Squid-inspired smart windows make buildings more energy-efficient

The University of Toronto researchers have been busy at work – busy drawing inspiration from the fluctuating and color-changing skin of squids and using it to create a multilayered fluidic system that can significantly bring down the energy costs associated with heating, lighting, and cooling buildings. More than a quarter of a building’s energy is lost via its glass-pane windows, and hence the university has developed liquid-filled panels, with the aim of retrofitting windows with them, and in turn, using these windows to supplement modern buildings.

Designer: University of Toronto

Squids move a certain type of pigment in their skin, which quite literally transforms the color and appearance of their skin. The University of Toronto utilizes a device that mimics this very movement and transports various liquids like dye solutions, glycerol, and carbon powder suspensions with the help of channels into thin plastic sheets. “It’s an advantage that this approach can use simple, relatively inexpensive, non-toxic, aqueous fluids,” said Benjamin Hatton, a professor of materials science and engineering at the University of Toronto.

By producing these liquid windows, the university hopes to make buildings more energy efficient, since currently, buildings consume about a third of the world’s energy. Smart building technologies such as automatic blinds and electro-chromatic blinds have been incorporated into modern buildings, but these systems have their limitations as well. They cant truly differentiate between the different wavelengths of light, nor can they control the distribution of light. The Univerisity of Toronto has instead created a rather dynamic and innovative system using simple and economical elements. Three thin sheets of Plexiglass have been joined together, each sheet holding 2-3mm of patterned channels in them. The researchers insert the different fluids through these sheets – water-based dye solutions or glycerol that absorb light of various colors, carbon pigment suspensions that control light transmission; and titania nanoparticle suspensions that are able direct the light that passes through.

“If we had just one layer that focuses on modulating the transmission of near-infrared light – so not even touching the visible part of the spectrum – we find that we could save about 25 percent annually on heating, cooling, and lighting energy over a static baseline. If we have two layers – infrared and visible – it’s more like 50 percent. These are very significant savings,” said Raphael Kay, who graduated with a master’s degree in mechanical engineering from the Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering. Currently, the panels they have developed are only 30×30 cm, but the team is hoping to build larger designs that can be used for larger constructions. They said that compared to the darkening windows available on the market today, these liquid windows can save 75% on heat energy, 20% on electricity for lighting, and 43% on total energy use annually.

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This prefab traditional farmhouse finds a contemporary twist with energy-efficient building practices

Friends Lab House is a prefabricated, single-story barn-style residence located in the grassy fields of a family-run farm in Hampshire, England.

On the hunt for a home to share with friends and family while spending time on their farm in the English countryside, a young couple looked to AMPS Arquitectura & Diseño to design and build a sustainable, single-story farmhouse. When it comes to sustainability, AMPS architects consider it a top priority.

Designers: AMPS Arquitectura & Diseño

The young couple who reached out to AMPS found that they were on the same page in that regard, leading to a match made in barn-style heaven. Dubbed Friends Lab House, the traditional single-story farmhouse reveals a contemporary flair through energy-efficient principles and artisan details.

Especially true in the wide-open countryside of Hampshire, England, new architecture must blend into its surroundings and that was one of the Friend Labs House’s residents’ main requests. In addition to building an expansive, sustainable home, AMPS ensured the residence would harmonize with its surroundings by mirroring the look of the farm’s other homes.

The Friends Lab House finds its veil with permeable black-stained Accoya timber batten screen cladding that hearkens back to the other blackened timber structures around the property. Just beyond the Friends Lab House, dense woodlands run parallel with the lengthy home, a subtle ode to the home’s sweeping surroundings.

Describing the home’s initial plans, AMPS founder Alberto Marcos says, “A similar formal and color approach to the existing farm was used for the design of the new house, but reinterpreted in a thoroughly contemporary way, from structure to finishes and importantly, a very high level of energy efficiency.”

Characterized as “a house designed to sit silently on the landscape,” AMPS outfitted the Friends Lab House with all of the energy-efficient specs needed for a self-sufficient home. During the home’s prefabricated and industrialized construction process, CLT or contra-laminated timber panels were used to equip the home with strength and dimensional stability.

