mindfulbuildingandliving

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Abandoned Boats converted into Tiny Homes turn into Unique Waterfront Dw...

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Family of 5 travels fulltime in a Self-Built Off-Grid Van for more than 6 yearsIn 2017 Daan and Maaike embarked on a quest for a different way of living together with their three daughters. They are still continuously on the road. Check out the video to see and listen to their amazing story on what drives them.

Watch the full video on Youtube https://youtu.be/YRvVgb9lTBI

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Did you ever see a Van conversion like this 😜? Van life is ideal lifestyle for this freedom warrior. He takes pride on being a free soul and wanderer. #checkitout #mindfulbuildingandliving #vanlife #vanrenovation #freespirit#checkitout #comingsoon #mindfulbuildingandliving #vanlife #vanrenovation #freespirit

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HIS WIFE ASKED HIM: CAN YOU ROTATE OUR HOUSE? HE SAID: WHY NOT …

Ed and Annet live in their dream house. A few years ago, they exchanged a city in the centre of the Netherlands for their self-designed rotating house on the outskirts of Alkmaar. The view changes very slowly all the time, with the occasional view of the garden, the neighbours or the polder.  The couple have lived there for 6 years now, and they would never want to live anywhere else. “It’s great living here.

“For thirty years I wanted to live in a cube, a square of ten by ten meters, and then my wife asked if we could rotate it. That seemed wonderful to us”. And so it happened: Ed, an architect by profession with experience in building windmills, designed the dream house together with an architect.

The house runs on an ‘English wheelbarrow’, with a large hollow column in the middle through which the cables and pipes pass. The cables hang in loops and the pipes have couplings that can rotate. Sensors register the position of the house on the day. “It takes about 26 minutes and then we are from the starting point to the finishing point,” Ed explains. The house has large windows, so the varying views can be enjoyed to the full.

Ed and Annet don’t get confused when they leave. “And the dog doesn’t panic either, he always knows where the front door is”. When asked if he ever feels nauseous, Ed says: “Noooo, there are people who have sat here at the table, ‘oh oh, it’s moving a bit, I’m getting a bit dizzy’, but I think that’s a bit exaggerated. It goes so slowly, it’s not like a merry-go-round.”

“It is great living here. We’re so happy every day that we can live here,” Ed concludes, “The house is so light, so much glass, we can ee everything.

Info on the builder https://www.edkueter.nl/

Video production by https://mindfulbuildingandliving.com/

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URBAN ROOFTOP FARMING AS A SOURCE OF INSPIRATION AND LEARNING …

In this video you will learn some rooftop farming tips from the experts at PAKT, in the centre of Antwerp, a mid-size European city. PAKT is a unique collaboration between creative entrepreneurs and urban farmers. Together, they have set up a vibrant ecosystem in, around and on top of a series of renovated warehouses in the heart of Antwerp.

PAKT inspires communities, companies, schools… with innovative, low-tech, circular and edible greenery. PAKT narrows the gap between urban consumers and their food sources, create more green spaces in the city and promote awareness. By contributing to the realisation of new urban greenery in various cities, PAKT cultivates a breeding ground for urban growth. PAKT was founded by 3 entrepreneurs. In 2006, they fell in love with the derelict warehouses hidden between the centre of Antwerp and the old military hospital (nowadays “Groen Kwartier”). Before the start of the renovations, they decided to make the location available to various artists and musicians, resulting in a colourful and lively atmosphere. Inspired by similar places in Berlin or New York, they created a unique ecosystem where work is combined with sports, leisure and … urban farming. In 2017, a mix of 25 businesses established themselves on the new PAKT site. Chefs, brewers, baristas, coffee roasters, models, sports enthusiasts, digital centipedes and sustainable initiatives found their way to the site. A different universe was born in the heart of Antwerp. In 2017, some 100 people from the neighbourhood started to grow their own vegetables and herbs on the rooftops. Soon, other urban farmers joined the cooperative. Today, some farmers are working together to sell their local products in Antwerp, using PAKT as their base.

