A new generation of self-powered carbon-neutral tiny homes
CategoriesSustainable News

A new generation of self-powered carbon-neutral tiny homes

Spotted: According to a recent report from the National Association of REALTORS, the housing shortage in the US is reaching critical levels. The report estimates that there is currently what the association calls an ‘underbuilding gap’ of 5.5 to 6.8 million housing units since 2001. This shortage is pushing house prices and rents higher. And it’s becoming increasingly difficult for people to find affordable places to live.   

One company that’s looking to address this problem is Cosmic, a San Francisco-based startup that is building tiny houses. The company’s founder, Sasha Jokic, believes that these houses can help fill the gap by creating new rentals. In addition, Cosmic’s houses are designed to be highly energy-efficient – helping to reduce carbon emissions from the housing sector.

Ultimately, Cosmic is working to tackle two challenges simultaneously: the housing shortage and climate change. First, by creating new rental units that can be placed in people’s backyards, Cosmic can help to ease the pressure on the rental market. And second, because tiny houses are much more energy-efficient than traditional homes, they have the potential to significantly reduce carbon emissions. It’s an ambitious goal, but if they can pull it off, it could have a huge impact.

Cosmic’s ultra-efficient homes start at just 350 square feet, but they come packed with high-tech features that allow them to function as both a primary residence and a secondary getaway. The secret to the tiny house’s success is its standardised frame, which includes built-in solar power and batteries. Each tiny house also includes a built-in roof and floor, and mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems.

The modular design means that the houses can be assembled quickly and easily, without the need for construction crews. And because the houses are optimised to be energy-efficient, they can be powered entirely by renewable energy sources. Lithium-ion batteries store energy from the solar panels, with the option to return any extra energy produced back to the grid. Alternatively,t, the excess energy can be used to power the main house, or an electric car.

Financial models for the houses are being arranged, with prices starting at $190,000 (around €176,000). There might also be a second option starting at $150,000 (around €139,000), where Cosmic would own the renewable energy infrastructure and the extra power generated in return for free power for the backyard and discounted power for the main house.

Other tiny home innovations spotted by Springwise include tiny houses for the homeless, an off-the-grid house on wheels, and a tiny home using passive design.

Written By: Katrina Lane

Email: info@cosmicbuildings.com

Website: cosmicbuildings.com

Reference

Collecting and recycling electronic waste from homes and businesses
CategoriesSustainable News

Collecting and recycling electronic waste from homes and businesses

Spotted: Electronic waste, or e-waste, refers to any discarded item that has a plug or a battery – and it is becoming a major problem.

According to a United Nations forecast, we are on track to produce 74 million metric tonnes of e-waste by 2030. And in 2019, each person on earth generated around 7.3 kilogrammes of e-waste – with only 1.7 kilogrammes recycled per person.

In Malaysia 25 per cent of e-waste is recycled, and startup ERTH is looking to improve this rate with a service that pays consumers to recycle their old electronic devices. The service works by employing a network of freelance drivers. When a customer has e-waste that they wish to recycle, the system matches them with the nearest driver – just as ride-hailing apps match users to a taxi driver. This driver then collects the e-waste and the customer receives a cash reward.

Drivers return the e-waste they have collected to a central warehouse on a weekly basis. ERTH’s recovery partner then comes to this warehouse and collects the e-waste for dismantling and segregation. All this e-waste is recycled through the proper, regulated channels, and the company claims it has stopped more than 200,000 kilogrammes of e-waste from ending up in landfill.

ERTH is not the only e-waste recycling service, and customers in Malaysia can also deal with recycling facilities directly. However, ERTH’s service offers several important benefits. First, the company claims that its competitors require a minimum of ten items, whereas ERTH only requires one working device or three non-working devices for free pick up. Second, the startup offers fast and convenient payment through cash, bank transfer, e-wallet, or cheque. Finally, the network of drivers does all the heavy lifting, taking the hassle and inconvenience out of the process.

In addition to its core service, ERTH also offers e-waste collection boxes, secure data destruction, and a B2B recycling programme.

Other e-waste focused innovations spotted by Springwise
include a new
process can efficiently recover metals from electronic waste, and an Indian
startup that takes a collaborative
approach to e-waste.

