Tiny Houses

Tiny green-roofed home can be packed up and moved on with minimal ecological footprint

Tiny green-roofed home can be packed up and moved on with minimal ecological footprint
The overall goal of the Nelson Homero ESPE Prototype II is to be dismantled and transported to a number of different locations for energy efficiency testing in diverse weather conditions and climates
The overall goal of the Nelson Homero ESPE Prototype II is to be dismantled and transported to a number of different locations for energy efficiency testing in diverse weather conditions and climates
View 25 Images
This main area of the house features a large floor to ceiling glass sliding wall, which opens out completely
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This main area of the house features a large floor to ceiling glass sliding wall, which opens out completely
The 50 sqm (538 sq ft) Nelson Homero ESPE Prototype II can easily be dismantled and transported to different locations
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The 50 sqm (538 sq ft) Nelson Homero ESPE Prototype II can easily be dismantled and transported to different locations
The 50 sqm (538 sq ft) Nelson Homero ESPE Prototype II has little impact on the surrounding environment
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The 50 sqm (538 sq ft) Nelson Homero ESPE Prototype II has little impact on the surrounding environment
A pre-existing tree bursts its way through the center of the home
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A pre-existing tree bursts its way through the center of the home
The aim was to create an energy-efficient housing prototype that combines natural materials with traditional building methods
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The aim was to create an energy-efficient housing prototype that combines natural materials with traditional building methods
Storage space has been included along the walls, in the kitchen and underneath the sofa lounges
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Storage space has been included along the walls, in the kitchen and underneath the sofa lounges
The interior of the home features slimline and built-in furniture, saving on space and materials
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The interior of the home features slimline and built-in furniture, saving on space and materials
This main area of the house features a large floor to ceiling glass sliding wall, which allows natural light to flood in
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This main area of the house features a large floor to ceiling glass sliding wall, which allows natural light to flood in
The second entrance to the home leads into a study area, complete with a built-in desk and room for two people
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The second entrance to the home leads into a study area, complete with a built-in desk and room for two people
The overall goal of the Nelson Homero ESPE Prototype II is to be dismantled and transported to a number of different locations for energy efficiency testing in diverse weather conditions and climates
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The overall goal of the Nelson Homero ESPE Prototype II is to be dismantled and transported to a number of different locations for energy efficiency testing in diverse weather conditions and climates
The green roof was made with double asphalt and seals the home in a watertight shell
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The green roof was made with double asphalt and seals the home in a watertight shell
A fully-equipped bathroom is located in the center of the home
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A fully-equipped bathroom is located in the center of the home
The cute little loft features a glass ceiling and makes the ideal spot for relaxing, reading a book or star gazing
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The cute little loft features a glass ceiling and makes the ideal spot for relaxing, reading a book or star gazing
Floorplan by architects Luis Velasco Roldan and Ángel Hevia Antuña
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Floorplan by architects Luis Velasco Roldan and Ángel Hevia Antuña
Cross-section by architects Luis Velasco Roldan and Ángel Hevia Antuña
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Cross-section by architects Luis Velasco Roldan and Ángel Hevia Antuña
The structure of the single bedroom home is built on top of a series of concrete and steel columns, which slightly raises the home above the ground
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The structure of the single bedroom home is built on top of a series of concrete and steel columns, which slightly raises the home above the ground
Part of the structure is built using natural materials and locally sourced wood such as Eucalyptus and Ecuador Laurel
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Part of the structure is built using natural materials and locally sourced wood such as Eucalyptus and Ecuador Laurel
The overall goal of the Nelson Homero ESPE Prototype II home is to reduce residential energy requirements by 50 to 70 percent, compared to conventional buildings
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The overall goal of the Nelson Homero ESPE Prototype II home is to reduce residential energy requirements by 50 to 70 percent, compared to conventional buildings
Palm rachis is used to insulate the home's walls
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Palm rachis is used to insulate the home's walls
Building the Nelson Homero ESPE Prototype II
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Building the Nelson Homero ESPE Prototype II
The lower slab is filled with volcanic pumice to provide superior insulation and thermal inertia
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The lower slab is filled with volcanic pumice to provide superior insulation and thermal inertia
The open plan living room adjoins a European wall kitchen and dining area
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The open plan living room adjoins a European wall kitchen and dining area
The main area of the house features a large floor to ceiling glass sliding wall, which opens out completely, extending the living area into the natural outdoor landscape
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The main area of the house features a large floor to ceiling glass sliding wall, which opens out completely, extending the living area into the natural outdoor landscape
The home features a sophisticated power management and temperature control system
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The home features a sophisticated power management and temperature control system
The roof helps reduce the surface temperature of the home, keeping the interior cooler during the warmer months, while also preventing heat loss during the winter months
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The roof helps reduce the surface temperature of the home, keeping the interior cooler during the warmer months, while also preventing heat loss during the winter months
View gallery - 25 images

Ecuadorianarchitects Luis Velasco Roldan and Ángel Hevia Antuña have joinedforces to develop a 50 sq m (538 sq ft) green-roofed home called the Nelson Homero ESPE Prototype II. The aim was to create an energy-efficient housing prototype that combines natural materials with traditional building methods, which could be dismantled and moved to different locations for energy efficiency testing in different climates.

