What do the world’s greenest homes sustain themselves on as far as generating power goes? Which of the green technologies that are out there are they running on? Which is the most efficient? Are they running completely on geothermal energy, using networks of pipes drawing off the Earth’s heat? Are they purely solar powered by means of both active and passive solar energy? Are they completely geared for running on the electricity provided by wind-powered turbines generating power for the home? Perhaps they are run by a water-wheel driven type of system for all of their power needs? Can you guess the answer?
Well, truly, the world’s greenest homes are those which actually put many angles off energy production to good use. For example, the heat and hot water could be provided through solar/geothermal means. With water coursing through a network of pipes driven into the ground, the Earth’s heat can be transferred to the water running within the pipes which is then circulated throughout the house to supply hot water and also a bit of heat, while the passive solar energy heats up the home as well through strategic window placement and the use of insulated double or triple paned glass windows.
Besides that mentioned pair of hand-in-hand techniques, the world’s greenest homes might also use active solar power (through the use of photovoltaic cells, otherwise known as ‘solar panels’) hand-in-hand with wind-driven electricity generation. When systems of extracting free energy from the environment can pair up and act as teams, energy efficiency just seems boundless. Through the use of multiple battery cells to store the accumulated electricity we can produce from the environment, and then regulate the current flow into the home, there seems to be an endless supply of harvested free energy taken from the environment for our personal use.
For this reason, the world’s greenest homes are those which use the effect off a multi-angle approach to green living. It is this type of green energy efficient technology that works best – the system of them all working together. When designing a green home, it is best to use as many combinations of green technologies as you can – create redundant systems in case something might happen to one (like, a tree falling onto a solar array).
Once you have as many angles as possible set into place, all working together, one complementing the other, then you’ll have one of the world’s greenest homes. From there, self sufficiency and “off grid living” are quite attainable. All it takes is a willingness to diversify your sources, your resources of renewable free energy. After all, the more ways you can benefit from using the abundantly available and ever renewable resources of free energy, the better – am I right?
If you’re interested in learning more about world’s greenest homes and other things related to alternative energy, then you’ve got to check out the EcoPlusHome project.
Bryan Kenny and his family are an average North American family with one exception…they’re living in the EcoPlusHome.
The EcoPlusHome is a prefabricated home powered by alternative energies like solar thermal, geothermal and photovoltaic. Bryan and his family will show the world that it is possible to live self sustained for a 12 month period by showcasing their journey living in the EcoPlusHome on their blog.
