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Zero Energy Community Designed to Foster Solar Production

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Wow. This has been a very long time coming.

This work by a U.S. architect – who really gets the solar aesthetic – was uncovered by my friend Tafline Laylin over at Inhabitat.

The zHome community designed by David Vandervort in Issaquah, Washington incorporates solar into the overall design right from scratch.

Look at how elegantly the sun-facing shed roof repeats, not only soaking up all those rays, but making good clean power using a lot more beautiful design than traditional energy does.

(By contrast, imagine an ugly coal power station making that same power on your roof!)

With just ten homes, it is the size of a good little community where everyone knows each other, fostering neighborliness and friendships.

That neighborliness is also indirectly sustainable. We will be much more interdependent in a future world of wild weather, needing each other for much more than a borrowed cup of sugar.

The central courtyard, the shared composting and garden all serve to foster community.

Around the edges, the electric-car-ready car access. I love it!

Each of these town homes goes from its roof to the ground (just like a freestanding house does), and opens out to the courtyard at the bottom.

The solar panels are enough to power 100% of the homes. Passive design lowers energy use as well, and in addition, ground heat pumps moderate temperature extremes so that heating and hot water are also supplied efficiently.

Excellent and responsible design.