Punctuating the home’s semi-double-pitched roof, AMPS also set up photovoltaic panels for sustainable energy production throughout the year and changing seasons. In addition to the home’s green construction process and solar-paneled roof, AMPS integrated a ground-source heat pump and a borehole connected to a treatment plant to supply water.

Towards the center of the residence, the living room finds half-bay overhangs and windows that open up completely to the south-facing grassy fields. In direct contrast to the home’s sleek black exterior, the home’s interior combines limestone and lime-based mineral micro-mortar (MORTEX) floors with chestnut paneled and MORTEX walls. While the home’s spacious personality is contained to one level, the double-pitched roofs and high ceilings give the home a lofty, airy feeling.

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These smart homes are designed to adapt to rising sea levels by mimicking a pufferfish!

Puffer Village is a system of smart homes with built-in architectural technology that allows them to adapt to changing water levels and stormy weather conditions.

Sajjad Navidi is a 3D visualizer who uses architecture to prepare for impending climate change-related crises. Upon completing their latest rendering, Puffer Village, Navidi prefaces their project, “One of the major future crises of the world is rising sea levels, which could pose a serious threat to human survival.” To combat the threat of rising sea levels, Puffer Village is conceptualized as a small community of smart homes that adapt to changing tides and rising sea levels by mimicking the defense response of pufferfish.

Designer: Sajjad Navidi

In designing Puffer Village, Navidi looked to areas of the globe that would feel the consequence of sea-level rise sooner than others. Describing the planned location for Puffer Village, Navidi notes, “Ganvie is one of the largest lake villages in Africa in the Benin region. One of the biggest problems for the people of this region is the high sea level.”

As storms sweep the town and tides threaten homes’ foundations, residents of Ganvie have no choice but to face the uncertainty of rising sea levels. Navidi goes on to describe the damaging effects that high tides have on the wooden houses of Ganvie.

Looking to nature, Navidi hoped to find a solution that could adapt to changing water conditions. Finding inspiration in the pufferfish that populate Ganvie’s ​​Lake Nokoué region, Navidi planned out smart homes that would adapt to threatening water and storm conditions the same way pufferfish respond to predatory threats. Describing his findings, Navidi notes, “The biomimetic structure of [the] pufferfish and its strategy [in dealing] with enemies is by inflation with water or air.”

Following periods of research and ideation, Navidi planned a home layout with integrated, automatic inflation and load-bearing smart technology. In its neutral position, each home of Puffer Village remains rooted to the lake’s floor and keeps a flat-roof shape.

Even amidst stormy conditions and high tide, each home of Puffer Village turns into a sort of buoy by filling the home’s bottom compartment with water in order to remain anchored to the lake’s floor.

Navidi also ideated a smart inflation system built into each home of Puffer Village that increases each home’s interior volume by inflating the home’s balloon-skin roof with air. Each home also practices energy efficiency by acquiring the power needed for each smart response system through underwater tidal turbines and photovoltaic panels.

Aquaponics fill out the home’s interior, while solar power is generated from overhead photovoltaic panels and water energy is acquired from underwater tidal turbines.

The home’s layout is inspired by the mating circle created by male pufferfish. 

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Affordable solar homes – a solution for homeowner poverty & net-zero housing!




Net-zero architecture is what will reduce emissions from the construction industry on a large scale. But make it inclusive as well as scalable and you also get a solution that can lift homeowners out of poverty while building a community! Created for that very purpose, these solar homes are aiming to help solve both the global housing and climate crises with one design. The houses produce their energy, harvest 100% of the rainwater, clean their sewage, and also have the potential to grow their own food!

It is called the PowerHYDE housing model and was created by Prasoon Kumar and Robert Verrijt of Billion Bricks from India and Singapore. The model explores sustainable solutions to empower and facilitate growth opportunities for people without homes around Southeast Asia which has a lot of rural and low-income populations. These homes not only provide shelter but are also a power module to scale sustainable communities that lift homeowners out of poverty!