We’re hoping you get inspired by these practical rooftop farming tips from the experts in the centre of a large city. Urban farming tips as an inspiration for adventurous city dwellers.

For more info https://www.pakt-antwerpen.be/en

Video production by https://mindfulbuildingandliving.com/

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Jordanian academic builds mud house with his own handsAfter living abroad for many years, Jordanian academic Hamad Yusuf Nazzal returned to his native city Mafraq and built a house made of environmentally friendly materials in accordance with traditional architecture, attracting great attention both as a visual spectacle and for its architectural techniques. Hamad preferred to build a healthier alternative to current building trends in a region which depends heavily on concrete and cement 👏🏡🍀 

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This awesome textile house was entirely self built and designed (and is mobile as well)This family decided to take the house building process in their own hands: they've built it themselves on a shared property and used the lightest possible materials, wood & textile. Easy to heat, far cheaper than a regular house and they can dismantle it if they decide to move in the future. Check it out, it's an awesome original & inspiring house-building story 👏🏡🍀  Watch the full version over here https://mindfulbuildingandliving.com   or here https://youtu.be/5FeOUHW_12k

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you'll be amazed by Hamad's awesome mudhouse #comingsoon #Jordan #mindfulbuildingandliving

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this will probably be the last shot for the mud house video 😊❤️🎬 #comingsoon #mudhouse #jordan #mbl' op YouTube

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Coming soon: this awesome textile house was entirely self built and designed (and is mobile as well) 

Rémi and his partner decided to build a family home with their own hands, the house is made out of wood and fabric (textile/cloth) !!! In this short clip Rémi explains his motivation why they've built the way they did.This kind of quote is really the essence of why I've started the Youtube channel https://www.youtube.com/c/MindfulBuildingandLiving

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ALTERNATIVE HOUSE CONSTRUCTION METHODS, A GORGEOUS TIMBER FRAME HOME IN THE SHAPE OF A YURT

WHY ALTERNATIVE BUILDING TECHNIQUES?

The alternative building is mostly understood under the denominator ‘bio-ecological building’ (also called sustainable building) and this can be done in different ways. You can also build a building with well-known building materials such as brick, sand-lime brick, or natural stone that can perfectly carry the bio-ecological label, only if no hazardous waste or chemical substances have been added.

Building with solid wood or a wood frame construction can also be a perfectly bio-ecological construction method. However, with this you have to be careful: most companies (usually readymade house builders) treat the wood with toxic chemicals against insects and mould. However, there are also a number of ‘typical’ ‘bio-ecological building methods’, which are used by far fewer builders and architects. They are not yet much more than pure niche markets, but certainly an option for the future in a world of increasingly expensive fossil fuels.

BIO-ECOLOGICAL TIMBER FRAME CONSTRUCTION

The term bio-ecological timber frame construction refers only to timber frame buildings with a very good energy performance (low-energy or passive houses), using wood without chemical treatment, and which are also constructed and finished using bio-ecological materials.

HOW IS A TIMBER FRAME HOUSE CONSTRUCTED?

The name says it all. The structure of the building consists of a skeleton of wooden beams. These beams are of limited thickness, both vertically (struts) and horizontally (rails). Together, they form frames. Wind bracing panels are placed against these frames. These absorb horizontal loads, for example in the event of severe wind gusts or earthquakes. The posts, which are positioned every 40 to 60 cm, absorb the vertical load of the roof and floors.

The frame itself is usually made of softwood. The boards inside the structure vary: plywood, OSB, chipboard, cement board, plasterboard… depending on their function. Your pipes are concealed in a technical cavity in the floor or in the wall.

INSULATION:

Timber frames are ideal for extensive insulation (very interesting if you build passively, for example). You can insulate extensively without sacrificing living space. The core of the insulation is placed between the studs. But you can also add extra insulation to the outside and inside. This is not superfluous since the battens score less well in terms of thermal insulation. View: Put a timber frame house next to a traditional brick house and you will not see any difference from the outside. The finishing options are also identical. All types of finish are possible: brick, plaster, cladding boards, you name it. On the inside, you usually finish with plaster or loam.

