Lowtech Graph lists low-tech options for every need of a home. Here you can compare them, find tutorials to build them, and link them together into a circular system. Why low-tech?
Generous roof overhangs
Passive
One of 2 ways to meet this need. Cost, carbon, footprint and rankings are relative to other solutions for the same need, not absolute.
A roof that reaches well beyond the walls. The overhang keeps most rain, even wind-driven rain, off the walls and windows in the first place. It is the cheapest way to protect a house from rain.
Build it
Nothing separate is built here: this is a choice about how the home is designed or used.
Cost
Low
Upkeep
None
Skill to build
None
Lifespan
Matches roof structure lifespan (an overhang is a geometry choice, not a separate material)
Levels are relative to the other options for this need, not absolute. Fewer dots is lighter.
Generous roof overhangs (This page) Can I use it? Works in a flat · No rebuilding needed What does it cost me? Upfront cost: Low · Skill to build: None · Upkeep: None · Change to daily life: None · Works without the grid: Yes Choose it if you want the cheapest rain protection there is, designed into the roof.
Rainscreen cladding with drainage gap Can I use it? Works in a flat · No rebuilding needed What does it cost me? Upfront cost: Medium · Skill to build: Basic · Upkeep: Light · Change to daily life: None · Works without the grid: Yes Choose it if your walls face driving rain and you want them to stay dry and last longer.
Sources
No sources recorded yet.
Limitations of this page
We don’t list sizing or quantities, as the yield of each technique depends on the quality of its build. The catalogue compares options but doesn’t dimension them. Regulatory notes are indicative, with a French example, and need to be confirmed locally.