Questions tagged [housing]

The art of practice of building (or utilizing existing) shelters for protection of one or many people (and/or their belongings) from harsh environment, wild animals or other people.

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1 answer
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Is it possible to use sand for heat insulation at walls?

This question is most probably meaningful when there is a lot of area to build a single house. The main purpose is to keep the heat inside in winters, where it rarely drops below -5 degrees Celsius. ...
Xfce4's user avatar
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1 vote
1 answer
73 views

Dogs to protect housing against bears

Considering self-sustainable living in a bear country (like the wilderness of Canada) can the dogs be used to protect animals and fruit trees against bears? I'm reluctant to the invasive methods like ...
Danubian Sailor's user avatar
1 vote
2 answers
102 views

Subsistence hunting and fishing in Alaska?

My entire family and I are all planning to move to Alaska in early April, and I'm looking for areas where it is closer to be able to do subsistence hunting and fishing, with land we can buy to build ...
Bradley Lindsey's user avatar
3 votes
3 answers
142 views

What are the advantages of a purpose build Tiny House versus a RV trailer versus a Mobile Home?

I have a friend who has made a very nice mobile Tiny House. The reports I've read on the prices of these make them pretty dear. In many places for zoning reasons they have to still be nominally ...
Sherwood Botsford's user avatar
4 votes
1 answer
120 views

Energy saving "bonus" for apartment renters

I live in an apartment building with three units, but only one gas meter, one electric meter, and one water meter. As a result, there is no inherent incentive to save water and energy, and no fair way ...
LShaver's user avatar
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8 votes
1 answer
93 views

Are building certificates under EU Directive 2002/91/EC, such as EPC, Energieausweis, DPE, directly comparable between EU countries?

Implementing Directive 2002/91/EC, the UK have the Energy Performance Certificate (EPC), Belgium has the Energieprestatiecertificaat (EPC), Germany has Energieausweis, France has Diagnostic de ...
gerrit's user avatar
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8 votes
4 answers
440 views

What's the best way of getting an eco-friendly off-grid house?

My partner and I have been considering what the different options are for buying properties in the UK. We are interested in at least 1 acre of land, plus a house of 50-70 square meters minimum. We ...
usumdelphini's user avatar
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5 votes
1 answer
154 views

Hotel communal living

I want to purchase a hotel and sell rooms that have been renovated into tiny apartments that can accommodate one couple. Living together will reduce costs for all and the rent can reinvested in green ...
Bad Wolf Trading Company's user avatar
8 votes
1 answer
272 views

Is concrete a sustainable material?

I am a believer that industrialization is a root of unsustainable practices. I was pondering on what can be considered as a genuine sustainable living. When I try to understand how can mankind change ...
user1297's user avatar
  • 551
12 votes
3 answers
466 views

Sustainable Roofing Materials

I want to re-roof my home, but want to use a sustainable option. Is there a resource where I can compare different sustainable options and find the best choice for my budget and situation? I'm trying ...
pizza247's user avatar
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13 votes
2 answers
501 views

How to keep warm with limited use of fire?

The general rule for keeping warm in wilderness in cold climate is to make fire, as big as possible. While being effective, it's not sustainable in longer perspective because it is depleting natural ...
Danubian Sailor's user avatar
9 votes
1 answer
63 views

What is the best vegetation to build a thatch for British climate?

Thatch as the roof has that advantage, that it is very light and it is done for quickly renewable resources. But what is the best vegetation to build a thatch for very rainy climate, such as those ...
Danubian Sailor's user avatar