Gallery: Beautiful Solar-Powered Y-Hou...
The Y-House roof is perfect for capturing the sun's rays and rainwater
While the sun isn’t great for keeping a beach-home cool, it is a superb source of renewable energy. Plus Arquitectura played to the site’s strengths by incorporating solar panels onto the Y-shaped roof, and then blocked unwanted sun with glazed windows and passive design. Radiant heating and two double combustion fireplaces keep the building warm during cooler months, so this house definitely isn’t gobbling up a lot of energy to stay warm.
Rainwater is harvested, and since the property has been left to the wild, virtually no irrigation is necessary. Last year Chile experienced a dramatic earthquake that tipped the earth off its axis. We don’t know if this building meets code – it was built in 2009 after all – but we certainly hope so!
Well, I love the idea!
The inside is beautiful. Those randomly-placed circular windows do nothing for me, though.
The ‘stilts’ idea is intriguing.
Cheers!
JBS