MDF substrate is chipped or damaged (usually within 5-8 years under normal use) and the MDF is exposed to the moisture of a kitchen or bathroom, it quickly deteriorates, swelling to prevent doors and drawers from closing, and harbouring unhygienic bacteria as it rots in the corners of your kitchen and bathroom. In our view, this makes it a completely unsuitable material for use in any moisture-prone areas.
- The short life expectancy and high toxicity of both MDF and melamine make them unsustainable both from a cost point of view, as they must be replaced every 5-10 years, and from an environmental perspective, as the energy used in the manufacture of these materials is wasted and the toxic chemicals they contain leaches into our soil and waterways when they are disposed of.
By contrast, solid NZ grown plantation timber:
- emits no toxic chemicals
- is a renewable resource
- resists and recovers from contact with water much more readily than MDF
- can be easily touched up if it becomes damaged and/or re-oiled or painted to keep it looking good
- will last as long as the rest of your home without needing to be replaced every 5-10 years
- can be safely disposed of at the end of its (long) life.
We recommend having your timber cabinetry and trims finished in natural oils, but if you really want that shiny red look, it can be painted in low VOC paint according to your preferences.
GO TO PAGE TOP
Design and Construction options
I like the look and underlying values of ebode, but none of the designs are quite right for my site. Can you design something specific for me?
Yes. All of our designs are produced by ebode studio, and they will be happy to work with you to develop a design that perfectly matches your needs and site. This may involve customizing one of our modular range designs, or coming up with a completely new design.
I really like one of your existing plans, but all the big windows are shown facing north, whereas on my section the views are to the south and east. Can I just flip the plan around 180°?
No. One of the factors making ebode truly sustainable is its careful design to maximize passive heating by the sun during the winter, and providing shading from too much heat in summer. Changing the orientation will completely change the dynamics of this critical part of the design, making it too hot or too cold (or both), less healthy and less energy efficient. To ensure your ebode works well for your site, contact us to discuss having a custom ebode designed through ebode studio.
Does ebode design anything apart from houses?
ebode is only involved in residential housing work, and only provides truly sustainable homes.
GO TO PAGE TOP
|
