Eco-building for eco-living, an essential step to face climate change

This article explores the historical evolution of ecological design within intentional communities, focusing on ecovillages and their contribution to climate change mitigation. It examines key ecovillage principles (renewable energies, waste recycling, water conservation, voluntary simplicity, degrowth economies, shared governance) and their interplay with eco-housing and eco-living designs at various scales. Challenges faced by ecovillages, including local integration and global networking, are discussed. While acknowledging difficulties in quantifying their impact, the article highlights the holistic approach of ecovillages and suggests considering them as valuable laboratories for "empathic" architecture.

Sylvia Amar