If you are planning to turn your new house green, looking for the right architect may not be an easy task. This is because the field of green designs in architecture is still a new area that not many architects are familiar with. An architect would need many years of experience, familiarity with the area and the person whom the house is built for to ensure that the house that is designed will be satisfactory.
Most houses of green design are built from the ground up. Therefore, it is a must for all parties including the owner, architect, contractor, landscape architect and other experts to be involved from the beginning and on an ongoing basis. The point of having a green design is to first and foremost, be more environmentally friendly with a secondary aim of cost savings in the long run. Hiring a non-qualified architect may prove to be less expensive at the beginning, but over time, these houses will prove to be less efficient than those designed by fully certified architects. Therefore, take your time in deciding on an architect.
The best way to shortlist a number of architects is by surveying the neighbourhood you intend to build your house in. Houses of green design are usually built in a same area to optimize all of nature\’s elements. Ask around for the names of architects who have built your would-be neighbours\’ houses. Also, take down notes on other people\’s designs as this will help you to determine later on what you would want and what you don\’t for your own house.
Once you have short-listed a few architects, do some homework by typing their firm names into any search engine. Most recognized firms will have their own portfolio as well as their awards published on the internet. This will also help you to decide better as to which architect would be able to suit your needs and taste better.
Last of but not least, make sure that your chosen architect has some sort of certification to verify that he is an expert on the matter. This will save you a lot of trouble later on as he will be able to assist you with any further renovations that you might need.
Additional Reading:
http://www.naturalchoice.net/articles/architect.htm
Image Credit:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jeremylevinedesign/2815675200/
