Environmental features of building materials of traditional Ohrid house and their contribution to its human design

Abstract

Selection of materials for the construction of a house can significantly affect the extent to which it will be characterized as a "healthy home". Having this in mind, the paper discusses the environmental impact of applied building materials in the case of a traditional Ohrid house which was selected as a representative of vernacular architecture in the Balkan region. Respecting the principle of relying on local resources which is a characteristic of vernacular architecture, materials used for the construction of Ohrid houses are natural, non-toxic, most of them are organic, and none of them causes environmental pollution during the deconstruction, i.e., does not threaten its natural course. Consideration of the impact of building materials on the environment emphasizes the positive characteristics of selected natural materials as well as sustainable character of building principles of Ohrid masters. The following criteria were analysed: the amount of energy embodied in the particular material; the use of natural materials; locally produced building materials; use of durable materials; level of toxicity; recyclability; waste minimization; reuse of materials and the biodegradability of materials. The aim of this paper is to point out that the principles of environmentally responsible construction applied on the case of the Ohrid vernacular architecture are timeless guidelines in construction of healthy and sustainable architecture. The established character of being ecologically friendly and healthy which is typical for applied materials on selected examples of vernacular architecture, offers the opportunity for a review of sustainable strategies that are used for several centuries, but still keep their significance in contemporary sustainable practices and environmental design.