Ardent followers of permaculture, the couple and their three children are lucky to be surrounded by a host of like-minded families who often come by to help with the building. They are also vegetarians, so it was important for them to find a way to be self-sufficient all year despite their northerly latitude. As a result, they have built a small greenhouse that is irrigated using waste water treated by plants and sand in the greenhouse. They can even grow tropical fruits!
The basement was constructed using Leca – lightweight bricks of extruded clay. A system of long buried pipes leading down to the beach bring fresh air into the home. Since the temperature of the earth is constant, these pipes bring in warm air during winter and cool air during the summertime. Vents at the base of the house, mid-level windows and windows near the roof ensure that the air circulates at all times. Plus, the glass dome ensures that very little maintenance will be required during winter months.
“It is truly wonderful to work “inside” on our house,” Ingrid told Inhabitat. “We have quite a lot of wind and rain here, so coming in to the glass dome is such a pleasure! You still feel like you are outside, but the air is still, and we are dry even when it rains. It is fascinating to see the rain flow in a large curve around us. Every time the weather is bad I know why we did this.”
