Achieving Environmental Sustainability in Modern Housing by Introducing Nature

In modern houses connection to nature is faded out and their habitats are approaching towards degrading their surrounding environment. This research investigates the ways by which we connect to nature as one of the principles of environmentally sustainable development in housing and also seeks to answer the questions that what the characteristics of nature-compatible housing are in order to fulfill the objectives of environmental sustainability.

Data collection was conducted through library resources, the analysis of qualitative and descriptive study was conducted to analyze their content. In this regard the components, principles and key sentences bases of the three spheres of sustainability, nature and housing were extracted. After that components and points obtained were classified. Then, in order to achieve the aimed housing characteristics, the components correlation to each other and their implementation was analyzed by authors. Eventually a list of measures necessary to achieve these characteristics was finalized.

the results indicate that it is necessary to considering measures to communicate directly with nature, restoring the natural environment and conserving natural resources, reducing energy consumption and increasing exposure to sunlight, reducing environmental pollution, harmonizing form-shape of the building with the environment and appropriate materials selection and their implementation in the home design process one.

It seems by considering the constant presence of nature in the organization of housing spaces, preservation of existing vegetation, respecting the natural shape of the site and so on is able to design housing which maintains and strengthens the relationship between people and nature. This in turn falls in line with the principles of environmental sustainability.