When it comes to green living and innovative designs, these homes are like no other. Ready to hear about some amazing homes that you probably wouldn’t mind having? If you are in the process of building or remodeling, you might wanna take some notes, as these homes take the term “greenovate” to a whole new level.  Read on….

SHIPPING CONTAINER HOUSE

http://tomecekstudio.com/work/dwellings/shipping-container-house/

Located in Nederland, Colorado, this house is made with two shipping containers.  Can’t tell, huh?  Eco-friendly strategies in creating this sweet far-from-the-norm house on a hill (literally) includes the use of recyclable materials, solar paneled roofs, and photovoltaics for electricity. One container holds two bedrooms and bathrooms, and the other container holds a kitchen. The center space between the containers is used for entry, dining and living room.  Total living space is over 1500 sq. ft!

POP-UP HOUSE

http://www.popup-house.com/

Have a knack for building legos? You would absolutely love this pop-up house concept!  Available in France and built in just four days, a pop-up house is assembled using insulated blocks separated by wooden boards, tightened by long screws.  The modular capabilities allow for changes in layout, shapes and extensions.   Considered a passive house, the pop-up house has low energy consumption, while capturing maximum solar energy.  Wood is composed of Laminate Veneer Lumber (LVL), which is resistant to fire and earthquakes.

HEMPCRETE HOUSE

http://inhabitat.com

When you think of hemp, you don’t immediately think “I’m going to built my house with that!” When you hear concrete, then yes, of course, maybe. So hemp + concrete = hempcrete. Hempcrete is a building material that incorporates hemp mixed with lime-based binder. Hempcrete is making its way as a sustainable resource for housing and construction. It is strong, lightweight, breathable, and mold-resistant. Hempcrete is 3x more resistant to earthquakes than concrete. Over time, the material hardens and can last for hundreds of years. Hempcrete is a renewable resource and can be reused either as a building material or back to the soil as a fertilizer.  America’s first hempcrete house was built in Asheville, NC in 2010 (pictured), and has since made a green statement in encouraging the use of hempcrete in residential and commercial use.

WATERNEST 100

http://www.ecoflolife.com/habitat/

Eco-House of the future!  Designed by Italian Architect Giancarlo Zema for EcoFloLige, he got his inspiration from the aquatic nests of water birds, believing that we, too can live with a “floating experience in a natural habitat”.  Made of 98% recyclable materials and energy saving techniques, the Waternest 100 is constructed of recycled aluminum hull and recycled timber, powered by solar panels.  It is designed to be positioned along sea areas with calm waters, lakes, bay, rivers, etc. Since the earth’s water levels are increasing, we might just have to adapt.

ZEROHOUSE

http://zerohouse.net/

The Zerohouse is a prefabricated house that can be easily shipped and built, featuring a full kitchen, bath and two bedrooms. It is climate-controlled and has the ability to be operated independently, collecting solar power for energy. The Zerohouse can also store up to one week’s worth of energy usage. It gathers rainwater in an elevated reservoir and waste disposal connection is unnecessary as waste is processed into dry compost below the house. Master controls are wired to a central computer, so everything in the house is automatic. If you’ve always wanted to live in the desert or in the middle of nowhere, then the ZeroHouse is the perfect option for remote living, especially if you’re thinking of living far, far away from civilization.