ZeroHouse, New York, EUA

Technical Information:

Project: ZeroHouse

Year: 2007 (project)

Area: 60,57 m2 (+ 23,23 m2 covered decks)

Budget: € 326.401 (estimated)

Location: New York, EUA (No prototype built yet)

Architect: Specht Harpman Architects

ZeroHouse is completely self-sufficient and comfortable.

The ZeroHouse is a small, prefabricated house that can easily be shipped and quickly erected. It features all elements necessary to comfortably support 4 adults.  What sets the ZeroHouse apart from other prefabricated structures on the market, is its ability to operate independently, without the need for any external utility or waste disposal connections.

It’s composed by 2 bedrooms, living room, full bathroom, kitchen, storage compartments, covered deck, sun deck, outdoor shower (in addition to the indoor shower), heating and air conditioning systems.

As a prefabricated house, many of the furnishings are already picked out and built-in for the owner. These furnishings include king-sized bed in each bedroom, window seats for the bedrooms, deck lounge chairs, natural fiber carpets, wraparound couch for the living room, 42-inch, LCD Television, induction stove top, microwave oven, full-size refrigerator and dining booth. However, it’s possible personalize the design flair, you'll still have the option to customize your zeroHouse to a certain degree. For instance, you can communicate your preference on certain materials and color patterns, including the exterior color of the house.

The house can be used in many applications, including residential uses in remote or ecologically sensitive locations, as ecotourism resort units, or as living or office modules for remote employment such as mining, construction or relief agency uses.

The building generates its own electrical power, water, processes its own waste products and is completely automatic.

High-efficiency solar panels produce power and store it in an onboard bank of batteries.  Fully charged, zeroHouse can operate continuously for up to one week with no sunlight at all.

A rainwater collection plane gathers and diverts water into an elevated 2.200 gallon (~ 8.327 liters) cistern.  All plumbing fixtures are gravity-fed, eliminating the need for power-consuming pumps.

All organic waste is processed in a digester unit located beneath the house.  It converts the waste into clean, dry compost that needs to be removed only twice a year.

All functions of the house are monitored by an array of sensors and regulated by a “house brain” that can be controlled through any laptop computer.  ZeroHouse is fully customizable for personal usage patterns, from the weekend getaway to extended-stay living.

Zerohouse is designed for comfort as well as efficiency.  Each house features a fully-appointed living room with modular wraparound couch, 42″ LCD TV, and ample built-in storage.  The kitchen has a full array of high-efficiency appliances, including an induction cooktop, microwave oven, and full-size refrigerator.  The dining area includes a restaurant-style booth and comfortably seats four adults.

Upstairs, a covered deck provides the perfect rooftop perch for outdoor living.  Two bedrooms come furnished with king-size beds, window seats and large closets.  The bathroom, which features a large shower and a porcelain low-flush toilet, opens onto its own private sun-deck with outdoor shower and lounge chairs.

ZeroHouse is fully climate-controlled, with a high-efficiency air-conditioning/heating system and separately zoned sleeping and living areas.  The walls, roof, and floor are all insulated with closed-cell structural foam and achieve a thermal resistance rating of R-58.  The full-wall windows in each room are triple-insulated and fabricated from low-e heat-mirror glass.  Exterior doors feature vacuum-sealed aerogel panels to maintain maximum thermal performance.

Finishes within the house are selected for beauty and durability.  Countertops, sinks and bath surfaces are seamlessly fabricated from solid-surfacing material.  Natural-fiber fabrics and carpet are used throughout the house, and bio-based wood composite wall and ceiling panels can hold up to heavy use and maintain their appearance.  Fully-dimmable LED lighting built into the wall and ceiling panels will last for up to 100.000 hours of continuous use.  The interior of each ZeroHouse can be customized with many material and color combinations.

ZeroHouse can be located almost anywhere.  Two flatbed trucks carry all the zeroHouse components to the site, and it can be erected in less than a day.  It can be installed in places that would be unsuitable for standard construction including water up to ten feet deep or on slopes of up to thirty-five degrees.

ZeroHouse employs a helical-anchor foundation system that touches the ground at only four points, requires no excavation, and only disturbs the ground to a minimal degree.  It is especially suitable for use on environmentally-sensitive sites or locations where no permanent structural elements are permitted.

ZeroHouse is nearly maintenance-free.  The exterior is clad with integrally-colored body panels that are impervious to scratching, denting, mildew and fading.  Steel frame components are bonded and powder-coated for corrosion prevention.  No painting or resurfacing is ever required.  The photovoltaic panels, solar hot water panels and other devices are rated for indefinite use and do not lose efficiency with continuous exposure.

This house can be left uninhabited for extended periods of time.  The house can be put into a self-regulating “hibernate” mode which conserves power while maintaining necessary housekeeping functions.

The construction is also extremely secure.  All windows feature laminated “Sentry-Glass” for impact and penetration resistance.  Exterior faces of doors are Kevlar reinforced and fully mortised locking systems are used throughout.  A continuous web-based house monitoring system is also available.

The tubular steel frame of zeroHouse can withstand winds of up to 140 mph.  The living modules feature flexible attachment points to the frame to allow for deflection and movement without damage.  The solar panels are independently anchored and can detach in extreme wind conditions to prevent damage to the rest of the house.  Exterior cladding panels are installed in a pressure-equalized rain screen configuration that minimizes the possibility of water penetration from driving rain.

In many locations, the zeroHouse will produce electrical power in excess of what is required to operate the house.  This excess energy can be used to operate any number of remote devices including the charging of electric or hybrid vehicles.  With the zeroHouse, completely fossil-free living is a possibility.

Specifications:

·         Photovoltaic Array: 40 high-efficiency solar panels capable of generating 7000 peak watts;

·         Power Storage: 36 interlinked sealed lead-acid batteries;

·         Operational Voltage: 48V battery bank and standard 115V operational voltage;

·         Lighting: Fully-concealed dimmable LED light strips.  Average lifespan: 100.000 hours of continuous use;

·         Climate Control: 9000 BTU micro-split heat-pump system with two independently controlled zones. SEER:18;

·         Water Supply: Four 550-gallon primary storage tanks elevated for passive pressurization.  UV and reverse osmosis processing;

·         Waste Processor: Auto-composter with negatively-pressurized vent system.  Odor-free high-grade compost needs to be removed every 6 months;

·         Foundation Anchors: Helical micro pile anchors, stainless steel with leveling plates;

·         Structural System: Tubular cold-rolled steel frame sections with bonded powder-coat finish;

·         Body Shell: Structural insulated panel system (SIPS), with integrally-colored exterior cladding;

·         Insulation: Closed-cell polyethylene foam panel cores.  Metallized panel wrap.  Assembly rated at R-58;

·         Window Assembly: Triple-pane insulating units with SentryGlas laminated exposure film, low-e coating, and argon-filled cavities;

·         Exterior Doors: Kevlar reinforced door shell with vacuum-sealed aerogel insulating core.

Total Floor Area: 60.57 m2 (650 sq ft) net usable interior area, 23,23 m2 (250 sq ft) covered exterior decks.

Sources:

http://www.spechtharpman.com/residential/zerohouse.php

http://zerohouse.net/wordpress/what-is-zerohouse

http://www.jetsongreen.com/2010/01/zerohouse-off-grid-modular-green-home.html

http://home.howstuffworks.com/zero-house1.htm