“A BillionBricks Community is the world’s first carbon-negative solar home community to bring families out of poverty within one generation. PowerHYDE homes are plug-and-play modular structures that do not need any connection to services and could be made functional from the day of completion of construction,” says the design team. The cost-effective solution even won a Holcim Award for Sustainable Construction!

affordable-solar-home

The PowerHYDE homes are built via an indigenous prefabricated technique that makes them easy to assemble in remote locations. The home has a solar array installed on the roof and the homeowner can sell excess power generated back to power companies, generating a profit that helps to pay off the cost of the home. Sample homes have been built in Mathjalgaon Village in India and in the Philippines. BillionBricks now plans to build a community of 500 homes near Manila, Philippines that will generate 10 megawatts of power.

Not only does it reduce the emissions from the construction industry (which is the leading contributor in the world for CO2 emissions) but it also helps more people become homeowners while equipping them with means to create renewable energy thus reducing individual carbon footprint as well. It is a radical concept in housing designed for energy sufficiency, extreme affordability, and education for future generations to adapt to a sustainable lifestyle even in rural areas.

Designers: BillionBricks and Architecture BRIO

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This micro hotel structured from repurposed sea freight containers is energy-efficient and modular for the modern traveler!

My Home, from German architecture firm Containerwerk, is a line of temporary hotel living quarters constructed from recycled sea freight containers for an energy-efficient, affordable, and micro-sized escape for the modern traveler.

Modern design wears many faces. From smart micro-technology to DIY minimalist architecture, the design of tomorrow is changing. Shipping containers also seem to nod towards the future. Championing a new charge of contemporary hotel concepts and travel solutions, repurposed shipping containers have become the shell for travelers across the globe.

My Home, a solution-based hotel solution, was designed by Germany-based architecture firm Containerwerk to provide a line of temporary living quarters for the modern traveler. Comprising a line of 21 hotel modules in the guise of repurposed sea freight containers, My Home was conceptualized specifically to provide company employees with hotel accommodations that don’t skimp out on elevated design elements or maximal comfort.

Affordability and design elements that feel high-end are among today’s top criteria when it comes to hotels. Adding to that, the architects at Containerwerk note, “ Guests’ expectations in terms of design and comfort are rising, and at the same time, sustainable hotel concepts are in demand.”

Enter My Home–completed in February 2020, the energy-efficient modules that make up the line of repurposed shipping containers measure 26sqm and are kept warm during colder months through a patented, high-performance insulation method. Constructed to fit four people comfortably, each module contains enough room for a fully equipped kitchenette, private terrace, separate entrance, light-flooded dining, and working area.

Lined with solar panels and bolstered with locally-sourced timber building material, each module that makes up My Home is built on a commitment to sustainability and practicality.

The supplemental luxuries that outfit most hotels, such as daily room cleaning and freshening up of bed linens aren’t forgotten with My Home either. Containerwerk developer suggests, “It is important to me that every guest feels at home. The apartments offer a feel-good factor, privacy, and yet maximum flexibility.”

Designer: Containerwerk

In order to start and finish the My Home project from a sustainable vantage point, the shipping containers require little to no excavation during the construction process. 

For their versatile geometric shape, each repurposed shipping container becomes a stackable module that doubles the interior living space when put together.

An alternative anchoring process that involves welding allows each module to station to the floor with little alteration to the terrain’s original state. 

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This tiny house has been designed for sustainable, energy-efficient, off-the-grid living!

I love tiny houses but even more if they are designed to be sustainable, energy-efficient, and on wheels – that is exactly what Project Ursa is! The mobile home is made for off-the-grid living featuring solar panels, water harvesting systems, and the coziest interiors that makes the “cabin in the woods” aesthetic into a lifestyle.

Tiny houses on wheels have to have a length of 4m, 5m, and respectively 7m, to be 2,5m wide and to have a maximum height of 4m. The Ursa tiny house is currently located in Cascais, Portugal, and can function completely off-grid.

To ensure that, the roof features a subtle 5% slope which allows rainwater to drain easily into a couple of water tanks with a total capacity of 650 liters. This water is then redirected to the kitchen sink, the bathroom sink, and the shower where it’s filtered and reused. After that, the reused water goes into another tank and from there is used for watering plants.

On top of the roof, Ursa features solar panels which are facing South. Their inclination can be adjusted up to 30% in order to maximize the energy product all year round, making this a very efficient off-grid tiny house.

