Sustainable System In Household Essays Examples

Introduction

In any system, there is ought to be inputs, the components that make the system, and the outputs that come from having the system working in place. In this paper, there will be different components that will be explained in order to understand the housing mode. It is the building component and model that will be explained in detail. It will help to understand the issues that are there in place in order to understand the entire system. A system is a group of interdependent, interacting or interrelated elements forming a complex whole. Sustainability is the quality of not depleting natural resources or being harmful to the environment thereby supporting ecological balance for a very long time and at the same time aiding in energy conservation, economic efficiency and many more.
According to Wheeler et al., today, sustainability is very important because all the actions we make and choices we pursue affect everything in future. For instance, if polluting the dwindling supply of fresh water and wasting water, future generations will be left with no choice but to treat contaminated water or desalinate salt water for their consumption. Household sustainability covers many aspects such as energy efficiency, water conservation, waste management and many more. There are several inputs for household sustainability which include the following. The use of non-economic bulbs will lead to more energy consumption, also not using insulation materials and outer covers in home building will lead to the need for more heating, which in turn leads to more energy and money consumption. Failure to minimize the use of electricity equipment and lighting will lead to high electricity bills. A household without proper ventilation and air conditioning system will require that air conditioning fans are installed which in turn will lead to high electricity bills. Failure to use variable air volume systems which have fan speed that is selectable to simultaneously minimize cooling and heating of air will lead to more energy use. Failure to install high R-value ceiling and wall insulation and use of minimal glass on west and east exposures will lead to the need for more heating or cooling depending on the climatic conditions which in turn leads to more energy consumption (Adams, 2006).
Buildings not designed to save resources and energy, minimize toxic substance emissions and recycle materials throughout its life cycle, harmonize with local traditions climate and the surrounding environment, so as to improve and sustain quality of human life and at the same time maintain ecosystem’s capacity at the local and global levels will lead to huge energy costs and money consumption (John, 2014).
According to Travis, recycling grey water within homes is the process of taking used water from wash hand basins, baths and showers, filtering it then storing the filtered water so that in can be reused in watering gardens, flushing toilets and running washing machines. Failure to recycle used water will lead to the use of a lot of tap water provided by the authorities, which at the long run translate to huge consumption and wastage of water which in turn leads to the usage of a lot of money (Research Highlights 2014).
The behavior of house occupants and the activities they perform in their dwelling may have an influence on sustainable building techniques use and on environmental performance of those techniques. Households’ occupants perform activities like cooking and cleaning, washing, working and leisure activities such as watching television and inviting friends to achieve their level of well being. If occupants use appliances such as the washing machines and televisions for a long time leads to the use of a lot of energy which finally translates to spending a lot of money on bills. Failure by the occupants to properly use and maintain a balanced ventilation system by failing to clean the ducts, filters present in the ventilation unit, outlet and inlet grilles will lead to huge maintenance cost. Also failing to adjust ventilation capacity will lead to the use of air conditioning appliances which consume a lot of energy (Dubrul, 2000).
Considering climate and the seasonal change in temperature, homes not modified or designed so as to ensure that the occupants remain comfortable thermally with minimal auxiliary cooling or heating in the surrounding climate in which they are built will require that cooling and heating devices be installed which will consume a lot of energy and money. It is a great challenge eliminating or reducing cooling and heating needs in a house, especially those built before energy efficiency standards of buildings were introduced. Increasing energy costs are shifting rapidly the affordability from the upfront or initial cost to operational or ongoing cost. This has made high levels of thermal performance to be increasingly valuable while the payback for thermal performance upgrades is rapidly diminishing (Klunder, 2005).
The type of transportation infrastructure influence the development of a sustainable household, there are several types of transportation such as commuter rail, airports, multi-land limited access highways. Transportation system enhances accessibility in the neighborhood but also affect negatively real estate values through pollution, crime, noise and stigma to households located directly in their path. These factors capitalize into the value of homes. Proximity to transit station has economic impact, for instance, if a household is far from the transit station, transportation cost will increase, also if a household is near the transit station, house rent is relatively high hence more money consumption (Workman, 1997).
According to Patrick, safety is important in waste management, a properly filled, serviced and maintained container is important in keeping the household clean. Therefore if those conditions are not maintained, there may be unpleasant odor in the household environment which is not good for occupant’s health. If there is no reliable rubbish and waste collection services, rubbish and waste will pile within the household environment making it dirty and unpleasant for the occupants.
In conclusion, building sustainable homes benefits the immediate user the environment and also the future generations. Buildings are designed and constructed in ways that promote sustainable development. Designers, building owners and developers should consider: the use of renewable sources of energy and proper use of energy, water conservation and water use, material use and conservation, and waste reduction during construction (Waikato, 2014). Sustainability is not only building or renovating but also living sustainably and making decisions beneficial to future generations and the environment. Therefore, if sustainability is maintained in a household, the environment will be protected, waste managed properly, energy will be conserved and cost and bills will significantly reduce. It will be safer and healthier for the occupants, and enjoyable to live in.
Conclusion

Works cited

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