A Sustainable Modern-Day Green Home

Conserving energy is only one thing that determines a sustainable home. You can also build a home that is in harmony with the elements. Architect Gelo Mañosa took these into consideration when designing his family home. Taking cue from the architecture of the traditional Filipino bahay kubo, he used lightweight native materials, raised ceilings, and cross ventilation.

This sustainable home employs passive cooling—that is, using non-mechanical means to cool a structure. For this, the house lets the east side of the house act as a “wind corridor” during the colder months. The house is at an oblique angle to let more air in. There’s also a vent fan in the ceiling so hot air that accumulates here can get pushed and a second fan sucks it out. Glass sliding doors separate each area, so that less energy is used to cool a room.

The staircase is a quick heat delivery system that takes cool air from the ground floor and takes it to the second floor. Adjustments were made to keep the heat out of the second floor. On the west side, the sunshade protects and keeps it cool. The living area is exposed most to the sun, especially in the summer months, so they extended the sunshades and planted trees in strategic spots.

Inside the house, sustainable materials like rattan, red cedar wood, and recycled teak were used to their full potential. The household also practices segregation, composting, recycling, and using organic products.

Read the original article ("Paradise in the City") in the April 2014 issue of Real Living Magazine. Download your digital copy of Real Living on the Real Living App now! Log on to summitnewsstand.com.ph/real-living for more details.