Eco homes are pioneering sustainable building. These aesthetic and environmentally low impact houses minimize a home’s carbon footprint and energy consumption. Not only are they doing great things for the planet, but they’re architecturally incredible. Here are 5 of our favourite eco homes from around the world!
The Eco Arch
You can find the Eco Arch, designed by Richard Hawke, in Kent England. Its design cuts down on material use and optimizes energy use—how’s that for a win-win? The roof has a parabola shape to minimize material use, and includes a green roof to regulate the home’s interior temperature. If that isn’t enough in the sustainability department, it also has triple pane windows, walls insulated with shredded newspaper, and uses solar power for its electricity and hot water.
The Brooks Avenue House
The Brooks Avenue House is literally a green house. You can spot it in Venice, California and it was designed by Bricault Design. The exterior living wall (which includes a vegetable garden and a combination of indigenous plants) is fed with rainwater and captured domestic water. This home also has solar panels and a hot water recirculation loop.
Villa UH1
Villa UH1 in Nacka, Sweden is an L-shaped home built into a hillside. It has a beautiful living roof and a thermally stable structure that helps with energy regulation.
The Tree House
The Tree House was designed by Martin and Noreen Jaafar and is in Gloucestershire, England. It’s built within a conservation region, so the architecture was designed with the focus on preserving the surrounding trees and vegetation. The Tree House is eco-friendly and focuses on effective energy consumption. You’d never guess where they sourced their floors: repurposed planks from a sports arena!
The Sky Garden House
The Skygarden home by Dubbeldam Architecture + Design in Toronto, Ontario models energy efficiency. The architecture of this space creates a connection to the outdoors with its large walls of windows, third floor garden spaces and a multi-level outdoor space. The Skygarden home also has radiant floor heat to reduce solar heat, super-insulated walls and green roofs that reduce heat loss.
We love seeing so many earth-first popping up all over the world. We can’t wait to see how sustainable design, material use and energy use continues to grow. You may not be able to live in a tree house in England, but big change starts small. What are you doing to make your home a little more environmentally friendly?
