Sustainability and energy-conservation are two commonly cited targets when it comes to designing prefab and modular homes in the current era, and we’ve been looking at home designs that do just that quite a bit. This house — not a prefab but a design that could be created as a prefab, given the box shape without elaborate additions — made that goal “more than a PC nod” with several eco-friendly prefab energy solutions.
For example, the water for the house is heated by the sun — it goes up to 68 degrees in its tank out there. It also has an ecological irrigation system and solar panels on the roof for electricity.
Take a look at the photo above: how energy efficient do you think this house could possibly be? Here’s the answer from the owners: “With 9 staying and all the laptops, music, washing etc we’ve only run the generator 3 times ever. All the irrigation systems do clever things. So it’s more than a PC nod to sustainability, as you know from all our fussing about timbers and paints.”
They’ve only had the fireplace burning twice, and both times just for ambiance — not for heat. Even hot baths haven’t demanded lighting a fire or turning on the generator. Part of the reason the prefab house stays so warm is it has low E glass and good heat-saving design.
Where is this modular house, some of you might be asking? In Tasmania (Australia). Yes, its warmer there than Canada or the northern states of America, but even still, even if it would require starting the generator more often than 3 times to keep from freezing, it is interesting to consider that a simple square house like this can accommodate 9 people and do what it does with warm water and electricity.
The wood for the building is cedar, and the deck on the outside and the floors on the inside is sustainably logged Vitex timber (from the Solomon Islands).
One of the most standout features of this modular house is the glazing: look at all those fixed windows and sliding doors. The wood there is western cedar.
And those steps that lead up to the porch aren’t just for show. The building is purposefully lifted off the ground to prevent against flooding. Find more of the designer, Crosson’s, work at our directory (click here).
