Origami is Japanese art to bend a role to create figures without using scissors or glue. Through the precision in the folds in a simple sheet it is possible to design unique structures. Following this millenary art, architect Adrian James has managed to design a copper house, giving rise to his house Copper Bottom.
On a hill, the house is erected with geometric folds that combine aesthetics and functionality. This house not only defies conventional standards with their metallic structure and lining, but also embodies a vision of the possibility of living in a power plant.
Short. The architect Adrian James has designed a house that combines a bold design with energy efficiency. In fact, Copper Bottom It generates more energy than it consumes.
Together with his wife, Sarah Shekleton, They decided to leave their home In the Oxford center to build a house in a hill. In addition, as an architect, I wanted to demonstrate How an avant -garde design could integrate sustainability and comfort.
How a power plant? Located near the city’s green belt, on a hill, you can see the architectural style both Romanesque and Gothic so characteristic of the city. However, this green house, which took 13 months to build, differs a lot of these styles and functionality.
The architect sought energy efficiency so the roof of Copper Bottom It has 37 solar panels, a 20 kWh battery and a air heat pump. The infrastructure of the house is recycled copper, which helps to isolate the sun in summer and allows the passage of heat in winter, in addition, the shape of the house also fulfills a function, thanks to its angular shape it blocks the sun in summer and lets the light pass in winter, avoiding overheating without the need for air conditioning; With its bucket shape, optimize thermal insulation and reduce the waste of materials.
Energy community and self -consumption. So far we have always talked about Self -consumption and Energy Community Like two antagonists, one thing or the other. However, the design proposed by the British architect makes both conjugate, since the electricity surplus generated by solar panels can be injected into the electricity grid, benefiting other consumers. It should be noted that in summer, the house generates more energy than it consumes, and the surplus is injected into the electricity grid, which even allows them to receive payments for it.
Economic impact. The construction cost of the house was approximately 1.25 million pounds sterling (around 1.55 million euros), a budget that covered both the land and the building. A fairly high price if you have the 37 solar panels and the heat pump. However, this energy self -sufficiency translates into significant savings in electricity and heating invoices, which makes the initial investment more viable in the long term.
However, if we have to talk about an investment recovery, it is estimated that carbon debt It will be amortized between 10 to 15 yearsa period that depends on the efficiency of energy systems and the amount of energy that is injected into the network. In addition, the house not only reduces operating costs but can also generate additional income by selling energy surplus to the electricity grid, offering a long -term tangible economic recovery.
But isn’t it dangerous? According to The architectthe structure of Insulating panels and recycled copper make it resistant and lasting. In addition, copper is not corrode over time, which means that the house will not need maintenance in decades.
Image | Adrian James
