My ecological house My ecological house is a house designed in such - - PDF document

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My ecological house

My ecological house is a house designed in such a way as to minimize environmental impact. It must be made of wood which is a very insulating material. For example, in winter, when it is cold outside, the house remains quite warm, without the use of radiators; when in summer the temperature rises, the house is still comfortable, and the air is fresh. But a house also needs energy, so you can install solar thermal panels to get hot water and photovoltaic panels to store electricity. Once, incandescent light bulbs were used, but they weren’t very efficient because in proportion to the energy consumed, they produced more heat than light; today fluorescent or LED bulbs are used more and more frequently, the energy consumed is used to produce light. In old houses windows are generally double glazed, with an air chamber or a single glass, while in ecological houses there is usually a triple glazing with two air chambers. It is more insulating, in fact in winter the heat generated inside remains inside while in summer the air is cool. In addition, ecological houses also have a cistern under the ground connected to its pipes, it is used to collect rain water and water from the bathrooms and the kitchen. It is then purified and then reused for the sanitary waste of the house. In an environmentally and friendly house I would also like to have an automation system of lightening.

Class 3B Sara D. Fidenza, Italy

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MY ECOLOGICAL HOUSE

An ecological house is built to make our planet more beautiful and cleaner. This is the reason why many architects design houses using the resources of our planet in an intelligent way, without harming or impoverishing it. MATERIAL OF BIO-ECOLOGICAL HOUSES For being useful to bio-architecture, materials must: − have long life cycle (recycled many times); − be simple to use without machines that pollute the environment; − reduce polluting emissions; − ensure thermal and acoustic insulation thanks to doors and windows; − guarantee breathability and the natural passage of light. It is for that reason that in the south Italy there are houses with few windows while in the north, there are houses with more and bigger windows. − reduce pollution, plasterworks and colours are of all-natural origin. HOME AUTOMATITION It is the science that studies the intelligent management of the house in order to save energy through electronics, computing and telecommunications. The house control is managed by a centralized computer, but it can also be managed by the smartphone. Class 3E Nicolò F. Fidenza, Italy

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ECO HOUSE

Nowadays, when technology has become part of everyone’s lives, it is important to use it intelligently for our benefit. Many say that this part of the future will destroy us, but it is completely untrue. If we succed in bringing technology to our side by using it for good purposes, not only we will live long and healthy, but we can say that we have truly evolved. So, how would it be if we build eco- houses by using technology?! I think that would be an amazing idea, because by choosing nature, we will choose life too. An ecological house is an environmentally-friendly home built by using materials and technologies against pollution. This could include a wider indoor space panels that capture solar and wind energy to produce warmth, better levels

• f natural light, avoidance of plastics under construction, raised plants of the roof

to adjust temperature and to produce the required oxygen level and a small vegetable garden outside, providing food. Also, the entire building will be constructed using wood as a basic material, because, as we already know, wood is a renewable resource. Regarding the water system, the best solution is to collect rain water in a special collector which has the ability to filter, in order to use it as a toilet water. A very important thing is how to position the building: during winter, the house must get the solar heat and during summer the building will benefit by shadow sources. This house is designed to save energy, so it is necessary to be well insulated away from all external factors. Living in this house can generate heat itself, at a time when the indoor temperature becomes quite high, there are the ventilation systems that provide the temperature control and the freshness of the air in the house. Regarding the design, this construction brings a plus of modernism and nonconformity in nature, also the wood used as a raw material in the realisation of this house, comes from trees that do not pollute and grow using the solar energy producing oxygen. In a nutshell, an ecological house brings many benefits to health because it is a quiet and healthy living environment. Built near a corner of nature, it eliminates all the harmful gases from the lungs, ensuring a long life for both humans and nature.

By Marinescu Karina

Gaesti- ROMANIA

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Eco Home

Nowadays, when people forget to be happy, to love, to live and they are trapped in the technological world, nature is the only angel that can help us. Our souls live through nature and nature lives if we let it live. So, why do we want to destroy our souls? First of all, by building an “Eco House” you can be a hero of our planet, of our

• lives. By helping nature, you help yourself because a home built using

environmentally friendly materials that do not pollute represents the elimination of gas and many other things harmful to life. This can ensure you a longer life because the toxicity doesn’t affect only the environment, it also affects you. Secondly, a “green” house made of eco-friendly construction materials such as wood, bamboo, straw, wool, earth, encourages energy saving through natural insulation from both heat and cold. The energy consumption and the energy losses are diminished, therefore the natural resources can be protected more, and the climate change can be slowed or, why not, even controlled. An eco-life in an eco-house cannot be complete without a garden with flowers and vegetables grown in an environment free of chemicals, using

• nly biological fertilizers such as plants compost and animal manure.