The energy produced by these solar panels is being converted and stored for later uses so the inhabitants can always have energy on demand when needed. Check out our informational article covering solar panel companies if you’re interesting in this subject.

This tiny house offers 17 square meters of living space in total which is organized into a kitchen, a full bathroom with a dry toilet that produces compost, a living area, two sleeping areas, and also an outdoor deck. Of course, each of these spaces is small and they all blend into one another which creates a cozy ambiance inside. This is accentuated by the warmth of the wood used for both the interior and the exterior of the Ursa tiny house.

Designer: Madeiguincho

This passive house features a living green roof that merges the home with its forested surroundings!

Hill House is a passive house designed and constructed by Snegiri Architects with a living green roof that blends the home seamlessly with its natural woodland surroundings.

Passive houses and green homes are rising in popularity, cropping up across the globe, and slowly, but steadily establishing a new standard for residence architecture. Photovoltaic panels, living roofs, and rainwater collection systems are some of the most common sustainable and energy-efficient elements that grace the outside and inside of such homes. Snegiri Architects, a firm based in Saint Petersburg, Russia, finished work on a passive residence called Hill House, complete with a living green roof that merges the home with the nearby forest.

Building new homes, especially passive houses, in dense woodlands without felling trees is a near-impossible task unless you incorporate them into the home’s layout. Managing to preserve the forested lot’s preexisting trees, Snegiri Architects built Hill House to be entirely integrated into the surrounding environment. Plotted with diverse plant life and shrubbery, Hill House’s living green roof sprawls with a grass carpet filled with stonecrop and dwarf plants including chamomile and sedum.

The gradual incline of Hill House’s green roof conceals the home’s structural presence, bringing the home inch by inch into the bordering woods. The rest of Hill House’s exterior strikes a balance between black-stained wood-paneled facades and natural, unstained wood-paneled eaves. With this contrast, the home blends naturally into its surroundings, but its interiors remain bright with light window accents.

From top to bottom, the Hill House undoubtedly reaches the energy efficiency standard set by passive house building techniques. The terrace and most of the rooms are oriented towards the home’s sunny side to collect the maximum amount of sunlight during the day and energy-saving windows prevent the heated or cooled air from leaving the home. The home is also ventilated with air recovery, and Swedish slab, monolith, mineral wool, and linseed oil-soaked larch all provide the home with insulation from its foundation to its roof.

Designer: Snegiri Architects

This prefab house is an energy-efficient & modular dwelling made entirely from aluminum!





Prefab architecture is the future of the home construction industry – they reduce the impact on the environment, have a much faster turnaround time, and are relatively cost-effective. A shining example of what the future will look like is the Pi House that was assembled in 45 days on a wooded hillside in the Mexico City Colonia of Bosques de las Lomas. The highly energy-efficient home was built with an ingenious, fully customizable modular construction system, and only aluminum was used for the frame.

The prefab dwelling comes flat-packed in multiple boxes and can be assembled in 45 days without the help of heavy machinery. It uses extrusion-die aluminum framing that’s anchored with rebar to the ground or a poured concrete foundation. Just like a Lego set, there is a network of steel doughnuts that spans lengths of up to 30 feet to support the structure.

The aluminum studs link seamlessly to joists and the exterior cladding is clipped onto the frame. It’s a method that could be extended to 45 feet which makes it modular and easier to expand in case the home belongs to a growing family. Pi House can be shipped anywhere, the system allows it to be the perfect structure for single-family homes as well as larger projects like social housing.

Pi Home can be fully customized right from the interior to furniture selection and even the fabrics to the veneer of the wall panels. The walls and floors are composed of MDF with the wood veneer clipped to the aluminum structure. Insulation between the exterior cladding and interior walls gives the home an energy-efficiency rating as high as R30 depending on its thickness.

The rear curtain wall system opens to an outdoor patio raised above the wooded landscape. Retractable screens allow for shade and privacy in the living area. The main bedroom on the second floor takes advantage of the curtain wall’s openness. The first prototype is a luxurious version that is furnished with state-of-the-art appliances and high-quality materials.

