Welcome to the Kleber & Associates blog! Here’s the latest on Homes of the Future Tour
The next stop on our tour of homes that might hold the key to the future of the home building industry is Taos, New Mexico. Here, the Earthship World Headquarters are producing plans for homes that can be completely self-sustainable and off the grid.
Earthships are built in the Biotecture construction fashion. These homes are made from recycled and natural materials – starting with the walls. All load bearing walls of the home are made from tires packed with Earth and cement and covered with stucco. Interior and non-load bearing walls are made from honeycombed recycled cans and bottles also covered in stucco. The walls and roof are so thick they provide excellent insulation and regulate the home’s temperature year round using the sun’s energy and Earth’s thermal properties.
Rainwater is collected, cleaned, and stored and then used four times in the home. Grey water is recycled through indoor planters of vegetables and is then used to flush the toilet. Sewage is collected and treated in exterior botanical cells for later use in food production, never entering or polluting aquifers. Electricity is collected from the sun and wind and stored in batteries. The home’s interior and exterior planters and gardens not only provide an ample supply of food, but the plants also filter the air and produce oxygen.
And don’t be fooled – Earthships are also pleasing to the eye. Bottles used in the walls create one-of-a-kind “stained glass” art and lets in ample sunlight. The use of recycled materials makes for unique and interesting designs that integrate into the natural landscape.
Earthships have been built in many parts of the U.S. and around the world including Haiti, Africa and China.
A completely self-sustaining home. Will we all be living in Earthships someday?
Check back soon for the next stop on our Homes of the Future tour! In the meantime, if you missed our first futuristic concept home, read up on the Smart Home in Chicago.
