Applying the Concept of Eco House in Reality. Concerns and Trends in Design, Arrangement and Optimization of Kitchen Space

Over the years, the role and appearance of the kitchen have changed. The story of the simplistic kitchen begins before the advent of modern man and continues until the early 20th century, when the concept took on a new meaning, becoming a welcoming room with the introduction of running water, electricity, and gas. Nowadays, we witness a mixture of world cuisines, trying to imitate the specifics of the kitchen even at home. The era is also characterized by a tendency to reduce the time needed to prepare food, a phenomenon that is partly explained by the requirements of professional life, and technical and scientific progress. Due to the progress of the technical sciences, both the design and the arrangement and optimization of the kitchen (as a living space) have become, as expected, in terms of computer technologies, elements that can be accessible to anyone, without thorough specialized knowledge. In this context, this paper aimed to present the transition from realistic housing design - in the form of models and plans - which was the merit of specialists, to the design of the dream home - through computerized assistance - which today is considered a real opportunity for development, which can also be applied to greenhouses. Starting from the kitchen space and going, in turn, through the stages of design, arrangement, and optimization, the aim was to show that the policies and strategies of good practice that are suitable to be adopted can make the kitchen become one with low impact on the environment. This desideratum can be met by an efficient design of the space, by common sense and meticulous arrangement, respectively by optimizing the storage space, the route of the activities carried out and, the energy consumption. Based on the most frequently consulted literature and good practice guides, it was concluded that the kitchen is by far the space with the most significant impact on the environment, and as such a new approach is needed for it to fit within acceptable limits relative to energy consumption, pollution and waste generation.