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This Singer Loves Her Self Built Tiny house - Amazing Modern Tiny House Review

Sieglinde lives in her tiny house with a piano and harp in the gorgeous fields surrounding Bruges in Belgium. See how this lifestyle fits her like a glove.

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Building a recycled plastic house and living in it - Is that a good or a bad idea?

Building a recycled plastic house and living in it, is that a good or a bad idea? This family of 4 created and built the first Plastic house in Europe!

Living good and sustainable in a house made of recycled plastic

Save plastics introduces a home that’s portable and self-sufficient, produced with local waste plastic. The save home is the first house that combines the four elements of 'good green living': comfort & safety, self-sufficiency, mobility and local circular production.

The save home is a moveable home that does not sacrifice luxury and comfort. The house consists of separate units that can be connected as desired. Thanks to smart placement, good insulation, solar collectors and the latest technologies, the house can be self-sufficient. Where possible, 100% recycled plastic is used. For example, the facade is fully clad in plastic as well as the outdoor terrace. Other materials used are as sustainable as possible.

About plastic and the material efficiency

Plastic is actually a miracle material: it is light, strong, lasts a very long time, doesn't break easily, keeps food longer, and can have all sorts of properties (think color or pliability). At the same time, some of the advantages of plastic are also a disadvantage. Take the fact that plastic lasts so long: if it ends up in the environment, it stays there for a very long time, with all kinds of harmful consequences for ecosystems and animals. And the fact that plastics are so different makes them difficult to sort and recycle. In this article we explain how plastic recycling works.

First things first: what exactly is plastic? Plastics consist of so-called polymers: long chains of molecules with lots of carbon. Most plastics (more than 99%) are made from petroleum, but they can also be made from renewable sources. To give plastics a desired property (for example, flexible or hard), other molecules can be added to this carbon chain, which are called additives.

Recycling of plastics Most plastics are theoretically recyclable. They can be melted down after use and then formed into a new (and thus recycled) product. Some plastics, once they have been shaped, cannot be remelted and are therefore not recyclable. Fortunately, this concerns only 8% of the total production. Plastic recycling and upcycling can also be seen as resource efficiency, instead of just throwing it away.

Since 2010, plastic has been collected separately in central Europe for recycling. In the European Union, the recycling percentage is even less than 50% on average. Worldwide the percentage is still very low: 14% is collected separately and only 5% is recycled. One third of the packaging material is not collected at all and ends up in the environment. This is a major cause of plastic soup on the coast of Southeast Asia. And as many of us know, very often it’s plastic killing animals. Then the other question will be: how much plastic has the ocean cleanup collected. There’s plenty of research on the best technology to get plastic out of the ocean.

Why is plastic bottle recycling important? Recycling PET bottles and HDPE bottles is a good thing, both economically and environmentally. Less energy is consumed than in the production of new plastic, and fewer raw materials are needed, including petroleum. Moreover, the plastic bottles no longer end up in the residual waste. A double advantage: we pay less and we pollute less! However there are plenty of voices who claim that plastic recycling doesn’t work. Of course one needs to raise the question if recycling is worth it.

The recycling process in a nutshell Once you have added a plastic package to the PMD waste, it is weighed at the collection station and checked for quality. Lots that contain too much contamination (e.g. from labels or additives) are rejected and go to the incinerator. Batches that are pure enough are compressed and go to a sorting station. There they are sorted by type as best as possible, shredded and melted. Then they are made into granules (small balls) that end up in a new product. Think toys, flower pots, dashboards, garden chairs or pipes. You can also look at it as a recycling symbol. On the other hand, there’s no doubt that plastic recycling is 1 of the top recycling ideas in this day and age. In any case, it will be a continuous business for future entrepreneurs.

