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Zero Carbon Design for Futuristic Mirrored House

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South Gloucestershire, overlooking the Severn Estuary is the surprising site for this very modern building from British architects Paul Archer Design.

The house is named Green Orchard – for its charming and romantic old English setting of a well established orchard garden.

But there is nothing old fashioned about this very contemporary solution to living lightly on the planet.

Heated only by this wooden stove, the roof of the single story building is the unseen key to its carbon neutrality: PV supplies 100% of the annual electricity, and solar thermal heats 80% of the hot water.

All four elevations of the 200 sq m house take advantage of views out and access to the garden.

It is a single story house, with very tall windows on every side.

The exterior is clad in custom-made full-height aluminium shutters, which are powered by the solar panels, and can slide open fully at the touch of a switch.

This gives the occupants the ability to control and vary the thermal performance of the house depending on the time of the day and year.

The architects feel that the aluminium coated cladding “reflects the surrounding gardens, ensuring that the house recedes into its setting.”

On the contrary, I think it really stands out – and in a good way. It appears to be a very plausible model of how future Britons will live sustainably, with the home’s energy source quietly working on its roof.