Building an eco-house with your own hands: technological principles and diagrams

Autonomous ecological housing, fully equipped with effective support systems, is able to “maintain” itself.And without causing harm to the environment. But it’s quite possible to build it and equip it with smart technology.

We will tell you how to build an eco-house with your own hands, using exclusively natural building materials - clay, sand, straw, wood. For you, we have collected, studied and presented information about the most promising options. They described in detail the technology for constructing environmentally friendly housing.

The recommendations we provide will provide effective assistance to beginning builders. To facilitate the understanding of a difficult topic, photo selections, informative diagrams, and video instructions are attached to the text.

Construction of an eco-house: dream or reality

Interest in the construction of eco-houses is growing every day - projects that previously seemed fantastic are being brought to life and showing amazing results. Some principles of eco-friendly housing are familiar to anyone who has lived or vacationed in a village.

To this day, outside the city, houses are built from rounded logs, timber, bricks - that is, natural materials that do not contain harmful artificial impurities.

Scheme of a two-story residential building using the “double timber” technology - walls, internal floors, ceilings are made of two layers of wood (profiled dry pine timber)

Advanced villagers and summer residents have long installed septic tanks and biological stations - compact modern waste processing systems. Household plums decompose naturally, then the solid sediment is used as fertilizer, and the liquid is purified (up to 98%) and put into secondary use - for watering the garden or vegetable garden, and maintaining the territory.

Diagram of a biological water treatment system with two chambers (aerobic and anaerobic) and a filtration field. After purification, the liquid enters the ground

Of course, with heating system everything is different: as before, the main source of heat is either an electric (gas, gasoline, coal) boiler or a stove, which is heated in the old fashioned way with wood. In environmentally friendly systems, the use of natural fuel (gas, coal, firewood, petroleum products) is excluded.

The use of solar panels leads to economical consumption of the generated electricity, because the power of the alternative system is not enough to ensure the operation of energy-intensive devices

The following are recognized as optimal sources of energy and heat:

• hydrodynamic heat generator with cavitator;
• solar powered system;
• wind home generators;
• biogas plants (for farms).

Operation smart heating systems, energy saving and waste recycling are combined, and the result is complete autonomous maintenance of the house without any air or soil pollution.

An eco-house with an area of ​​48 m², designed by Romanian specialists, is built of laminated timber and double-glazed windows, the roof is covered with wooden tiles. Cost – 25 thousand euros

It turns out that if you wish, you can build an absolutely “clean” house yourself, especially since there are plenty of examples - in the countries of Scandinavia, Austria, Germany, Denmark, and Great Britain, hundreds of ecological housing projects are being developed, not only by nature lovers and representatives of “green” groups, but and government agencies.

Principles of designing eco-friendly houses

If you still take a chance and decide to build an eco-friendly house with your own hands, you need to start with a project - detailed planning of all stages of building construction and connecting life support systems.

The first stage is choosing a construction site. The most favorable site is a flat area with a water source close to it, open to sunlight and wind. If northern winds often blow in the region, if possible, the northern part of the house should be protected (for example, by planting tall coniferous trees).

An interesting design solution is the partial construction of a house “in the ground.” Part of the building is protected and insulated in a natural way; the only drawback is the mandatory artificial lighting of the underground part

The second stage is to determine the nuances of building an eco-house. Thermal insulation of a house plays an important role - the more efficient the natural protection system is, the less energy will be spent on heating.

To increase the thermal insulation properties, several techniques are used, for example:

• strengthening thermal protection in areas with “cold bridges”;
• construction of a multi-layer wall structure (up to 4 layers with gaps filled with mineral insulation, waste from the cellulose or cotton industry);
• additional insulation of the foundation and basement.

An interesting architectural solution for the northern regions is the division of space into “winter” and “summer”. As you know, our ancestors also had a winter hut (with a Russian stove) and a summer one, which was not heated.

A lot of energy goes into keeping light bulbs running, so you should maximize natural light. To do this, one wall of the main room can be made of glass, using triple glazed windows with wooden frames and impact-resistant glass.

