Going Off The Grid; A New Generation Of Energy Efficient Homes

There's little doubt that home builders are focusing on crafting energy-efficient and increasingly sustainable homes. LEED certification has led to the development of commercial buildings with unparalleled energy efficiency. Modern curtain wall systems are cropping up in all big cities to provide an aesthetically pretty building that also insulates well. While efficiency is an important step towards decreasing negative environmental impacts, some new homes are taking things even further. It seems as though building off-grid self sustaining homes will be an increasingly popular solution for environmentally friendly minded buyers. 

CNX Construction recently debuted a new set of four homes in Thailand that use a combination of solar energy and a hydrogen fuel cell for all power. The combination of different power sources allows these homes to exist independent of the power grid, with ample renewable energy. Solar panels handle all energy needs during the day, and they also power the hydrogen fuel cell electrolyzer that handles energy needs at night. The only byproducts of the energy system are oxygen and water, making these houses contribute no pollution. 

Although the current return on using these technologies is an estimated 15 years, these houses were built as an example of what the future of homebuilding will be. As technology progresses, the return on self-sustaining homes will certainly be much shorter. Off-grid homes are certainly an exciting development in homebuilding.