7,000-square-ft. home has no carbon footprint

The Eco House in Spain aims to be the first zero carbon footprint home in Andalusia, and it sure looks pretty.

The most apparent feature of the house is the roofline that sits wing-like above the building line. The shape of the roof and its distance from the building is key.

The angle holds the solar panels in the right position to maximize energy capture while also hiding them from view. The shape also allows less heat transmitted into the house as the space between the two rooflines allows air to pass over the building adding to the cooling effect. Adjustable louvered vents located just below the building’s roofline lets the cooler air pass through rooms while the accumulated hot air floats up and out of the house.

The main living area hovers above a 12-inch-deep canal of water, which again contributes to cooling the house so air conditioning isn’t needed. A rainwater reclamation system will be installed so graywater can be recycled from holding tanks located in the basement.

The pool won’t need those nasty chemicals because it will be filled with saline water. Solar panels will supply electricity to run a radiant heating system within the floor, and geo-thermal energy will provide a backup cooling and heating system.

The design of the home, at nearly 7,000 square feet, is built with two-thirds less waste than traditional models and operates 80% more efficiently than a similar sized home.

It’s high-end luxury, but hey, if you can afford to build a home like this, there’s no reason to skimp on doing it as green as possible. The designers Diseño Earle hope to have the house available for purchase sometime in 2009.

Via JetsonGreen, d-earle