The lightweight home was developed with the department of Energy Efficiency and Mechanics at the University of Las Fuerzas Armadas. It's reported to be easy to dismantle and can be transported to different locations, without leaving too much of an impact on the surrounding environment.

It's built on top of a series ofconcrete and steel columns, which slightly raises the house above theground. The lower slab is filled with volcanic pumiceto provide superior insulation and thermal inertia, while palm rachisis used to insulate the home's walls. Therest of the structure is constructed using natural materials and locally-sourced wood varieties such as Eucalyptus and Ecuador Laurel.

A pre-existing tree bursts its way through the center of the home
A pre-existing tree bursts its way through the center of the home

Apre-existing tree bursts its way through the center of the home in its current location. Its green roof was made with double asphalt and seals the home in awatertightshell. The roof is also said to help reduce the surface temperature of the home, keeping the interiorcooler during the warmer months, while also preventing heat lossduring the winter months.

A sophisticated powermanagement and temperaturecontrolsystem has also been included, which monitors the home's interior climate and providesbetter research for strategies to maintain energy efficiency.

Theinterior of the home features slimline and built-in furniture, savingon space and materials. The open plan living room adjoins a European wall kitchen and dining area. This main area of the housefeatures a large floor to ceiling glass sliding wall, which opens outcompletely, extending the living area into the natural outdoorlandscape.

A good measure of storage space has been included along the walls,in the kitchen and underneath the sofa lounges. The home's layoutwraps around in such a way that there is little need for doorsbetween the rooms, but privacy is maintained in the sleeping areas,bathroom and study.

The cute little loft features a glass ceiling and makes the ideal spot for relaxing, reading a book or star gazing
The cute little loft features a glass ceiling and makes the ideal spot for relaxing, reading a book or star gazing

Thedouble bedroom comprises a built-in queen-sized bed with anelevated loft area above. The cute little loft features a glassceiling and offers an ideal spot for relaxing, reading a book or stargazing. The loft can also be transformed into a second sleeping zonewith the addition of a mattress.

A fully-equipped bathroom islocated in the center of the home, also boasting lots ofstorage space. The second entrance to the home leads into a study area, complete with a built-in desk and room for twopeople.

Thesmart home features an automated power management system that's linked to a series of motorizedshutters throughout the home, which provides shade from the sun whenthe solar gain is high, while also allowing sufficient natural light toenter the home. The system also prevents heat loss when it is coolerand is designed to maintain a constant internal temperature of20-21° C (68-70° F), even when outsidetemperatures drop to 12° C (53° F).

The roof helps reduce the surface temperature of the home, keeping the interior cooler during the warmer months, while also preventing heat loss during the winter months
The roof helps reduce the surface temperature of the home, keeping the interior cooler during the warmer months, while also preventing heat loss during the winter months

The entire home will be dismantled, packed, transported and reassembled in a number of different locations to test its energy efficiency in diverse weather conditions and climates.

Theoverall goal of the Nelson HomeroESPE Prototype II home is to reduce residential energyrequirements by 50 to 70 percent, compared to conventional buildings. We've contacted the creators for specific information regarding the home's power source and to back up their claims regarding the home's "superior" energy efficiency, but have yet to receive a reply.

Sources: Luis Velasco Roldan, Ángel Hevia Antuña via Archdaily

View gallery - 25 images
8 comments
8 comments
Robert Walther
Assembled, disassembled and moved? Labor must be really cheap there. It would seem to be not much more expensive to manufacture the required number of units and build them permanently in different places.
POOL PUMPREAPAIR guy longwood
A tree that goes threw a building is never a good idea, heads up
CharlieSeattle
Bugs, rats and snakes allowed to come up thru the floor?
Lovely!
Douglas Bennett Rogers
These all seem like expensive mechanical upgrades of the mobile home.
nicho
"... seals the home in a watertight shell."
"A pre-existing tree bursts its way through the center of the home ..."
These two statements are mutually incompatible.
VictoriasViewpoint
And only $Zillion!
Sigh. So much good can come from ideas like this, but they seem to only ever serve quirky people with a lot of money who think nothing of paying a ridiculous amount of money for a very tiny space.
Affordable housing for everyone? Not when there's profit to be made from people with more money than sense.
Daishi
Sometimes I don't even understand who even funds these things. I can see tons of light from the huge hole in the roof for the tree. You could never efficiently climate control the house with a very large hole in the middle of it. The grass is supposed to cool the house but the huge skylight that takes up 1/4 of the roof would defeat the purpose.
They want it to be portable but the tree in the middle would make moving and re-assembling it extremely complicated. What if the next tree is a different size? CharlieSeattle is right about all the rodents and bugs the holes would allow to enter.
There would also be tons of thermal losses to the super large glass windows and doors that doesn't seem worth it for natural light when artificial light now uses so little energy. Windows that go to the floor also restrict your ability to place beds, dressers, shelves, and furniture in front of them so it partly compromises the internal floor space. When 2 of the walls of your house are made up almost entirely of sliding glass doors there is an efficiency price you pay. It's something you could only ever do in an extremely moderate climate.
It seems like a lot of bad ideas when really they could have just built an enclosed sun room off the main house and probably run the tree though it instead.
frogola
up keep on all that wood woo