Healthy Home Design – Details, episodes & analysis

Where would I splurge and where would I save when it comes to insulation, windows, flooring, and roofing?

This is a great question!  I urge everyone to put exteiror insulation on their homes if they're building new (even in hot climates), so why didn't I do it for my own new home?

Exterior insulation is rigid insulation that goes on the outside of your exterior walls, behind the siding.  You can also put exterior insulation on your roof, but this question is specific about the walls.

Looking to create a kitchen that brings the beauty and tranquility of nature into your home?

Tune into this week's episode all about biophilic kitchen design!

We'll explore the benefits of incorporating natural elements into your kitchen, and learn how to design a space that's not only functional, but also calming and rejuvenating. This is  an insightful conversation about the intersection of nature and design in the heart of your home.

What you'll discover:

What biophilic design is and why we need it

How to avoid fleeting trends and design something that you'll love forever

Wellness kitchens and biophilic design

Simple ways to connect to nature with kitchen design

Links:

View post with images.

More on Wellness Kitchens

Intro to Biophilic Design

Hempcrete is an amazing alternative building technique that fits into the category of natural building methods.  

In this episode, I interview Mattie Mead, the founder and CEO of Hempitecture, a public benefit corporation that supplies hempcrete building materials and makes hempwool insulation.

"Hempitecture was founded with the idea that healthy, sustainable materials can help build a better world. These materials can help build a better world by contributing to our health, saving energy, and storing carbon dioxide.

They're achieving their mission by focusing on biobased, natural building materials that are designed to replace conventional, toxic materials."

I am super intrigued by hempcrete construction, and I'd love to build out of hempcrete someday. I have a feeling by the end of this episode, you'll love the material too!

Mattie provides an in-depth understanding of what hempcrete is, how it works, and why it's so good for you and the planet!

Here's what we cover:

• How hempcrete is made
• What the sustainability and health benefits are of hempcrete
• What the difference is between cast-in-place hempcrete and hempcrete blocks
• How the cost of hempcrete construction compares to a more standard high-performance wall assembly
• The benefits of hempwool insulation and where to install it

Links:

Hempitecture.com

buy.hempitecture.com

And we're back!

This week we're exploring 10 sustainable design strategies that you can incorporate into your home renovation / addition or new build project.

• Why is sleep so important, and how can your living space influence your sleep?
• What are circadian rhythms?
• What is blue light?
• Do blue light blocking glasses really work?
• What kind of light do we need for better sleep and how do we get it?

Andrew is founder and managing partner of Havelock Wool. He has a passion for all things New Zealand, where the company procures its wool, that is mirrored by a desire to affect positive change in the built environment. He has lived and traveled around the world and seeks to leverage those experiences in bringing a biophilic, best practice to an industry known to contribute excessive waste to our world.

What You'll Discover:

• How does sheep wool insulation work?
• Is it a healthy choice for your home?
• Is it good for the environment?
• How much does it cost?
• Is it easy to install?
• Plus a lot more!

Helpful Links:

Episode Link

Havelock Wool

There is a lot to discover about the Living Building Challenge and how you can create a Living House.  This month's podcast episode is bringing you an overview of the concepts and how you can bring the ideas into your own home design.

You'll Discover:

• What the Living Building Challenge is and who it's for
• The 7 'Petals' that make up the core concepts of the LBC
• How to use the LBC framework without having to go all in on certification
  
• How to apply the LBC strategies to your upcoming project whether it's a renovation or a new build

Helpful Links:

The Living Building Challenge

International Living Future Institute

Loom House Project Spotlight

Have you ever started searching for a healthy product and then found yourself three hours later even more confused than when you started?

I have been there.  Searching for healthy and earth-friendly building materials for your home renovation or new home build is hard!  It's exhausting and confusing.

This episode is meant to help you narrow down your choices and guide you to the best websites to find the information you're looking for.

You'll Discover:

• What product certifications are
• Which certifications you should look out for
• The best websites to search for healthy materials
  
• My process for researching healthy and earth-friendly materials

Healthy Materials Guide:

This Easy-To-Use Guide Will Help You:

• Save time and avoid frustration - you can stop the endless internet research for healthy and sustainable materials

• Feel good about the materials you're selecting for your home

• Share your material ideas with your architect and builder so they have a head start on understanding what you want to use in your home

Learn more about the Healthy Materials Guide Here.

Helpful Links:

Declare: https://declare.living-future.org/

Healthy Materials Lab: https://healthymaterialslab.org/material-collections/

Mindful Materials: http://www.mindfulmaterials.com/