Visit the Energy Systems Laboratory Homepage.
Sustainability in a Subtropical Climate
Abstract
The author purchased 5 acres of land
on the Bayou Teche in south Louisiana
some 22 years ago. The property was
over grown with vegetation and
contained dump sites from many years
of neglect and abuse. This allowed for
the purchase of the property at a lower
price, and the opportunity to follow the
advice of architect friend Malcolm
Wells - "buy an ugly piece of property
and make it beautiful, while usually we
do just the opposite."
An old house, doomed for
destruction, was purchased and moved
to the property. After a year of part-time
renovation the author and his
family moved into the structure.
For the next 17 years, time was spent
cleaning up and selectively clearing
the property. Also during this time
research on local vernacular
architecture and sustainability
continued along with the collecting of
materials to be recycled into the design
of a new home.
About 5 years ago the design was
finalized, the property was cleaned up,
and construction started on a new
house. Construction, on a part-time
basis, lasted for the next 4 years. Some
of the major considerations for human
comfort were shading, ventilation, and
thermal grounding along with
concerns for infiltration, insulation
and solar radiation. Sustainability
considerations were energy efficient
design, local materials, recycled
materials, indoor air quality, and Feng
Shui.
Citation
Cazayoux, E. J. (2000). Sustainability in a Subtropical Climate. Energy Systems Laboratory (http://esl.tamu.edu); Texas A&M University (http://www.tamu.edu). Available electronically from https : / /hdl .handle .net /1969 .1 /6768.