Option of a house with circular glazing. During daylight hours, almost all rooms of the building are illuminated naturally - through glass walls erected along the perimeter

The airtightness of the house will be extreme, so it is worth thinking about ventilation. The more useful qualities are incorporated during construction, the less energy will be required to provide the residential area with heat, light, and clean water.

The installation of “green” roofs creates an additional effect of insulating the building and retains rainwater. In order for grass to grow on the roof, technology has been developed for equipping inverted roofs.

Secrets of planning: drawings and diagrams

Visualization of the project simplifies its implementation, and sketches, drawings, diagrams indicating the exact location, specific parameters and materials help “launch” the process of completing the task.

We remember that the construction of a house (including with the eco prefix) cannot be started without permits from government agencies, which give the go-ahead only after a thorough study of the project. We recommend that “serious” documentation be drawn up together with design engineers to avoid protracted red tape.

One of the options for the general scheme for constructing a green house, indicating the elements of the water supply system, thermal insulation, ventilation, lighting and decoration (+)

What needs to be displayed on diagrams for the construction of eco-houses? Anything that causes even the slightest difficulty - for example, location ventilation system.

Possible ventilation scheme with a recuperator - a device that is a heat exchanger that uses the heat of exhaust gases to partially heat the heating system (+)

Saving energy generated solar panels, also implies the equipment of a complex set of various systems, including hot water supply.

The diagram shows a system with a dual source of electrical energy: solar panels located on the roof slope and a boiler installed in the lower part of the house (basement, ground floor). This solution will be considered environmentally friendly if biofuel is used to operate the boiler (+)

Here is another option for installing a solar system with a water collector. The disadvantage of such systems is that the heated water can only be used as a coolant or sanitary water. Moreover, only immediately after heating.

For those wishing to accumulate solar energy and use it to charge household appliances, it is better to build a solar system from solar panels.

The solar collector is mounted on the roof of a separate building, specially built to house the water heating system. Hot and cold water enters the house through an underground pipeline

It is irrational to install wind generators in regions with forest plantations or other protection from the wind, but on the seashores, reservoirs, in the steppes and mountains they justify the installation costs.

The operation of a solar collector and a wind generator can be combined using a hybrid controller that distributes the received energy to points of consumption or directs it to storage devices (+)

Before building a country house or village house from timber or logs, it is necessary to consider the arrangement of a heat-insulating layer.

Depending on the location, different insulation materials are used: mineral wool, solid and loose thermal insulation materials on a natural basis, wool or cotton mats

This is the kind of house scientists from Wales came up with. It spends less energy than it produces. A miniature “electrical factory” is a standard project, meaning anyone can buy a house. It is said to cost almost the same as a regular house.

Powerful solar panels installed on the roof and part of the wall, energy-efficient household appliances, “smart” distribution automation are factors that provide an excess amount of electricity (+)

Ready-made diagrams can be found on the websites of companies involved in the construction of eco-houses and passive energy-saving buildings.

Now let’s take a closer look at two projects - the construction of eco-houses from straw and firewood with the addition of clay, which plays the role of a binding material.

Construction of an eco-house from straw and clay

Straw with excellent heat-saving qualities, has long been used in peasant houses - it was used to cover roofs, stuff mattresses, and insulate grooves between logs. In the southern regions you can find huts made entirely of straw bales.

Knowing the properties of the material and the features of the frame assembly technology, you can build a “straw house” on your own.

Adobe houses can have different number of storeys, wall or roof configurations, and sizes. Because of the clay plaster, it is sometimes difficult to guess that the main building material is “straw” brick

Pros and cons of straw bale

The first thing worth noting is the availability of the main building material. It is obtained as a result of growing and processing agricultural crops (legumes, grains, hemp, flax, etc.).

Grains, inflorescences, and seeds go into further processing, and the stems with the remains of leaves are dried and sent to feed livestock. Straw is also suitable for making rustic decor.

The relative lightness and compact size of the material are beneficial to thrifty owners who plan to do it on their own, without involving a work crew or renting heavy construction equipment.

