Bio-constructed House

La Lomita

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La Lomita is entirely bio constructed using :

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• Mud and straw techniques

• Double glazed windows

• Rocket stove heating

• Green roofs

• Dry toilets

• Biofilter for grey water

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Why mud and straw construction ?

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Mud and straw, two essential and ecological complements: in a bioclimatic house, these materials are often found thanks to their qualities.

The straw will serve as thermal insulation, the soil, meanwhile, has very good quality of thermal inertia.

 

The other advantages of these two materials are their environmental qualities.

I'm not only talking about ecology but, more generally, the ability of these materials to blend and form a social, economic and ecological ecosystem!

 

These materials are ecological in the primary sense of the term, their ecological balance is very good and these materials require the creation and maintenance of strong and mandatory human relations!

 

The return in force of this type of material also allows a return to a humane and natural living experience that the modern world has forgotten a little ...

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Benefits of mud and straw construction :

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• Filling material around a wooden structure

• Insulation performance in both winter and summer: Balance between inertia and insulation

• Absence of thermal bridges

• Fully breathable walls

• Good hygrometric regulation for excellent interior comfort

• Good acoustic protection

• Fire-tested constructive system

• Material from local and renewable resources storing CO2

• Earthquake proof

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Why double glazed windows ?

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Benefits of Double Glazing.

Specifically designed to reduce heat loss from homes and buildings, double glazing also performs many other benefits, including:

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• Warmer in winter: Double glazing is the ideal form of insulation, with up to 50-70% of home heat lost through single-glazed windows. Double glazing also helps capture and store a higher percentage of the natural heat from the winter sun.

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• Cooler in summer: Double glazing insulates your home against extremes of temperature, trapping some of the summer sun's rays and minimizing the heat which burns through your windows on hot, sunny days. 
   

• Reduces energy usage: because there's less need for heating systems it will be reducing energy consumption, which helps the environment.
   

• Reduces condensation.

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Why a Rocket stove heating system ?

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A rocket stove is an efficient and hot burning stove that used small diameter wood fuel. Fuel is burned in a simple combustion chamber containing an insulated vertical chimney, which ensures almost complete combustion prior to the flames reaching the exhaust.

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Benefits Of Rocket Stoves:

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• A great amount of heat production to keep you warm even in the coldest months

• Heat the same space as a conventional stove using 10% of the wood.

• Uses small pieces of wood which can be found in our own gardens

• No need to chop and split wood

• Emit less smoke reducing air pollution

• more use of radiant and conductive heat increases efficiency compared to convective heat favored by other stoves.

• Can heat water at the same time as it heats a space.

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The rocket stove of La Lomita passes under the bench built into it, radiating the heat throughout the house. It makes for a warm place to sit or curl up on. Like the heated beds or seats in your car, this is a heated couch.

It won't burn you, is safe for cushions or pillows, very comfortable to sit on and will take the chill right out of you.

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Why a green roof ?

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Green roofs have been gaining in popularity in recent years. A green roof has many economic, ecological and societal benefits. A green roof :

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• Provides a rainwater buffer

• Purifies the air

• Increases biodiversity

• Creates fire-resistant layer

• Increases the feeling of well-being

• Improves aesthetics 

• Reduces carbon monoxide impact 

• Neutralizes acid rain effect

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Why dry toilets ?

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The use of dry toilets is considered by many environmentalists as the only acceptable alternative solution towards attaining sustainable sanitation.

Here are seven good reasons for using dry toilets:

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• Improvement in soil quality by conversion of waste into humus. (To maintain a well-balanced natural cycle, it is important to return to the earth what we have taken from it)

• Reduction in water consumption (a water flush represents 25 to 30% of household water consumption)

• Considerable reduction in water pollution 

• No auditory discomfort, water-free toilets are noiseless.

• No olfactory discomfort, water-free toilets do not give off any unpleasant odors. (Only the smell of wood shavings)

• Develops a sense of responsibility through sustainable management of our waste.

• Water-free toilets are a fun way to learn or relearn the importance of nature’s cycle.

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Why a biofilter for grey water ?

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Grey water gets its name from its cloudy appearance and from its status as being between fresh, potable water (known as "white water") and sewage water ("black water"). Grey water is wastewater from showers, baths, washbasins, washing machines and kitchen sinks.

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Recycling grey water not only reduces the consumption of water. There are many ecological benefits of grey water recycling which can be summarized as follows:

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• Lowering the fresh water use

• Highly effective purification

• Groundwater recharge

• Plant growth

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Recycled water is used for non potable (not for drinking) purposes, such as irrigation for the landscape (trees, flowers, gardens).