Healthy Home Design Kate Hamblet

Today we’re talking about who to have on your project team as you design and build your new home, renovation or addition.
When you’re ready to build a custom new home or renovate your existing home, you have options on who you want to help you complete the project.  
If you’ve never gone through the renovation or new build process before, you might be feeling a bit clueless on who will be involved.  Do you need an architect, engineers, surveyors?  I’m sure all these questions are swirling around in your head as you begin to plan out the steps to how your house is going to get designed and built.
So let’s break down all the potential professionals that may need to get involved in your project, and when they typically need to get involved.
Helpful Links:
Balanced Architecture (my website)
Designed For Wellness Course Waitlist
What is a Healthy Home Consultant
 

The living building challenge is a program created by the International Living Future Institute (ILFI).  It is about creating buildings that improve the planet and people by being built.  It's very aspirational and pretty hard to achieve.  That’s why ILFA created a second certification program called the Core Green Building Certification that makes achieving a super healthy and sustainable home within reach.  
I love the concept of building certifications because it provides goals and metrics to keep everyone accountable for creating better buildings.  And I’ve found that the Core Green Building Certification is one of the best programs that encompasses all aspects of health, well-being and planetary health in a realistic, achievable way.  
So if the idea of having goals and metrics to ensure you really are creating a home that supports your health and well-being, along with the planet, then this certification program is a great one to consider.
I’m going to discuss the 10 imperatives that combine to create the Core Green Building Certification requirements, and why I love this certification so much that I  plan to follow this framework when I build my home.

What makes building a house so expensive?  
Rising construction costs have put a lot of projects on hold or have sent the design team back to the drawing board.  
How can you renovate or build a new home in these expensive times without compromising your sustainable and wellness-focused design values?
In this eposide, I talk about the main factors in controlling building costs so that you don't get to the end of your design journey only to find out that you can't afford to build it.
 

Link to Blog Post that has ALL the links I mention in the eposide!!
Are you ready to start designing your dream home, but have no idea how to get all the thoughts and ideas you have floating in your head down on paper?  
If you’ve been thinking about your house design for a while, and have been saving Pinterest images and making inspiration boards, you have any idea of what you want, but you may be feeling lost on how you turn those ideas into a floor plan.
If so, I’m going to walk you through 5 steps to get all the ideas out of your head and into a floor plan.
It is soooo important to spend a lot of time working on the plans for your home renovation or a new build.  
Even if you plan to hire an architect, I recommend spending time up front on your own working through your ideas and trying out some floor plan layout options.  This will allow you to have more meaningful and detailed conversations with your architect.
 
What you’ll discover:
5 key steps to get your home design right
The most important thing to figure out for your new home or renovation
How to create a program of spaces
What a bubble diagram is and why this needs to be done before creating a floor plan
The best tools for sketching floor plans
 
Link to Blog Post that has ALL the links I mention in the eposide!!

In Part 2 of the How to design a durable house episode, we’re covering all things interior.  There are some great ways to make sure the inside of your home is easy to maintain, will keep you safe and healthy, and will last a long time.  We’ll get into materials, ventilation, lighting, and even storage!
What you’ll discover:
Why ventilation is key for a durable home and what kind you need
Low-maintenance and durable flooring options
Ways to make sure your floors and flooring systems last a long time
How to make your home easy to clean
 

Creating a durable home is a big part of creating a sustainable and healthy home.  A durable home means that the house will last a long time and be relatively low-maintenance.  This will help save you money in the long run, so it’s well worth it.  It also helps maintain a healthy indoor environment and makes you more comfortable.  
In this episode we’ll break down some of the big picture design strategies that you can incorporate into your renovation or new home design to make it a durable, sustainable, long-lasting, healthy, low-maintenance home.