The Pi Home is adaptable to different site conditions and has been engineered to withstand the earthquakes that are common to Mexico City. Double-glazed windows facing south provide both insulation and adequate heat gain for the cooler climate of the city’s higher altitude in Bosques de las Lomas. “You have all of this midcentury inheritance, but truly, when you visit these houses in California, it was all very aesthetic, but it was unlivable on a hot or cold day. We have to take the step and accomplish having efficient thermal living inside the house,” elaborates Aragonés.

Personally, I love the wraparound veranda the most. It is bordered with glass which creates additional outdoor space. The walls and joists have thermal and waffle insulation packages that meet California’s high R22 sustainability standards. This achieves a complete thermal break to prevent leakage of heat through the structure.

The sweeping windows are all double-glazed and using aluminum for the construction makes it a far more sustainable structure compared to traditional homes. Aluminum is one of the most easily and widely recycled materials giving the house an especially circular life cycle while those made with concrete are the biggest global contributors of carbon emissions for the construction industry.

“It’s important to emphasize this being not only a modular system, but a construction system, so it can transform according to the site’s topography and dimensions. If you need to adapt it for a particular project or landscape, you’re easily able to adjust the construction system,” adds Rafael Aragonés who is the son of architect Miguel Aragonés and an associate in the studio.

The Pi House has received an international patent in Switzerland for being the first-of-its-kind structure for aluminum houses and once the International Code Council building certified the process, Taller Aragonés will expand the market to California, New York, and Texas. The aluminum frame, speed of assembly, and cheaper shipping make it about a third of the cost of a typical construction — which is why I called it the modern home affordable of the future that will help more people become homeowners faster while reducing the carbon footprint at a family level.

Designer: Taller Aragonés

The world’s first solar-powered luxury yacht is actually a floating villa worth $10.5 million!




Do you also think about living in a modern luxury villa that is also a yacht powered by solar panels so you can lead the ultimate sustainable lifestyle of your dreams? Me too, and lucky for us (if being lucky also includes the $5.5 million base model cost) Waterstudio.NL and a Miami-based shipping company called Arkup have designed this insane dreamboat – literally! Called the Arkup 75, this flagship product combines luxury with off-the-grid living.

Arkup 75 lets you live in comfort and luxury in total autonomy – enjoy life between the sea, the sky, and the city. The 75 feet long yacht has a total living space of 4,350 sqft!

Arkup is a game-changer for the hospitality market when it comes to self-sustainable, blue developments. floating and overwater eco-resorts a reality with the versatility to scale, configure, even relocate. “We are revolutionizing life on the water. We leverage Arkup products and expertise for fast deployment, modular, floating communities that you scale according to market demands,” says the team.

The livable villa has 4 bedrooms, 4.5 bathrooms, a giant living space, a spacious kitchen, and a sliding deck all divided between two levels. It also has a rainwater harvesting system and solar panels so let you live off the grid comfortably!

Arkup livable yachts combine the best attributes of yachts, floating houses, and waterfront villas, with the added benefits of being self-sufficient, sustainable, and environmentally friendly. The Arkup livable yacht was conceived to be “future-proof”, from its ability to withstand or avoid extreme weather events to its self-contained systems that allow fully off-the-grid living.

The base model will cost $5.5 million and will come with the core amenities as well as the furniture but if you want a fully specced out version, the Arkup 75 can go well up to $10.5 million!

It is built to be energy efficient and incorporate a sustainable lifestyle with technology and systems in place like multiple solar panels on the roof and an intricate rainwater harvesting system with two 4000 gallon water tanks.

It also is modular and has stilts in case you want to dock your luxury home in the shallow waters of a remote island instead of drifting along the skyline of a big city.

The 2,300 sqft roof collects the rainwater and is covered with 36 kW solar electric panels which generate sufficient green energy to live off-the-grid. Live ecologically while being self-sufficient with water and electricity. Enjoy living off the grid and feel the satisfaction of minimizing your carbon footprint.

The smart communications system including satellite TV and WI-FI antennas, LTE, and VHF to stay connected at all times.

Rainwater is collected from the roof, then stored in the hull and purified to ensure freshwater full-autonomy. The hull also accommodates separate technical rooms for hydraulic, electrical, and storage room.