People that live in an Eco-House already have the protective instinct and can be a great example for their community, so many people can also learn to protect mother nature. When mother nature is happy, people are happy; when mother nature is suffering, people get hurt. Nature doesn’t need people, people need nature. By Mar y Maria Oan a Oana N a Neag eagu Gaes aesti- ROM ROMAN ANIA IA

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My eco-home

Nowadays technologies have a tremendous influence on well-being of nature. Our capability to create and build various kinds of machines have caused serious damage to our planet, but good news is that we all can participate in saving our nature by following some principles and this way creating eco-friendly homes for

• urselves. Therefore, having environmentally-friendly homes boils down to

efficient use of energy and resources like water and electricity. It also means economical usage of materials like plastic, glass and paper. In my opinion, my family has succeeded in creating an eco-home. To begin with, every person needs to be serious about saving water. I also take time to fix any water leaks because this can affect water scarcity. If there are no leaks, there are plenty of other changes we can make to save water. We do not run the tap while brushing our teeth or shaving. Moreover, it is a good idea to install a low-flow shower head because this can save up many litres of water for a family. In addition, we take care of sorting out our waste. We have three different rubbish dumps near our country house. One of these dumps is for throwing plastic and paper, the others – for household waste and glass. If we sort out rubbish, our planet will be more ecological because companies can recycle waste and make good products again. Finally, our family try to save electricity. Most people use power saving light bulbs and think that they actually use more efficient product, but that is not true. This kind of light bulbs does not save a lot of energy, their light is dimmer and they even release toxic fumes when they are about to burn out. Another alternative is to use LED lights because they are more economical and eco-

• friendly. Talking about house heating, we installed a small meter to save

electricity because heating is one of the biggest ways that we use energy for. Small meters can be programmed so they only turn on at certain times of a day. In conclusion, there are many ways how we can make our planet more

• ecological. I believe creating an eco-home is not a very difficult task to do, it only

requires some knowledge of what is good for our nature and using some tips, as well as following some advice, we can achieve perfect results. Lithuania

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My eco home

We live in the XXI century – the golden age of technology. Cars, computers, phones, electricity are the things we use to make our lives easier. It is undeniable that technology growth is a big plus, but we should not forget what kind of minuses such evolution brings. Every day, tons and tons of water, electricity, food are wasted because we tend to overuse things. We also cannot forget all the industries that pollute and destroy nature around us by making things for

• ur everyday lives. In my opinion, there are many actions we can do to lessen
• ur burden to nature. By no means, we ought to start with ourselves and our

surroundings. Probably lots of us use many liters of water throughout the day. It is inevitable, but we should always remember that we do not need so much water for our

• purposes. For example, as I am brushing my teeth, I always turn off water. It

sounds simple, but many people forget to do it. I also use a shower, not a bathtub because it also saves lots of water. When it rains, my family always collects as much water as possible. Later we use it to water our plants, so we do not have to use water from the tap. Therefore, by doing these easy things we save a lot of water. Moreover, we also try to save electricity. When leaving a room, I always try to remember to turn off the lights. While doing homework, I keep only my desk lamp turned on. I also try not to leave my computer, or a TV set turned on if I am going somewhere for a few hours. Another thing would be recycling. At home I always put plastic, glass, paper into the bins made specially for them. We do not throw out clean shopping bags if we can use them later. As for natural waste, we do not simply throw it out. We put it on the roots of plants in order to help them become healthier and stronger. All in all, these are only a few things of the many that I do around my house to become eco-friendlier. I hope that these suggestions will be at least a bit helpful for the readers, and for our planet as well. Lithuania

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MY ECO-HOME

It is said that if you want an eco-home you will need ecological and recyclable materials and have an eco-friendly lifestyle, among other aspects. Here you have tips and keys to make an ecological house:

• Set a budget.
• Know how to guide the ecological house.
• Use ecological materials

HOW MUCH IT CAN COST. Building an ecological house requires a larger budget, however this money will depend

• n the quality of the materials and systems, so it can vary.

