Off-the-Grid Housing
If you’re worried about dependence on fossil fuels, the RuralZed timber-frame kit house can make you self-sufficient. The house’s energy-conserving features include south-facing windowed walls, a solar-thermal water heating system, natural ventilation that exploits air pressure differentials, heat-absorbent cement or masonry walls and floors, and an airtight polymer membrane that seals seams and joints. Thanks to the resulting savings, the house’s energy requirements can be met by roof-mounted solar panels and specially designed wind turbines that rotate around a vertical axis.
Product: RuralZed
Cost: About $240 per square foot for the basic house (erected), $280 per square foot with all the options (erected)
Source: ruralzed.com
Companies: ZedFactory
Keep Reading
Most Popular
Geoffrey Hinton tells us why he’s now scared of the tech he helped build
“I have suddenly switched my views on whether these things are going to be more intelligent than us.”
ChatGPT is going to change education, not destroy it
The narrative around cheating students doesn’t tell the whole story. Meet the teachers who think generative AI could actually make learning better.
Meet the people who use Notion to plan their whole lives
The workplace tool’s appeal extends far beyond organizing work projects. Many users find it’s just as useful for managing their free time.
Learning to code isn’t enough
Historically, learn-to-code efforts have provided opportunities for the few, but new efforts are aiming to be inclusive.
Stay connected
Get the latest updates from
MIT Technology Review
Discover special offers, top stories, upcoming events, and more.