“To dwell, also means to become friends with a natural place.” - Christian Norberg-Schulz
This is a practical design guide for creating a home that’s both sustainable and achievable. We’ve distilled the key principles into four essential elements: light, thermal performance, ventilation, and connection to the local community. Whether you’re building from scratch or refining an existing plan, these fundamentals can help you design a home that’s both efficient and livable.
We spend a lot of time at home. It’s where we sleep, share meals, unwind, and spend time with family. It’s also where we can begin to make the planet a better place. Research indicates that the building sector has the largest potential for significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions compared to other major emitting sectors.
That’s where Design with Frank comes in. Designed with durable nature friendly materials, Frank’s eco-friendly homes last longer and generate significant long-term savings. They reduce negative impacts on the environment by using less energy and natural resources. By using fewer synthetic materials and promoting better ventilation and air quality, Frank homes are also better for your body.
One of the most important steps in building an eco-friendly home is thinking about its position in relation to the sun’s path. The sun is a vital source of heat and light that your home can take advantage of, and the right orientation can help your home harness the sun’s energy during the day and heat itself.
Our designs feature large, south-facing windows that are tucked behind a covered outdoor deck. The deck acts as a buffer between the hot sun and the inside of your home. In the summer, this reduces brightness and keeps the indoors cool. In the winter, the sun rays sit lower in the sky, and shine into the house through the deck to keep the house warm. You can rely on our guides to help you determine the right orientation to help your home leverage passive heating and cooling.
For example, if the house is made with a slab on a grade foundation, a large slab exposed to southern light is needed. That slab acts as thermal mass, which absorbs heat during the day to feel cold and feels warmer at night when the slab relies on heat. If you are interested in Slab on the Grade foundation system, check out our blog.
Like a thermos that keeps hot soup hot or cold drinks cold for hours, proper insulation in your home reduces the exchange of heat through a surface. This means that less cool air or warm air escapes the walls and roof. By self-insulating, there’s less energy needed for heating or cooling.
Many homes have thermal breaks, or gaps in the structure that isn’t covered by insulation. This creates vulnerable areas where air can escape. At Frank, we recommend using exterior insulation for your home -- almost like putting on another jacket. That means less draftiness and cheaper energy bills for you.
For example, Zip-R sheathing is a widespread product that has exterior insulation built into the sheathing. This is an easy way to add exterior insulation without the extra work. Of course, a double-layer wall that the studs do not touch and with double the amount of insulation is super nice. Check out this blog if you are interested in a double stud wall.
It is nice to add both extra insulation and better fire protection.
We also recommend using the wall condensation calculator to see the exact amount of exterior insulation you need to prevent condensation inside of your wall.
Similar to how our bodies breathe in and out, natural ventilation cycles fresh air in and out of your home. In the warmer months, this flow of air can naturally cool your home without the use of mechanical systems. Proper ventilation also improves indoor air quality, cycling out any air contaminants.
We recommend designing the window on the opposite side of the house to create cross ventilation. A ventilated attic also keeps the house cooler and lasts longer with the roof materials. Having an ERV and HRV will help bring fresh air into your house 24 hours a day, even in the cold winter when opening a window is not ideal.
When we think about sustainability and health in construction materials, we pay attention to the product's VOC rating. Some interior products may emit more VOC than others. The general rule of thumb is that the more natural the materials are, the less VOC there is. For example, lime wash paint made from limestone has less VOC than petroleum-based paint.
Bamboo, cork, and reclaimed woods and metals are just some of the common materials used in eco-conscious homes. Organic insulation -- such as hemp, cellulose, or wool -- is also popular, as it performs better with humidity and prevents mold and mildew.
To us, building a home means investing in the local economy. We want to empower homeowners to locally source labor and materials and create more wealth and job opportunities in their area.
Sustainability also means community sustainability. A lively town and community bring a better life experience of living in the house you build, feeling better belonging, and more sustainable financial prospects for your home value. Think about engaging the local builder, using the local craftsmen, and ordering locally made materials. The cost of building a house can be an act of investment in the local community.
All our floorplan can be build of the building materials -- if not all -- can be purchased from nearby lumber yards and stores, and Frank floor plan designs can be easily built by any builder or contractor. Most importantly, local materials eliminate the energy consumption and hefty costs that come with shipping and transportation.
Before you dive into your home build, take a moment to think about the fundamentals that make a home sustainable—and livable. From how your home is oriented toward the sun, to how it retains heat, to what local materials and builders you choose, these are all straightforward strategies that can have a big impact.
In this post, we break down essential design considerations—sunlight, insulation, ventilation, and local resources—to help you build a home that’s energy-efficient, healthy, and connected to your community. Whether you’re working with a builder or tackling a DIY project, this guide will help you make smart, eco-friendly choices from day one.
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