A green home built within a national park in England uses 110% less energy than a house powered by gas, according to one design group.
PAD Studio conducted a 10-year study on a low-energy house it designed — nicknamed the New Forest Home — to see just how efficient it was, Inhabitat reported. Not only did it find that the home produces more energy than it consumes, but it is also 97% less expensive to run than a home built to 2021 standards.
In fact, the five-bedroom net-zero home, located in England's New Forest National Park, actually has negative emissions ranging from -2.46 to -0.76 annually.
"The results are stunning," Inhabitat said in response to these numbers.
So how did they get there?
The team at PAD Studio used a variety of eco-friendly design elements, such as incorporating timber louver shutters on glazed elevations to help maximize solar gain. The building also benefits from superior insulation and is completely airtight.
Meanwhile, it's warmed by a ground-source heat pump, which has a mechanical ventilation heat recovery system. The home also sports solar panels, thermal panels for heating water, and a rainwater harvesting system.
In addition, PAD Studio used sustainable, durable building materials that were sourced locally when possible.
This type of sustainable home design is gaining traction and could save homeowners serious cash in the long run. It also helps us move away from the use of dirty energy sources like coal, oil, and natural gas, which are the biggest contributors to the warming of our planet.
For example, a Colorado-based architect designed another low-impact home that is so efficient it sends energy back to the grid. Another company in Arizona says its green homes, which use passive principles like natural sunlight and shading, can save people up to $800 a month on utilities.
Not in the market for a new home? There are still a number of ways you can green up your living space and save money in the process, such as unplugging vampire appliances, weatherizing your home, and installing solar panels.
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