계랸 모양의 에코 캡슐

[함창우]

Love the great outdoors, but not quite ready to go Into The Wild-style and give up hot water and electricity just yet? Slovakian architects have just revealed a super-compact capsule that promises to deliver a nomadic lifestyle, with all the renewable-powered comforts of home. And we really want one.

The whole thing is pretty cramped, measuring just 2.55 m x 4.45 m x 2.25 m, but it's designed to be entirely self-sufficient for two adults, and is kitted out with a retractable 750 W wind turbine and 2.6 square-metres of solar panels.

The egg-shaped abode, which has been named the Ecocapsule, also has a 9,744 Watt hours battery to store all that power for a rainy (or cloudy) day. The pod is specially shaped to help collect rainwater and dew and funnel it down into a tank below the pod's floor, filtering it with a clever surface membrane along the way to remove any bacteria.

Inside, there's a toilet and shower, mini-kitchen, bed, table and storage. The walls are super-insulated to help keep the pod at a comfortable temperature and the home is even capable of charging up your electric car while you tow it.

The design will be on display next week at the Pioneers Festival in Vienna, and will reportedly be available to the public later this year (although no word as yet on the price).

Obviously we'd love to see some more research and data on how the Ecocapsule fares in a range of different environments, but it's a pretty promising design that will hopefully get people thinking about the future of sustainable living. I, for one, wouldn't mind living in a world where we all carry our homes around with us like some giant hermit crabs. Just imagine the places we'll go...

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What's being called the world's first carbon-positive prefabricated house has been unveiled in Melbourne, Australia, and we really want one.

Created by Australian manufacturing company ArchiBlox, the prefab homes can be ordered, built and delivered, ready to move in within 12 to 28 weeks. The aim is to provide a simple, affordable and stylish way to help people greatly reduce their carbon footprint.

The one-bedroom prototype features edible garden walls, rooftop solar panels, a sunroom and rainwater recycling. It's estimated that over its lifespan, the Archi+ Carbon Positive House will generate more energy than it took to build, and will offer the same environmental benefit as planting 6,095 native Australian trees.

"Archi+ Carbon Positive Houses will make significant contributions within society by addressing the increasing levels of carbon emissions and the high levels of embodied energy that come with the construction of a standard home," the company told Dezeen.

Despite the compact layout, which you can see in the floor plan below, the wood and big, open windows manage to make the home seem pretty spacious and light-filled. 

But although it looks pretty sleek, every aspect of the 75-square-metre home has been cleverly designed to save energy. The house is naturally cooled, using in-ground 'cool tubes' that pull cool air from the Earth and circulate it around the house.

The fully sealed property is also designed to face north, with a double-glazed sunroom that forms a buffer of warm air that will help heat the home in winter, and protect it from the harsh sunlight in summer.

From above, the roof is insulated with grassy plants, and it generates electricity through a solar panel on the roof.

"We have five kilowatts of solar power on the roof, edible gardens within the house itself, so it can be a bit self-sufficient for food production... green sliding walls,"architect Bill McCorkell told Simon Johanson from the Sydney Morning Herald at the start of the month. "The whole house has been designed to maximise solar gain. There are no fans, it's all just naturally ventilated, cooled and heated."

Although it's more expensive than a regular prefab house, with prices starting at A$260,000, it's generally whole lot cheaper and easier than trying to design and build your own carbon positive house from scratch.

[함창우]

플로리다주에서는 오프그리드된 주거지를 만드는것이 불법이랍니다. ㅎㅎ

(모든 주택은 전기와 상수도가 연결(온그리드)되어야 한다)

[레프트사이드-스테인리스]

하여간 미국은 주마다 희안한 법규들이 많다니까요..

어느 주에서는 염소를 목매달아 죽이는 게 불법이라고 명시한 곳도 있다더군요.. -_-

[알엔디]

와우 멋지네요

[어설프로]

....온통화학물질이;;;

[만고강산]

잘보고 갑니다.