Completed in 2010, the Velux Sunlighthouse claims to be the first zero energy and carbon neutral house in chilly Austria. The design was generated as a full-throated effort to squeeze as much energy out of the sun year round. But the sustainable planning did not stop there. The design took great care in implementing very low embedded energy building materials, which in turn gave way to a super efficient shell and an elegant natural interior. The difficult lot on which the home was designed for made the feat all the more impressive, as Hein-Troy Architects squeezed a stellar solar energy system into use, while maintaining a very bright and livable home. The Velux is the first house in Austria with a measurable net environmental footprint.
