As the world heads towards a more environmentally-conscious future, sustainable homes are becoming increasingly common. But what once was seen as an aesthetically unattractive option has recently become a global asset, as Plus-energy homes are making a name for themselves across the globe.
These new homes are all completely sustainable and stunning in design, as well as having the ability to generate more energy than they consume. In addition to this, they can even be set up to allow any excess energy generated by the stylish home to be sold back to the grid, allowing owners to live in a beautiful home whilst providing a much-needed sustainable service.
As the Plus-energy homes are gaining momentum and increasing in popularity, their prices are also decreasing, meaning that unaffordable sustainable homes are a thing of the past. Each house contains energy efficient features, with a sleek and unique design, gently aiding the world away from a strong dependence on fossil fuels.
Carbon Positive House
The carbon positive house was designed by ArchiBox and is Australia’s first carbon-positive prefab home, consisting of a solar-panel covered flat roof. In addition to the house being able to generate more energy than it consumes, it also has the ability to soak up natural light through the double-glazed facade. The outside walls of the house contain natural plants, whilst the inside consists entirely of energy efficient and sustainably sourced materials.
Heliotrope Home
The Heliotrope home in Freiburg, Germany was the very first home to produce more energy than it uses. The unique home rotates 180 degrees in order to follow the sun’s path and give it full advantage of the sun’s rays throughout the day. The home has a 6.6 kWH rooftop solar array which allows the home to capture a huge amount of energy each day, whilst the inside of the house contains solar thermal tubing to heat the home through water radiators.
ZEB Pilot House
The ZEB Pilot House was created through a collaboration between an architecture and design firm called Snøhetta, Scandinavia’s largest independent research body, SINTEF, Zero Emission Building (ZEB) partner Brødrene Dahl, and Optimera. The Plus-energy home is designed to generate enough extra energy to power an electric car for an entire year, alongside providing power for the entire house. The 200 square meter house is situated in Larvik, Norway, and powered by both geothermal and rooftop solar energy.
Cannon Beach Residence
The Cannon Beach residence in Oregon is designed around a complete adoration of nature, which is reflected in the intricate shapes and forms, as well as the natural surroundings. The home has stunning ocean views and a southern solar exposure, consisting of a green roof and made of completely sustainably sourced materials.
B10 Aktivhaus House
The B10 Aktivhaus, designed by the architecture studio Werner Sobek Group, generates enough energy to power the entire house, with enough left over to power two electric cars, as well as the house next door. The 914 square foot home also features a smart energy system which is able to learn the habits of the homeowner, who can access the system through their smartphone or tablet.
A statement from their website says,
“Combining mobile and permanent infrastructures is an extremely promising approach towards achieving an integrated and decentralized power supply to serve the needs of both electro-mobility and the built-up environment”.
Finally, the architectural delight is combined with sustainably sourced and environment-aiding materials to help the world along to a greener future.
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