Sustainability Strategies

There are many ways to ensure harmony of buildings and houses with their environment and to address specific challenges in a location. In thorough assessments of a location, a building, and the owners’ needs and preferences, we develop specific concepts that go beyond standard sustainability approaches. We considered the trade-off between optimal reduction of environmental impacts throughout the use and life-cycles of the building and the costs, and we aim for conceptual solutions that meet the needs of the clients in terms of their values and their financial constraints. Importantly, we aim for solutions that provide optimal benefits and comfort to the clients and are well integrated in the architectural design.

Environmental considerations may include water availability/quality and energy (electricity) apart from passive cooling technology used in the construction design and material.

 Water Availability/Quality

If water availability or quality are an issue, there is a 2 pronged approach.

Availability can be addressed by the inclusion of cistern in the building design process. Collecting rainwater may can be a cost-effective option, depending on the average amount of precipitation. Additionally, the use of greywater for watering plants and for toilets can reduce the pressure on water supply. This design technology would be applied in the building design.

Water Quality can be addressed by the use of an atmospheric water generator. There is sufficient humidity in our Caribbean environment to utilize this new technology. This may be the best option to get access to clean drinking water. The process of water extraction from the atmosphere however demands considerable energy, and combining the generator with solar energy would keep costs and environmental impacts low.

Energy Generation

The key issue is to meet the energy needs of the building and those using it. In most cases, directly utilizing solar energy can make a major contribution to meeting most, if not all of these needs. Utilizing solar technology to supply the building with part or all of its energy needs can be a very cost effective approach as the cost of electricity is very high in Grenada. In many locations, sufficient energy can be delivered to meet the needs when daylight is available, and sufficient energy stored for what is needed during the night. Excess solar energy can be fed into the grid, contributing to the energy supply and reducing costs of energy that needs to be taken from the grid in exceptional situations. Solar panels are getting rapidly more efficient and lower in cost. Battery storage is one of the fastest developing technology, and new approaches have very little environmental impacts, lower cost, and very long lifetimes. Return of investment for solar systems is increasing and in a carefully designed systems can approach five years or less. We work with expert companies in designing solar systems and hybrid systems meeting the demands and preferences of the clients, while considering local constraints in available technologies and weather conditions.  Inclusion of this technology should be considered during the building design stage. Additionally, the use of an electric car in conjunction with the use of solar technology highest benefits for the owner and the environment. This would not only reduce environmental impacts of driving but also reduce costs of driving. can also contribute to long term cost efficiency and reduction in environmental impact of driving.

An example of a real-world scenario with solar.

When electricity is shutdown on the grid due to hurricanes, storm or other disruptions, a building that utilizes solar energy will still have electrical power.

Passive Cooling

The use of appropriate building materials and passive technologies can further reduce energy demands, environmental impacts, and costs. This technology includes the use of ventilation systems and materials that keep the interior cool. If the building has employed a solar system for its energy needs, then air-conditioning units can be implemented at reduced cost with less impact on the environment.   

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