HOW TO GUIDE AN ECO-HOME TO BUILD IT. The orientation of the house and the layout of the rooms will also be decided depending

• n the weather and the solar route throughout the year.

Once the location of the house and its orientation has been decided, it would be interesting to make an intelligent distribution of windows, doors, porches, terraces and

• ther elements

MATERIALS. Wood is an ecological and natural material. Although the most ecological material is any that is reused, such as plastic bottles filled with sand or glass bottles. It is preferable to use recyclable materials and materials that last a lifetime as they do not become waste. Finally, we must use materials that do not release toxins, which endangers the health of people. THESE ARE SOME TIPS THAT ARE ALSO USEFUL TO HAVE AN ECOLOGICAL HOUSE:

• GOOD VENTILATION.

We must ventilate it daily, on the one hand to renew the air and on the other, because mites develop more easily in humid and warm environments such as sheets, quilts, sofas...

• NATURAL LIGHTING.

In addition to allowing us to save electricity when it is natural, it also helps regulate our nervous system.

8 If our house does not have too much natural light we will opt for LED or broad- spectrum light bulbs, which are the healthiest for our eyes and for our health in general.

• PLANTS THAT PURIFY THE AIR.

These plants have the incredible property of cleaning the air of toxic substances that give off paints, furniture, varnishes, etc. − Chrysalidocarpus lutescens (Areca, Bamboo Palm). − Sanseviera trifasciata (Sanseviera, Tiger's tail, tongue of mother-in-law, tongue of tiger, sword of Saint George). − Epipremnum aureum (Poto, Potus, Ecindapso)

• THE COLOR OF THE WALLS.

− White: It transmits purity and luminosity. − Yellow: A very cleansing and balancing colour. It also has antidepressant effects. − Orange: Power creativity, extroversion and optimism. − Red: The most stimulating and energetic colour, but if we overdo it can also increase aggression and irritation. − Blue: It is a relaxing and refreshing colour, very suitable for too hot rooms. − Green: The colour of nature is the most balanced, it brings harmony. It helps us to fight stress and fatigue. − Turquoise: It brings family serenity. − Violet: It is the most spiritual color, which increases intuition. It also has relaxing effects, thanks to its blue content.

• REST WITHOUT WIFI.

In this way we will save and avoid electromagnetic radiation , which progressively worsens our state of health, causing problems such as: Anxiety and stress, insomnia, dry skin, allergies, hypertension, eye problems, problems of concentration, dizziness, disorientation, migraines, exhaustion, sterility and problems during pregnancy, autoimmune diseases, arrhythmias… I do not have an ecological house, but I would like to have it because of the advantages it has although at first, we only look at the disadvantages, this radically changes your lifestyle. To sum up, obtaining an ecological house is hard but if you get it you have already taken a step to help the environment. Alba Angulo, 4ºESO-A Malaga

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Sergio Malaga

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My eco-home

Nowadays technologies have a tremendous influence on well-being of nature. Our capability to create and build various kinds of machines have caused serious damage to our planet, but good news is that we all can participate in saving our nature by following some principles and this way creating eco-friendly homes for

• urselves. Therefore, having environmentally-friendly homes boils down to

efficient use of energy and resources like water and electricity. It also means economical usage of materials like plastic, glass and paper. In my opinion, my family has succeeded in creating an eco-home. To begin with, every person needs to be serious about saving water. I also take time to fix any water leaks because this can affect water scarcity. If there are no leaks, there are plenty of other changes we can make to save water. We do not run the tap while brushing our teeth or shaving. Moreover, it is a good idea to install a low-flow shower head because this can save up many litres of water for a family. In addition, we take care of sorting out our waste. We have three different rubbish dumps near our country house. One of these dumps is for throwing plastic and paper, the others – for household waste and glass. If we sort out rubbish, our planet will be more ecological because companies can recycle waste and make good products again. Finally, our family try to save electricity. Most people use power saving light bulbs and think that they actually use more efficient product, but that is not true. This kind of light bulbs does not save a lot of energy, their light is dimmer and they even release toxic fumes when they are about to burn out. Another alternative is to use LED lights because they are more economical and eco-

• friendly. Talking about house heating, we installed a small meter to save

electricity because heating is one of the biggest ways that we use energy for. Small meters can be programmed so they only turn on at certain times of a day. In conclusion, there are many ways how we can make our planet more

