Tectonic Design Build’s Commitment To The Future of Sustainable Architecture
A Sustainable Architecture Firm That Delivers
In many industries, the word “sustainability” seems like an overused and underprioritized buzzword. That includes home building and home architecture. At Tectonic Design Build, we’re committed to walking the walk, not just talking the sustainability talk.
Modern living is so much more than a beautiful space. Rising energy costs, climate concerns, and resource scarcity are issues that only grow more worrisome every year. Addressing these problems can start with each space and every home. Every home designed and built by our firm not only does it part for the Earth, but also provides our clients with long-term savings that can help increase value in the short and long term.
For us, sustainable architecture isn’t just a trend. It’s a smarter, more responsible way to design homes that benefit homeowners, communities, and our beautiful blue planet.
What Is Sustainable Architecture?
When most people think of sustainable homes, they imagine off-the-grid living: Think composting, carefully tended gardens, and a roof overrun by solar panels. Our sustainable homes are so much more than that.
The phrase “sustainable architecture” in the design-build industry refers to the practice of designing and building homes that minimize environmental impact while maximizing energy efficiency. While the term gives connotations of modern innovation, tactics used for sustainable architecture have been around for centuries.
Ancient civilizations around the Mediterranean were known for building homes with extra-thick walls to regulate temperature, centuries before the invention of air conditioning. Indigenous homes across North America were purposefully positioned to take maximum advantage of sunlight and wind for natural ventilation. These simple design techniques are examples of what architects refer to as passive design–working with the natural environment of a home to maximize natural efficiency.
Modern sustainable architecture has been formalized with the introduction of the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) framework and scoring system. These programs provided benchmarks for all architects, residential and commercial, to follow for sustainability design and construction. At Tectonic Design Build, we utilize modern benchmarks, along with traditional passive design, to build homes that truly maximize energy efficiency for every custom home.
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Sustainable Interior Design to Enhance Every Space
Beyond construction materials used in building new homes, sustainable choices can easily extend to furniture and interior design. Every element of a room can be used to reduce a home’s carbon footprint.
Sustainable Furniture
When choosing furniture and fixtures throughout a home, our interior designers work with our industry partners to prioritize pieces that use renewable resources. Also, we’re always on the lookout for amazing pieces that can be reclaimed and refurbished.
Furniture that utilizes materials like bamboo, cork, wood, or wool while retaining high-end quality is a great place to start when looking to reduce your home’s carbon footprint. Many furniture manufacturers are utilizing these renewable materials in innovative ways, too.
While materials are a key component of sustainable interior design, an often overlooked component of sustainable furniture is the ability to disassemble and reassemble with ease. As much as we like the idea of living in our “forever home,” we know that isn’t always the case. Choosing the right pieces that allow for easy disassembly and reduce the risk of breaking during any move increases the likelihood of keeping a piece of furniture in your home and not having to throw it in a landfill.
More than couches and chairs, sustainable furniture can even be applied to your porcelain throne. Yes, the lowly toilet can be a sustainable choice! Implementing dual-flush models can greatly reduce water usage in the home without sacrificing style.
Sustainable Lighting
Lighting is the aspect of interior design that can truly make a home magnificent. Sustainable lighting choices are the exclamation point to any room design.
The most obvious choice of sustainable lighting comes from our most natural source: the sun. Positioning of highly visited rooms, like the kitchen and living room, in places that receive natural sunlight can drastically reduce the use of electricity. For rooms tucked away in a home, the choice of the style of light can have huge repercussions for sustainability.
Using smart lighting in two ways is key to retaining sustainability. First, LED fixtures, which are common in modern designs, are easier on the environment. However, automated systems that dim or turn off lights can have even greater long-term benefits.
Our Unique Approach to Sustainable Green Architecture
Our concepts are completely customized to utilize each home’s unique space and land. Our founders, Dylan Ochala and Kelsie Michelson, came from a building and operations background and a passion for environmental stewardship.
With our Tectonic Process, we streamline sustainable architecture by integrating design and construction into a single approach. From our first discovery meeting to project wrap-up, we emphasize homes that provide structural longevity and work with natural patterns of the land.
To learn more about how your new home could align with the effort of becoming more sustainable, reach out to our team today.