Sustainable design practice A-01 (A Company / A Foundation) has combined traditional tropical architecture elements with modern prefabrication to produce the No Footprint House, a contemporary and energy-efficient abode that boasts a minimal environmental footprint. Developed for mass production, the first No Footprint House prototype was installed last year in Ojochal, a small village at the edge of a tropical rainforest in Costa Rica. To keep cool in the region’s humid climate, the home relies on passive climate control strategies, from the double-layered facade with operable panels to the slanted solar shades. Spanning an area of 108 square meters, the first No Footprint House prototype is the largest in the No Footprint House series, which also includes a “tiny” version at 36 square meters and a mid-size version at 81 square meters. All housing types can be customized with different finishes and layouts and will be available for purchase in 2020. The No Footprint House in Ojochal was prefabricated in the Central Valley of Costa Rica based on a structural grid of 12 by 9 meters and comprises a combined living and dining area, two bedrooms, two bathrooms and a multifunctional terrace. The home was transported to its current […]
Latest Articles
Why Growing Forests Are Awesome
Why Growing Forests Are Awesome Guest Post by: Job van Hooijdonk, co-founder of Regreener In 2016, a record of 29.7 million hectares of forest disappeared. That's2 90,000 square...
The Benefits of Adaptive Reusing Old Buildings into New
Takeaways: Reusing old buildings instead of building new ones can benefit communities, inhabitants and the environment.
Reusing these buildings helps maintain the community's roots...
How Replacing Coal with Renewable Energy Could Pay for Itself
Takeaways: Transitioning from coal to renewable energy can result in an economic gain of $78 trillion.
The benefits of ending coal use come from...
Unilever Invests in Biotech Alternatives to Palm Oil for Greener Cleaning
Takeaways: Unilever is investing in a plan to use plant-based ingredients in their extensive household product range.
The company has partnered with a U.S....
How Indigenous Traditions Are Saving Zimbabwe’s Endangered Wildlife
Takeaways: A mix of beliefs, taboos and myths, passed orally from generation to generation, has been at the centre of wildlife conservation in many...
Can Biofuels Really Fly?
Takeaways: Researchers have developed a way that airplanes could be fueled by food waste.
The fluid is made up of volatile fatty acids found...