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Tiny house living is a dream come true for this performance artist, there's also room for her piano

Tiny house living is a dream come true for this performance artist from Belgium. She decided to buy a tiny manufactured home, according to her own designs, preferences and special requests.

What is a Tiny House? In order to find out, you can follow the tiny house tour in this video.

A Tiny House, also called micro house, is more than a small house, it is a real lifestyle. It must therefore have all the characteristics of a traditional house:

A roof, walls and a heating system: to protect its owner from bad weather, cold and aggressions of the outside world. A living space: to allow its owner to sit, eat, entertain, work and receive his/her friends. A kitchen area: for cooking, baking, storing food and washing dishes. Sleeping area: for resting and sleeping. A bathing area: for showering, washing and getting dressed. Storage space: to dress and store all the daily necessities.

A Tiny House can be used as a main home for the whole year or only for certain periods. Some people use it as a home for their children, for their studies, for camping, as a bed and breakfast or even as a shelter for the poorest of the poor or as a makeshift shelter in case of a natural disaster.

Tiny house living is the ideal home for this artist singer. It has all the amenities and comfort of modern home design. It also served as a quarantine home during the pandemic. It can also be perceived as a nature retreat. For others it could serve as a home office as well.

Buying or building a Tiny House is quite a process. It is more than just buying a Tiny House; it is completely changing your life.

Building a Tiny House yourself is also quite a process and requires a lot of specific knowledge, skills and experience. Building a Tiny House is different from building a "normal" house.

In a Tiny House, you have to be much smarter about the materials you use as well as the layout itself. In addition, with a Tiny House on Wheels (THOW) there is also a very important weight factor that plays a role. In reality it’s a mobile home, and in this video you will see plenty of top storage ideas for tiny homes. There are some very clever ideas for tiny homes you’ll discover, such as the double use of the table, or the large opening window on the roof.

Experienced builders will often agree that their first Tiny Houses still had some 'beginners mistakes'. The tiny house is a small wooden house which is, most of the time, built on a road trailer. It can therefore be moved at any time by its owner(s).

It is also and above all an economical and eco-responsible solution to live with fewer material possessions, in a space specially designed to meet one's own needs. The tiny house movement was born in the United States about twenty years ago. There are people who have plenty of arguments on why it sucks living in a tiny house, or people who have a whole list of “what I hate about my tiny house” but you won’t find those arguments in this video portrait.

I hope you enjoy this Tiny house tour

Video production by https://mindfulbuildingandliving.com/

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Can an energy plus house produce more energy than it consumes?

What is an energy plus house, also known as a plus energy house?

A passive house usually consumes slightly more energy than it generates. A zero or zero-energy house generates as much energy over a whole year as it consumes. An energy-plus house goes one step further! An energy + house, generates more energy than it consumes. Among other things, it has large windows that provide lots of natural light, a heat pump and a roof fitted with solar panels and solar water heaters. The large stone walls in the house ensures that the temperature can remain as stable as possible. Clay finishing regulates the humidity. On the roof they’ve used paper insulation + a green roof filled with plants for extra insulation. Of course a house like this needs an excellent building envelope.

The basis for this energy-plus house is a solid passive house. Right from the design stage, a great deal of attention was paid to a compact construction, thorough insulation and air tightness, an appropriate orientation, judicious use of glass panes, a sophisticated ventilation and heating system with heat recovery and optimum use of solar energy.

Energy-producing homes, that is what we will be moving towards when it comes to building in the future. The industry is also investigating the possible techniques. Many building professionals believe that in the future, homes will no longer be energy consumers, but energy producers. An Energy Plus home is based on two basic principles: on the one hand, a minimum energy demand, through insulation and innovative energy-saving techniques such as heat recovery and the like, and on the other hand, maximum use of free solar energy.

The optimally insulated home of energy + residential construction is equipped with, among other things, a solar water heating system, a geothermal heat pump and all this in an airtight finish. Energy efficiency is key in this way of sustainable home building.

Video production by https://mindfulbuildingandliving.com/