Green Architecture and Renewable Energy Buildings, An Ideal Home Scenario

If you were to design your perfect energy efficient house, what would it look like?

Mine would have Solar panels along the side wall that would open visor style to make a shade on hot days in the garden while collecting energy from the sun's rays. Also in the garden, there would be solar garden lights to provide light from dusk until dawn when they automatically switch off ready to store energy for later in the day.

In the toilet, I would have infrared toilet flush and infrared taps (no need to touch the handle to flush the loo or taps), which would be powered by solar and wind energy, you know those small wind turbines on the roof.

The infrared toilet flush and taps are also hygienic because you do not physically have to touch them. You just wave your hand in front of it, it detects movement and then automatically flushes the toilet or switches on the tap in order for you to wash your hands. Below are some examples of infrared flush and taps so you can see what they look like. The pink light is the sensor to detect movement.

Infrared toilet flush at my old gym

Infrared tap at my old gym

There would be small wind turbines in the garden to generate energy for the house, and possibly a small roof mounted wind turbine or possibly two. (I have recently seen two large roof mounted wind turbines on some flats on the Old Kent Road, near Elephant and Castle and some smaller ones on my journeys around London).

I visited an acquaintance a few years ago and in the bathroom there were heated floor tiles in the bathroom, which was great because you did not have to walk around on cold tiles. These tiles used electricity and apparently the heating device was laid onto the floor before the tiles were assembled over them. In my ideal futuristic house, I would have a similar layout in the bathroom, but it would be powered solely by solar (photovoltaic panels) and wind energy.

 Solar garden lights

Another acquaintance who lived outside London in Reading had a house with Solar panels along one side of the roof and halfway down the side of the house, the energy generated from these solar panels was enough to provide central heating for the whole house, a two bedroomed property (this was about 9 years ago). It would be nice to see more of these energy efficient buildings built for residential and commercial purposes making use of the space outside the buildings.

Off topic

While in conversation with a woman about a week or two ago, she told me that her neighbour had solar powered roof panels and sold her unused electricity back to the national grid. (see links below). It is amazing what you can learn while talking to people in random conversations.....Interesting!

Related Blog Topics

The future for energy efficiency


Related External Links

Quarter of UK homes to be offered a green makeover - The Guardian, Mon 9th Feb 2009

YouGen - How to store your solar generated electricity to use in the evening

Ways of Storing Electricity From Wind Turbines

Better Generation - Selling Electricity to the Grid

The Energy Saving House / Home Improvements