Regen House Prototype
Buffalo, NY
2020
Project Concept
A majority of single family houses are consumers of fuel, electricity, water, and trash, which all negatively impact the finances of the homeowner. Related to these expenses are the impacts that each of them have on our world at large. From the way that the fuel is produced and transported to our homes to the energy that we use to power our equipment and the endless cycle of cleaning and consuming water, these resources ultimately end up adversely impacting our environment.
What if there were a way to design a supplemental house that passively generated the fuel, electricity, and water it consumed as well as money for the homeowner through leasing? How can we construct a house that is both functional and comfortable for the users to live off the grid?
The Regen House Prototype is designed as a tiny house with one multi-purpose room combined with a kitchen, full bathroom with a shower, and a utility closet that contains batteries to store electricity for the home and a rainwater barrel that filters and provides clean water for the house. In a place like Buffalo, NY, this house could be considered a carriage home if it’s built onto a permanent foundation. Otherwise, the homeowner can choose to build it as a tiny house on wheels.
The house is rectilinear in plan and has a shed roof that directs all rain water toward the low point where a gutter diverts it down into a filter before storing it in a rainwater barrel in the utility room. The barrel has an overflow pipe to direct water out into the garden when it’s full. Water is pumped from the rainwater barrel to the kitchen and bathroom sink as well as the shower. When water is used, it is drained out of the house into the gardens. The bathroom contains an incinerator toilet that is electrically powered and is capable of turning waste into a small pile of ashes. This reduces the need for additional plumbing and a sewage line.
On the roof are solar panels that generate electricity throughout the year and stores it in batteries located in the utility room. The roof and solar panels are lined with heat syncs that are turned on in the winter when snow and ice are present. This keeps the roof warm enough to melt snow and ice and also continue to provide rainwater to the house. Excess energy can be redirected to the primary house on the property and during the rare times when the Regen House needs energy, it can draw energy from the grid.
Passively, the Regen House contains casement windows that open towards the primary wind direction as well as higher slider windows on the opposite side to allow the wind to pass through. This is helpful in the spring, summer, and fall to significantly reduce the need for an air conditioner.
Financially, the Regen House is designed as a tiny house where homeowners can choose to live as their primary residence or if their house has a large yard, it could be a secondary home to rent to a long term tenant or as a short term stay. Originally, the idea was that the Regen House can be used as a bed and breakfast where visitors pay on a daily basis.
Design Proposal
Conclusion
Regen House is envisioned as a supplemental house to a homeowner’s primary residence where it can become an energy generator that begins to offset the primary house’s reliance on the grid. It becomes an educational tool for homeowners to see how passive technologies and design can provide a comfortable place to live while offsetting the costs of resources. Hopefully, it would push homeowners to consider transitioning their current homes towards passive energy generation and an independence from the standard infrastructure systems.