A Glimpse Into Future Housing-The Lumenhaus

I  recently read about LUMENHAUS and fell in love with the design, the technology and a glimpse into what housing can be like for our children!  Designed by a collaboration of Virginia Tech Students from different academic departments,  the 800 square foot LUMENHAUS was their 2009 entry to the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon competition.

Lumenhaus -Smart Technology for your home-via Prolog.org

LUMEN means “the power of light.”  HAUS is a reference to the BauHaus movement, and architect Mies Van Der Rohe, whose Farnsworth House inspired LUMENHAUS.  LUMENHAUS does more than literally deliver a brighter day, however. LUMENHAUS epitomizes a “whole building design” construction approach, in which all the home’s components and systems have been designed to work together to maximize user comfort with environmental protection.   

LUMENHAUS uses technology optimally to make the owner’s life simpler, more energy efficient and less expensive. On the cutting edge of responsive architecture, LUMENHAUS can operate completely self sufficiently, responding to environmental changes automatically to balance energy efficiency with user comfort.

LUMENHAUS is a zero-energy home that is completely powered by the sun. Other sustainable features include the use of passive energy systems, radiant heating and building materials that are from renewable and/or recyclable sources.  The house is set up to produce more energy than it needs which means it is giving back to the environment even on lazy days.

Because I am so blown away, tickled actually, with this house I am including two videos that show this fabulous design in technological and physical detail.  I simply had to include the second video on the kitchen as this is always the biggest challenge in small housing, and they dealt with it efficiently and beautifully!  They are well worth the view.  Let me know if you are as blown away as I am,  I’d love to hear.

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