With the growing demand for environmentally friendly raw materials, a whole industry has emerged for the production of adobe bricks (a building material made from pressed straw and clay) and biofuels.

Adobe and just straw bales are actively used for the construction of private houses, as they have the following qualities:

• have a low degree of thermal conductivity;
• do not ignite, but only smolder (we are talking about pressed plastered material);
• do not contain chemical inclusions;
• have a budget price.

The disadvantages are hygroscopicity and the associated predisposition to rapid decay. In addition, straw bales are an attractive place for rodents, who also value environmental friendliness.

To get rid of the shortcomings, they increase the density of the building material to 300 kg/m³, reinforce the blocks and cover them with plaster with the addition of slaked lime.

Rules for preparing material

To build a house faster, you can purchase ready-made straw bales or adobe bricks. Both options are easy to prepare on your own, having prepared a sufficient amount of material in advance. The procurement period occurs at the end of summer or autumn - harvest time.

Only during this period do dry stems fully correspond in their characteristics. Straw rarely survives until spring without changes, as it deteriorates due to dampness and becomes moldy.

Adobe bricks (adobe) are often prepared independently: a mixture of clay, plant fibers, manure and lime is placed in molds resembling boxes without a bottom, compacted and allowed to dry for 7-10 days, turning in different directions

To store the material, it is necessary to build a large barn with a strong insulated roof, a dry microclimate and good natural ventilation. Mats also made from straw (preferably rye, since that’s what mice don’t like) are used as natural insulation.

Construction of foundation and frame

While the material is “ripening”, the foundation can be prepared. It is equipped according to the usual scheme for a frame house. Experts recommend a lightweight belt version because the bales are light in weight.

For the foundation, a shallow pit is dug, formwork is knocked together from boards around the perimeter and filled with a thick mixture of clay and sand. By the way, straw is sometimes added to the foundation of the house.

Until the clay sets, metal reinforcement is fixed in the corners and along the walls for future strapping. Then, when the foundation is stronger, a frame is assembled from wooden beams (15 cm x 15 cm). First of all, fix the corner posts, then the auxiliary supports for the walls. Horizontal elements are added to the vertical elements - boards or bars of smaller cross-section.

If a basement floor is planned, the foundation must be deepened to at least 45 cm, and the basement must be waterproofed during construction.

Straw bale tying

The blocks are stacked alternately, in rows, according to the principle of brickwork. The seams between the rows are caulked. Each block is secured with a metal rod and strapping. After filling the entire frame, shingles are made diagonally with thin boards to give the walls more stability. The roof is installed at the very end, using conventional technology.

Before using straw bales, double-check its quality: good material has a pleasant golden color and smell of dried grass, dry to the touch

The resulting seams and gaps are sealed with adobe mixture. If protection from rodents is necessary, the walls around the entire perimeter are covered with a metal mesh with a fine mesh. Sometimes a second layer of thinner straw mats is laid out for insulation.

The outer part of the thatched hut is plastered with a lime mixture (2.5-3 cm thick) and decorated with white or colored paint. Ultramarine, umber, violet cobalt, red lead and chromium oxide are used as colors.

The last stage is interior finishing, which simultaneously involves equipping the building and the adjacent area with life support systems.

Technology for constructing a building from wood and clay

Firewood, which is perceived by everyone as a traditional but obsolete type of fuel, can be used differently - as a material for building walls.

For the technology of constructing buildings from logs in Russia they came up with an interesting name - “clay mortar”, and in America, where this construction method is also known, it is called Cordwood. If a house made from wood is equipped with a smart energy saving system, then it can be safely classified as environmentally friendly and does not pollute the environment.

An original “green” house, built using cordwood masonry technology. Naturalness is emphasized with the help of various structural elements: lawn inversion roof, log supports, natural stone finishing

Advantages of the clay pot method

Ancient buildings with walls made of wooden blocks held together with clay mortar have been found all over the world.Some of them are several hundred years old, which means that the technology is justified, at least in terms of strength and stability. Having wall thicknesses from 15 cm to 45 cm, the houses not only retained their shape, but also still function.