The 2,300 sqft roof is covered with 36 kW solar electric panels which generate sufficient green energy to live off-the-grid.

Two noise-free electric thrusters of 136 hp each rotate 180° for the best maneuverability to propel the yacht up to 5 knots.

The four 40ft long hydraulic legs allow to anchor in up to 20ft water depths and lift the livable yacht above the sea level.

Arkup 75 is also designed to be resistant against category 4 hurricane winds and have high insulation so that you can choose to live your best remote/flexible lifestyle in different climates while being safe.

The 456 sqft retractable terrace adds plenty of outdoor space and is surrounded by shock resistant glass railings. The sun deck located at the stern can be immersed, turning into a sea pool.

Designer: Waterstudio.NL

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This zero-emissions tiny house makes your ultimate micro-living dreams come true for $50,000!




I will take a smart tiny house over a big apartment any day and that is why I am forever on a quest to find one. Right now, Microhaus tops my list – it is the ultimate affordable, modern, energy-efficient apartment for one. You could be living your best flexible lifestyle while traveling across the country or just want to drop your anchor in your backyard, either way, Microhaus is a super convenient solution. Haus.me is known for building some of the best 3D printed, autonomous mobile homes and this latest addition to their range comes at an affordable price of $50,000 so that more people can be homeowners even if they are in their 20s! The 120-square-foot dwelling comes with a fully equipped, high-tech living space that can run self-sufficiently. Want to step inside and take a look? You can – enjoy the 3D house tour!

Designer: Haus.me

Microhaus has been constructed using 3D-printed structural components and arrives move-in ready with a kitchenette, double bed, bathroom, and plenty of storage. “The Microhaus also comes with our fully integrated Cloud Self-Diagnosis System, which provides a new generation of Smart Home amenities, full remote control, and machine learning,” explains Haus.me CEO, Max Gerbut.




The Microhaus measures 120 square feet and can be fully assembled within a few minutes! The composite structure is supremely durable, its yacht-inspired exterior is made from fiberglass, stainless steel, and teak. It has a modern, futuristic yet overall minimal aesthetic.

 

It is one of the most advanced micro-apartments in the world and to complement its high-tech capabilities, the tiny, portable dwelling has a sleek exterior and interior. The exterior is composed of rounded fiberglass and stainless steel whereas the interior is layered with warm wooden details and illuminated by natural light.




“The unit comes with an array of high-tech features, including a motorized door, touchless access, touchless faucets, adaptive lights, and air-quality sensors” adds Gerbut.




Not only is it mobile and flexible, it is also energy efficient and has low operating costs. The durable unit is made from eco-friendly materials that are safe for both people and the environment.

The mobile home is durable but also lightweight, making it a far better choice than any other trailer home or glamper on the market.

Mirohaus’ interior has a sun-kissed vibe thanks to its extensive glazing and large windows. It features white custom cabinetry contrasts with the natural wood elements found throughout the space.




One of the most futuristic details about Microhaus is the keyless entry and a tight security system that can be all controlled via an app.

The sleeping area has plenty of storage space and includes a floor-to-ceiling cabinetry unit with a lit wardrobe.

The bed is cushy and has a TV installed for an optimized Netflix and Chill experience. Under the TV is a spacious niche for books or snacks!

The sweeping windows bring in plenty of natural light and your favorite views so park your home wisely!

There is a large mirror across the kitchenette which helps to visually open up the interior space some more.

Microhaus has a lot of hidden storage and the cabinet separating the sleeping area and the pantry can be opened up into a sliding desk.

The studio home is perfect for one person who leads a flexible and sustainable lifestyle.

The kitchenette is also fully stocked with utensils and includes a smart waste disposal bin.

The sleeping zone also doubles up as a living space during the daytime.

The tiny house features a cozy bathroom with a full-sized shower and toilet.

“We designed the Microhaus to be the perfect income-producing asset. “Offered at an affordable price, the structure requires no additional approvals or construction permits, and it comes with very little maintenance costs. Overall, it has the potential to provide a fully remote-controlled business, if desired, with a fast return on investment,” says Gerbut. The best part? No roommates, fully furnished, and full freedom to move anywhere while taking your little home with you!

Designer: Haus.me