South-facing covered porch/terrace

Cheap, low-embodied-carbon extension of usable space; also functions as summer shading.

Cost
Medium
Upkeep
Occasional
Lifespan
20-40 years for a simple timber-framed porch roof structure
Embodied carbon
Low
Space / material use
Medium
Output timing
None
Skill to repair
Basic

Note: Cost, carbon and footprint are rated against the other options for this same need, not in absolute terms.

What your site needs

A south-facing aspect for the shading benefit to apply

Inputs

none

Outputs

none

What this page does not tell you

No sizing or quantities: how much a technique yields, and how much a household needs, both depend on the build and the people, so the catalogue compares options rather than dimensioning them. It carries no bill of materials and no build sequence, and it is written for an oceanic, clay-soil climate (Normandy, France). Regulatory notes are indicative and need confirming locally.