Romania
Soleta is doing it right in Romania. These off the grid homes combine new take on Japanese interior design, European sensibility, and off the grid living.
Features:
- Rainwater collection with microbiological water treatment
- Built from 75% recycled materials
- Computerized energy management system
United States
This stylish home was built by architect Macy Miller on a budget of $12,000.
Features:
- Radiant heating system
- Composting toilet
- Siding made from repurposed wooden pallets
Czech Republic
The Freedomky are stylish off the grid homes that come in four sizes ranging from one to four rooms, comfortably housing up to five people. These prefab homes go up in hours, can last a lifetime, and you will never have a utility bill again.
Check them out at freedomky.cz.
Features:
- Solar system with option for back-up generator
- Solar-thermal hot water
- Waste water management system
- All sizes are transportable and expandable
Netherlands
Recycled shipping container home.
Features:
- Rainwater collection with underground storage
- Online energy management system
- Solar power
The Houl is another zero emission beauty.
Features:
- Heat recovery system
- Wind powered
- Triple paned doors and windows
Latvia
- 300 eco-home development
- Homes built out of sight from one another
- Geothermal heating
- Each unique design is contoured to landscape
- Abundant wildlife, no fences
- Central sewage system built underneath roots system of trees
Spain
Built to use almost 80% less heat than a standard home, this is a prefabricated wooden box-style design by Spain’s Alvetosa Morell Arquitectes.
Features:
- Solar power
- Prefab wood and recycled materials
United States
The ZeroHouse by Specht is one tough cookie! This house can hold up against 140 mile per hour winds, and has an anchor system and design that can hold up against 10 feet of flooding. All that strength coupled with off the grid living makes this modern design a forward-thinking concept.
Features:
- Solar power
- 550 gallon rainwater collection/storage system
- Triple paned windows
- Minimal ground impact
- Prototype design estimated to be $300-$350k