High-Tech Off-Grid Mirai Nihon Home Coexists With Nature in Japan

In the wake of the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami that devastated northeast Japan, <a href="http://www.tbwahakuhodo.co.jp/">TBWAHAKUHODO</a>, a Japanese advertising firm, initiated the <a href="http://www.fastcoexist.com/1679972/the-off-the-grid-house-of-the-future-built-by-an-ad-agency">Mirai Nihon project</a> to design a house that could function and provide comfort in the event that existing lifelines of gas, water, electricity and telecommunications were no longer available. The agency worked with 20 companies to come up with Mirai Nihon (“Japan’s Future”), an off-grid house in which both technology and nature co-exist.

Solor Design Lab was the brains behind the prefabricated house. Mirai Nihon provides a combination of Japanese design, aesthetics and maximum space efficiency.

A Nissan Leaf, when not providing transportation, powers the home via its battery. A thin solar film on the home's exterior generates power during the day.

TBWAHAKUHODO believes Mirai Nihon provides shelter while allowing the development of new sustainable technologies can scale and become more cost-effective. The project began shortly after the March 2011 tsunami that devastated northeast Japan.

The inside of the home is light and airy. Despite its small size, the house is comfortable and roomy.

Mirai Nihon not only provides emergency shelter, but blends in with its surroundings. Dwellers can live completely off the grid.

Parked next to Mirai Nihon, a Nissan Leaf provides transport and well as power when needed. Nissan was the first company to join TBWAHAKUHODO on the project.

Mirai Nihon is not just a project to prepare for the next calamity to hit Japan. TBWAHAKUHODO and its partners believe the house could work in cities and villages around the world.

This blueprint describes the Mirai Nihon's various components, from the home power charging system, the coatings that both insulate and power the home, as well as how smart grid technology operates and manages the house's energy needs. The Nissan Leaf works as the house's power generator when needed.

Smart grid technology is a central component of Mirai Nihon. A home energy management system (HEMS) incorporates smart grid technology and allows the home’s owner to gauge and control the consumption of energy throughout the house.

Even Mirai Nihon’s water system works completely free from local infrastructure. It is a seawater purification system that TBWAHAKUHODO says can filter out heavy metals and radioactive materials.