Think Tank Designs - Your Green Solution

Let the design:

* be inspired by nature and be sustainable, healthy, conserving, and diverse.

* unfold, like an organism, from the seed within.

* exist in the "continuous present" and "begin again and again".

* follow the flows and be flexible and adaptable.

* satisfy social, physical, and spiritual needs.

* "grow out of the site" and be unique.

* celebrate the spirit of youth, play and surprise.

* express the rhythm of music and the power of dance.

- David Pearson

ThinkTank Designs offers a wide variety of choices for your consideration.

Straw Bale Design - Dating back to the turn of the last century, machined straw-bale homes offer an affordable and extremely efficient alternative to conventional stick-built homes, as well as the opportunity to incorporate many elements not normally available to a standard home. Imagine living in a home that's warm in the winter, cool in the summer and only uses a fraction of the energy! Straw Bale Homes are our specialty.

Straw bale homes require a concrete foundation upon which the bales can be stacked. They're then literally sewn together and tensioned to keep the walls rigid during the application of the stucco or plaster. In British Columbia, due to the limitations of the existing building code, straw bale buildings require a primary loadbearing structure, such as post-and-beam, to take the roof-load, but this makes two-storey straw bale homes easier. The bales themselves can be purchased quite inexpensively from any of the hundreds of farms around BC who produce them, in a wide variety of sizes.

Timber-Framed Homes - With a warm, timeless look, and a limitless number of possibilities from vaulted livingrooms to open lofts and cantilevered balconies. Insulated with SIPS (Structural Insulating Panels) or standard wood-and-fibreglass infill, or even straw bale infill, your home can be as energy-efficient and beautiful as you like.

Using locally-cut and milled lumber lets you create a beautiful, long-lasting home with the least impact on the environment. However, skilled labor will be required to assemble all but the simplest timber-framed homes. The long spans of heavy timbers allow for tremendous open spaces, particularly vaulted living rooms and dramatic staircases.

Superinsulated Homes - Designed to be primarily heated by the body heat of the occupants, waste heat from appliances, and solar heat when necessary, the superinsulated home is designed for cold climates, but has been easily adapted to areas which are hot in the summer and cold in the winter. More a philosophy than a construction style, there is a wide variety of home that could be designed in the manner of a superinsulated home.

Earthships - Much like the superinsulated home, an earthship is more of a philosophy than a set of rigid guidelines. Designed to resuse materials wherever possible, use natural and renewable resources, and need little to no artificial heating, a true earthship also collects it's energy from the sun and wind, and recycle greywater to irrigate local lawns and gardens. Earthships require a lifelong dedication from the homeowner and a commitment to the environment.

Green Roofs - A green roof can be incorporated into almost any house plan, although it is by far the easiest to incorporate into straw bale homes and earthships, and to a lesser extent timber-framed homes, due to the strength required to support it. The green roof adds tremendously to the insulation and lifespan of your roof, as well as provides an excellent place to garden, or relax in the summer. More green space, more nature, is a benefit anywhere to anyone.

Xeriscaping - Xeriscaping is a school of landscaping that does not require additional irrigation, and very little in the way of upkeep or maintenance. It relies on using as many locally-growing flora as possible, which are already perfectly adapted to the environment. Standard 'lawn' grasses are eliminated, and replaced with landscaped features, paths, terraced gardens, and patterns of large and small perennial plantings. Many edible trees, plants and herbs can be used, as well, creating a beautiful and useful addition to any property.