Written By: Matthew Hempstead

Email: hello@erth.app

Website: erth.app

Reference

Ten dining rooms in American homes that are a feast for the eyes
CategoriesInterior Design

Ten dining rooms in American homes that are a feast for the eyes

With glimpses of the seaside to views of the Rocky Mountains, our latest Dezeen Lookbook rounds up 10 dining rooms in American houses that would be spectacular settings for a Thanksgiving dinner.


This is the latest roundup in a series providing visual inspiration for the home. Previous articles in the series showcased cosy living rooms, domestic bathrooms designed by architects and colourful kitchens.


Dining room in Bayhouse by Studio Rick Joy

Bayhouse, New England by Studio Rick Joy

A dramatic wood-covered ceiling covers the dining room in New England residence Bayhouse designed by Tucson-based Studio Rick Joy.

When seated at the long table – which forms part of a wood palette throughout the house – diners enjoy views out to the sea.

Find out more about Bayhouse ›


Dining room in Dawnridge House by Field Architecture

Dawnridge House, California by Field Architecture

The dining room of this house, in a suburb of Silicon Valley, is designed so that it is always open to the outdoors and frames a large oak tree.

Food can be served up from a built-in barbecue or from the kitchen, which adjoins the space via sliding glass doors.

Find out more about Dawnridge House ›


Dining room in Wasatch House by Olson Kundig

Hale Lana, Hawaii by Olson Kundig

An expansive roof provides shade to a wooden deck furnished with a dining area in this residence Seattle firm Olson Kundig has completed on an old lava field in Hawaii.

Suited to a large gathering, the wood table and benches mirror the form of the surrounding wood architecture.

Find out more about Hale Lana ›


Dining room in Hudson Woods home by Magdalena Keck

Hudson Woods Home, New York by Magdalena Keck

A more intimate gathering would suit this foldable Finn Juhl dining table – one of a number of Danish mid-century designs furnishing the holiday home in a Catskill Mountains development.

The table is placed to make the most of a square window framing a view of the outdoors.

Find out more about Hudson Woods home ›


Dining room in Ledge House by Desai Chia

Ledge House, Connecticut by Desai Chia

Placed between the kitchen counter and a concrete fireplace with a wood-burning stove, the dining table forms the heart of this home in Connecticut.

The pale wood table extends to large rectangular windows that span the length of the house providing views of the hilly landscape.

Find out more about Ledge House ›


Dining room in Little Peek by Bernman Horn Studio

Little Peek, Maine by Bernman Horn Studio

Weathered metal chairs and a weathered wood table form a simple, stripped-back setting for diners in Little Peek House.

The area is an enclosed patio that is sandwiched between two cedar volumes to form the holiday home that the founders of Berman Horn Studio built themselves on an island in Maine.

Find out more about Little Peek ›


Dining room in Shaw Mesa by Michael Doty Architects

Shaw Mesa, Idaho by Michael Doty Architects

The Rocky Mountains in Idaho are visible through sliding glass doors from the dining table in this Shaw Mesa residence by Michael Doty Architects.

Metal slices through the wood table top referencing the materiality of the house, which includes charred-black timber walls and a corrugated metal roof.

Find out more about Shaw Mesa ›


Dining room in Sheffield House by Vincent Appel

Sheffield House, Masschusetts by Vincent Appel

The dining room in Sheffield House is furnished with warm, red-hued wooden chairs with woven seats and a glossy black table.

With these bold hues, which provides a contrast to the house’s bleached cedar exterior, the dining area provides an anchor in the open-plan living space.

Find out more about Sheffield House ›


Dining room in Valley Street house by Síol Studios and Levy Art and Architecture

Valley Street House, California by Síol Studios and Levy Art and Architecture

Black gridded windows and doors wrap a corner of the dining room in this residence in San Francisco.

They open onto a terrace with glass railings, ideal for hanging out before or after a feast.

Find out more about Valley Street house ›


Dining room in Wasatch House by Olson Kundig

Wasatch House, Utah by Olson Kundig

Set in Salt Lake City, Utah, Wasatch House by Olson Kundig is furnished with a circular table for four diners.

Hues of green, orange ad brown pick up the tones of woodland visible through the window.

Find out more about Wasatch House ›

Reference