After announcing plans for the project in August, Norwegian design firm Snøhetta appears to have completed work on a 2,152-square-foot home capable of powering itself and an electric car year-round.
Snøhetta is working in conjunction with ZEB, Norway's Research Center on Zero Emission Buildings. The property's defining characteristic is its 19-degree slanting metal-clad roof that bears the structure's photovoltaic (a method of converting solar energy to direct current electricity) panels. Other amenities are a garden, an outdoor atrium with a fireplace, and a solar-heated pool.
The ZEB house is part of a continued effort to expand knowledge of "plus houses," structures that produce more energy than they consume. Despite the emphasis on efficiency, Snøhetta stresses the livable nature of the home, stating, "Emotive comfort and sense of wellbeing have governed the design process to the same extent as energy demands."
Gizmag reports that the house will produce 19,200 kWh per annum, but will only require 7,272 kWh, leaving a surplus of 18,473 kWh. The project has been nominated for The 2015 European Union Prize for Contemporary Architecture. The pilot house is located near the Norwegian town of Larvik.
Snøhetta's other properties include President Obama's Hawaii Presidential Center (planning underway) and the National September 11 Memorial and Pavilion (2004-2014).
Take a virtual tour of the ZEB house here:
Photos courtesy of Snøhetta and Bruce Damonte
