With more and more people preferring to build homes that are completely in harmony with its surroundings, Norscot offers a range of eco kit home designs which will suit self-builders from all parts of the country. But how exactly do you identify an eco-friendly kit home?

Eco kit homes adopt a passive solar approach in which the house is oriented to maximize the benefits derived from natural sunlight. This means the sides of the house facing south are made of glass or have large windows which allow natural light to come flooding in. Another distinctive feature of eco homes is their passive ventilation system, which provides ducted warm air during winter and cools the interior during summer. This means less energy load for conventional heating and cooling systems, leading to lower utility bills.

Norscot eco kit homes are extremely well insulated. The walls and roofs of Norscot eco kit homes achieve very low U-values, a measure of their energy efficiency. Also, the windows in Norscot eco kit homes have a layer of inert gas and low emissivity glass which serve to keep warm air in during cold weather and retain cool air during summer. These windows meet the higher standard for insulation.

An eco-friendly home also has a system that will collect rainwater and convert it for human use and consumption. This feature is particularly common in eco homes located in areas with regular rainfall all year round. The collected rainwater can be used for flushing the loo, bathing, cleaning, watering the plants and washing the dishes.

With the flexibility of kit home design, owners can incorporate gadgets which will allow them to harness natural energy sources. Examples of this would be the installation of solar panels, to reduce electricity consumption. In areas with strong winds, mini-turbines can be installed to convert wind power to energy. Other possible sources would be water power and biomass energy.

Eco kit homes can also be automated, to allow homeowners to monitor important features such as security, smoke detection and its energy consumption. This way, homeowners can determine how to manage their household to reduce energy costs, if needed.

Additionally, eco kit home can make use of paints that are not volatile and pose no health risks to its occupants. These homes also have appliances and furnishings that are energy-efficient, such as dual flush toilets, energy saving light bulbs, and appliances with low energy ratings.

Needless to say, all these features can be incorporated into Norscot eco kit homes, if required. Allowing the homeowner to make their contribution to caring for the environment and reducing the world's dependence on fossil fuels.