This Zero-Emission Home Creates Enough Energy To Power An Electric Car For One Year

The most beautiful energy saving house ever.

This just might just be the most beautiful zero-emission home we have ever laid eyes on. Snøhetta, a design firm in Norway, has created the ZEB Multi-Comfort House in Ringdalskogen, Larvik, Norway. The house not only runs solely on solar energy, but collects enough extra solar energy to power an electric car for one year.

house1

ZEB took 10 months to build and, according to Kristian Edwards, the lead architect of the project, a very intricate process was employed to ensure that the solar energy would be used at the highest efficiency.

house1

The result? A home with striking features like a tilted roof that is slanted at a 19-degree angle to accommodate the photovoltaic panels (the ones that provide electricity) and the solar thermal panels (the ones that provide heat and hot water). Edwards told The Huffington Post that the roof also provides a dramatic flair to the inside of the home. "It is perhaps the most striking element of the upper floor," he says. "Relatively small bedrooms gain great volume, hugely beneficial to sleep comfort, light transmission and of course, a certain drama."

house4

In the atrium, Edwards used recovered brickwork from a barn that was being demolished. "The recovered brick serves a thermal mass which passively contributes to balance temperature spikes," says Edwards.

house3

There are currently no tenants in the home. However, Edwards says that there are plans in the works to have families occupy the space "in order to realistically test the building and system performance." Feedback from visitors has been "generally extremely positive," he adds.

house5

Despite it's forward-thinking approach, Edwards says the goal of ZEB was to create a place that is welcoming and comfortable, with energy-saving features that virtually disappear into the background. "Our goal was to ensure that the house, whilst advanced, is predominantly welcoming," says Edwards. "The outdoor covered atrium with a fireplace gives a welcome extension of the outdoor season that is fundamental to the Norwegian culture. This shows that the steps toward zero carbon housing need not represent a quantum leap in lifestyle, and therefore, makes it simpler and quicker to make the switch."

house6

Before You Go

1
The home's pure white exterior matches perfectly with a bright day.
2
Guerrero's "La Espiga del Viento" sculpture bounces light back into the clear blue sky.
3
The patio design offers just the right mix of shade and light.
4
The black beams also offer some contrast to the home's all-white exterior.
5
Form meets function beautifully.
6
A shower is connected to a patio and features an open-air ceiling only partially covered with slats.
7
A closer look at the strategically placed slats.
8
Inside the house, recessed ceiling fixtures allow the natural light to truly shine.
9
"The position of the windows was planned to take advantage of the natural environment," says Miguel Sánchez León, an architect with the company. "The big window was designed to also be a window to one of the best views of the Primavera Woods."
10
That is a pretty good view.
11
Low lighting fixtures below the railing make sure to emphasis the beautiful marble stairs that people might overlook.
12
These ceiling cutouts could be seen as artwork in itself.
13
The "shutters" in the top right of the entryway open and close for maximum exposure to natural light or maximum privacy.
14
Even the basketball hoop feels like it was strategically placed.
15
At night, the house is mind-blowing. Under-lights shine a spotlight on impeccable landscaping and makes the home look almost like a rocket taking flight.
Close

HuffPost Shopping’s Best Finds

MORE IN LIFE