Green architecture: House Jones by ERA Architects, South Africa.

House Jones by South African firm ERA Architects whose sole director is Ken Stucke, is an example of all-round sustainable architecture. Everything about this building is designed to reduce its environmental impact.



About 50% of the world’s energy is used in producing and servicing buildings, making an environmentally aware, green approach to design extremely important.





Ken Stucke and his firm ERA Architects, which stands for Environment Response Architecture, proposes green architecture that encompasses the three pillars of sustainable development: social, economic and environmental sustainability.



House Jones in Johannesburg, South Africa is a perfect example of this environmentally aware approach to design, where sun protection, solar radiation, energy and water consumption, landscaping and sustainable home automation are carefully integrated to create a unique, attractive and sustainable home.



Many solutions have been devised to keep down the building’s impact: site materials were reclaimed and reused, rainwater is harvested and stored in tanks that can hold up to 40,000 litres onsite, energy use in the building was reduced, with solar thermal systems generating hot water also for use in the under floor heating, just to mention a few.



The landscaping helps integrate the internal and external spaces, but it also actively creates microclimate “bubbles” around the home, surrounded by greenery and with a green core.



Ken Stucke is a prominent player on the South African architecture scene and over the upcoming months we will be exploring it further with Floornature.com, media partner of the UIA 2014 World Congress being held in Durban.
Project: ERA Architects
Location: Johannesburg, South Africa
Year: 2012
Photography: Leon Krige - Courtesy of ERA Architects
Link: UIA2014 http://www.floornature.com/blog/the-25th-uia-world-congress-in-durban-south-africa-8886/