• ecological. I believe creating an eco-home is not a very difficult task to do, it only

requires some knowledge of what is good for our nature and using some tips, as well as following some advice, we can achieve perfect results. Poland

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My eco home

Me and my family live in the middle of the city. Most of our neighbours are not

• ecological. Although we live in such an environment, we try to be eco. Maybe you can

make your home eco too. One of the things we do is to sort rubbish. We have a trash can with two separate

• sections. One is for food remains and the other one is for plastic. In this way the rubbish

can be easily recycled. It is a very simple thing to make your environment cleaner, and even if it may seem meaningless, every little thing helps. Instead of using a bath, our family have installed a shower. Thanks to this we use less water and electricity. When I brush my teeth, I pour the water into a mug and I don`t let the water run. Both of these methods not only help you waste less water, but also this way you set a good example for other people. When we go shopping, we don`t use plastic bags. We take one of the reusable ones from

• ur house. They last longer, which is also a big plus for the environment. Additionally,

they are made out of fabric, which unlike plastic, dissolves without leaving toxic remains in the soil and looks more fashionable. Our flat has really huge windows, but they are all well insulated. In this way we save electrical energy for heating the house. It`s not only a good way to be eco but it also looks very pleasing to the eye. Eco homes can make the world a better place to live. Maybe you can use some of those ideas to make your home eco too. By Weronika Maryniak Poland

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MY IDEAL ECO HOUSE

Have you ever dreamed about an ideal eco house? That special place where you can enjoy life without pollution, noise and water, food or energy waste. A place where you can simply enjoy pure and simple life. If you haven’t dreamed about this kind of place, just close your eyes and try to imagine my ideal eco house. My ideal eco house is located somewhere in a green forest at the bottom of a mountain where I can breathe fresh air every day. There is also an amazing waterfall in front of my house where I usually have a shower in the crystal-clear water. My ideal eco house is made of wood and it is not big. It has two bedrooms, a kitchen, a bathroom and a spacious living room. There are recycling bins in all the rooms because all the materials should be recycled, huge windows to let the natural light enter the house and running water from the waterfall. All the taps have sensors so, the water runs only when you use it. The electricity which comes from the solar panels installed on the roof of the house is turned on by sensors, too. There are a lot of colourful flowers and green corners in my ideal eco house and all the furniture and appliances are made of recycling materials. In addition to that, behind the house there is a garden full of fresh vegetables and an orchard with trees full of juicy fruit. In this way, I have the possibility to pick fresh fruit and vegetables whenever I want to prepare healthy and tasty food for me and my family. This is how I imagine my ideal eco house...just like a little piece of heaven. What do you think? Would you like to live in such a house?

TANASE LORENA CLASS: 7B VASILE CARLOVA SCHOOL TARGOVISTE, ROMANIA

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MY IDEAL ECO HOUSE

Nowadays, pollution is a very common problem. There are a lot of places that are seriously affected by pollution and nobody does anything about it. In my

• pinion, the best way that you can help the environment is to have eco-houses

because in this way you would help the Earth considerably and you'd have a healthy lifestyle, too. I have spent so much time imagining my own eco-house that I know every inch of it. First of all, my eco-house is located in the centre of the town. Even if it is the most polluted area I want to make a change and try to influence the others. It has two floors and a very big backyard. The colour of the house is dark to atrract the sunlight. On the first floor there is a big living room with two couches and a big curved TV on the wall. There is also a small bookshelf and a coffee table. A bathroom, the guest bedroom with its own bathroom and the kitchen are also situated on this floor. On the second floor, you can find a smaller living room and

• ther three bedrooms with their own bathrooms. The attic is transformed into a

sort of small library with the walls full of bookshelves. In this room you can also listen to music or you can just read. The backyard is full of trees and flowers and there is also a small place where I grow my own vegetables. In addition to that, this house is as eco as possible. The water that I use is actually rainwater which is stored in an underground storage tank. There is also an energy efficient heating and cooling system, an energy efficient lighting and a high efficiency water heating system. Obviously, there are solar energy panels, solar thermal panels and in the back of the yard there is a wind turbine. I wish one day my dream would come true. In this way, I will live happily with my big family in this wonderful house. I hope more people will consider the idea of building ECO-houses and the world will become a cleaner and a healthier space. Udrea Eric Vasile Carlova School Targoviste, Romania