Living in the Warm Sunshine of a Swedish Greenhouse
Think this would be hard to build? Here’s how it was done.
First, take 1 boring typical house in a cold climate…let’s say in Sweden.
Next…
….Imagine yourself living a warm and sunny life. Growing in your own garden tropical fruits that could never survive the Swedish winters – figs, kiwi, peaches, wine grapes…
Mmmm…where was I? Oh yes…
Start with 1 boring typical house: OK. Got it.
Next; just build your greenhouse around the whole entire thing.
First, the scaffolding…
Add the glass.
Cut off the roof of the old house. You’ll be putting a roof deck up there to soak up that sunshine.
Build the flat deck on top. Enclose the two chimneys…
Easy-peasey! All done!
Now be smug, secure in the knowledge that you are virtuously composting in your very own greenhouse, and recycling grey water systems to grow the vines clinging to the rafters that your children can romp under sustainably.
Kudos to the two young Swedish families who have designed and built their own Naturhus modeled on the original oldie but goodie design by Bengt Warne.
Via Treehugger and Ecorelief
October 19th, 2009 at 1:55 pm
How do you keep mold from setting in between the original house and greenhouse glass structure?
October 23rd, 2009 at 7:37 pm
Good question.
January 16th, 2010 at 9:26 pm
There will only come mold if the humidity is to high and that comes from using to much water for the plants. You can balance the amount of plants and stone areas. When it gets hot you will have a quick change of air, because of the chimney effect when you have windows in top and buttom.
June 10th, 2010 at 11:01 pm
Greetings:
What a brilliant idea! Is the house now complete. Have you more photos?
Did you conceive and design the greenhouse. I am very curious to know what your total costs were.
Again, brilliant. We would like to do the same on west coast of Canada.
Guy
August 1st, 2010 at 8:00 pm
@Guy, a couple of these houses (2-3 or so) exist and have websites in English. The latest built one had a budget of $210.
http://www.ecorelief.se
http://www.ecosol.se
August 1st, 2010 at 8:08 pm
That should be $210 k US (1.5 million Swedish kronor)