Clay and pieces of wood are not only the main, but also the only materials for masonry. They complement each other perfectly, creating a pleasant, comfortable microclimate for living in the house.

People who have lived in houses like cordwood masonry claim that they are quite warm in winter, and amazingly cool in the summer heat. The walls absorb excess moisture and keep it inside.

The interior of a wood-burning house is also distinguished by the use of natural materials - exposed masonry walls, solid wood countertops, wooden floors and window frames

Another advantage of natural material is its low cost. Residents of secluded communities, living far from cities and accustomed to saving on everything, willingly use wood to build housing, including “clay” ones.

Features of building houses from chocks

The method of assembling a clay “woodpile” is reminiscent of ordinary brickwork, with the difference that the logs can have different diameters and shapes. Their length is equal to the width of the wall, so they should be the same.

For central Russia, it is recommended to use logs 50-60 cm long, for northern regions - up to 80 cm. The long length is explained by the fact that the longitudinal thermal conductivity of wood is 2 times higher than the transverse one.

The process of constructing a wall from logs of various shapes and cement mortar: along the edges there is a rigid cement frame, inside it there is insulation made of pressed sawdust

The clay solution is prepared as follows:

• take clay and sand, mix it with water;
• add chopped straw as a reinforcing element;
• bring to the desired consistency;
• laid on firewood like mortar.

For strength, cement is sometimes used instead of clay, lime is added, and then the technology turns into “chock concrete.” It's a little different from the previous one. The cement mixture is spread only along the edges of the logs, and the middle is filled with insulation - adobe mortar or sawdust mixed with lime.

Collective construction of a round building using the “clay chock” technology: each layer of firewood is leveled, the chocks protrude slightly from the clay mortar

As a finishing layer, plaster is used, also made from natural ingredients. To soften the structure of the finishing solution, manure is added to the clay - a natural antiseptic.

The clay mortar hardens for at least one and a half months - during the entire period the walls must be kept dry. To do this, a large canopy is erected over the building body. As the clay dries, it will crack, so it is necessary to regularly cover the cracks and monitor the integrity of the structure.

Recommendations for beginning builders

If you decide to buy a house made of logs, start preparing the wood about a year before the start of construction. It must be dried for at least 10 months so that the structure does not deform in the future.

For a small country house with an area of ​​40 m², you will need about 30 m³ of wood. It is better to take not round logs, which can crack along the fibers during the laying process, but chopped firewood, freed from the bark. The length of the blanks is 50-60 cm.

The same length of logs can be easily achieved using a bench saw, but some people can easily cope with the task by placing the logs on regular sawhorses. On one side they make an emphasis, on the other, at a certain distance, they make a mark - along it they make a cut.

When constructing three-dimensional two-story structures, it is necessary to use a wooden frame made of thick supports, beams and ceilings, since the load on the walls increases

The procedure for building a house:

• installation of a strip foundation;
• assembly of the frame (with a circular laying principle it is not needed);
• step-by-step laying of a “woodpile” with openings for windows and doors;
• pause for clay maturation (at least 2 months);
• roof construction;
• plastering and interior finishing.

When constructing walls, you can use traditional technologies. For example, timber is used for corner trim. To ensure that the firewood lies evenly, a large shield is placed vertically on one side - it acts as a limiter. To increase the horizontal stability of the structure, it is recommended to lay barbed wire after every 4 rows.

Conclusions and useful video on the topic

Thematic videos will help you understand the nuances of building eco-houses.

Video #1. Review of eco-friendly houses:

Video #2. Film about the construction of an adobe house in a northern eco-village:

Video #3. Do-it-yourself clay pot technology:

As you can see, it is quite possible to build a house using one of the well-known eco-technologies on your own. You can start not with a residential building, but with a small utility room, summer kitchen or country decor. Try to apply the principles of building an energy-efficient home - it will be a small step into the future and a wonderful personal experience.

Would you like to tell us about another original way of constructing and furnishing an eco-house? Do you have any questions while reading the information we provide? Please write comments in the block below.