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Heliotrope: Sustainable Solar Home that Generates More Energy than it Consumes
29Aug2010 Filed under: Others Author: Rebekah
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With talks of going green and environmental conservation, this house is just what we need. Generally solar powered houses have neither been the most efficient nor sustaining, but this rotating house might just change all of that.
German architect Rolf Disch has built a home, called Heliotrope, that is able to generate five times the solar energy that it consumes.
The way it does this is by rotating itself to follow the rays of the sun throughout the day. The structure features a 6.6 kWH solar panel (called the Sun Sail) on the rooftop that is able to rotate independently from the house to produce more than enough energy for the house to consume. The advantage this provides is 30 to 40 percent more energy generation than that of the traditional rooftop solar panels.
The balcony railings on the roof double as solar thermal collectors that act as water heaters and radiators. On a cloudy day, the house can be heated with wood chips and the solar thermal heating.
Technology within the house is also green, with waste water being re-used after going through a purification system, and rainwater is collected in a rooftop basin. Even human waste matter is turned into compost through the toilet system.
The architect himself lives within the prototype of the house and two other Heliotropes have been built to date, costing $2 million each.
Here is a video tour of the house. Unfortunately it is in German, so for those who don’t understand the language, make what you will of it.
Design wise, this isn’t the most aesthetic house I’ve seen, but with all the green technological advances that make up what the house is, I do think that this house can make a difference. Though something may have to be done about that steep pricetag to make it available for everyone.
- Tags: energy, heliotropes, home, solar house, sustainable energy
used tires
August 29th, 2010 at 4:28 pm
That’s pretty cool that the house is able to rotate it self like that, would be interesting for sure to live in a house like that!
Till then,
Jean
Uzi
September 1st, 2010 at 5:05 pm
I really like the increasing popularity of solar energy. Hopefully one day, we will all be using that and no more bills to pay.
car battery
September 1st, 2010 at 6:44 pm
That definitely looks like housing of the future. Initially, the costs will probably be high but once mass-produced as modules, it should be as affordable as a regular condo.
Laptop Briefcase
September 2nd, 2010 at 1:41 am
As cool as it is to have a rotating house, wouldn’t it make more sense to only make the solar panels rotate? Then maybe the house wouldn’t need to cost $2 million. Maybe that alone is a feature that can be built onto many buildings.
Laptop Briefcase
September 2nd, 2010 at 1:58 am
It’s good to see these innovations, but ultimately progress will be hindered by cost. Until people can actually afford this kind of technology, it will get very little usage. It is similar to electric cars in their early stages.
Data Quality
September 2nd, 2010 at 2:59 pm
Agree with @Laptop Briefcase, just rotate the cells. There must be a significant energy cost in roatating the house.
Also, first looks suggest that they could do a better job of insulation! I think this is a showcase and not a real attempt to minimise the house’s energy use or maximise energy production.
Looks nice though
Computer Tips Tricks
September 2nd, 2010 at 5:59 pm
That’s a wow! and cool! for me. I have the same thought as Uzi that wishing the world to use solar energy as much as possible so that all other generators that causes global warming can be reduced.
Escort Agencies London
September 3rd, 2010 at 12:54 am
That is really astonishing! Maybe some rich businessmen can market that one out now!
cartier glasses
September 3rd, 2010 at 2:06 pm
Heliotrope is basically pink-purple tint that is a representation of the color of the heliotrope flow
Bidet
September 6th, 2010 at 9:46 am
This looks like a great way to save energy, its really cool that the house rotates, I wonder what it feels like inside.
web applications
September 6th, 2010 at 2:34 pm
Green technologies like this are always appreciable. Simply outstanding way to generate energy.
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September 7th, 2010 at 2:20 am
Great idea, but I wonder about the cost of construction. A well designed earth sheltered home with passive heating and cooling and a separate rotating solar array for electricity would give you the same result – and would most probably be cheaper to build and maintain…
Sell Property
September 7th, 2010 at 7:36 pm
Awesome!!i hope it will be regular in the future.
Laptop Briefcase
September 8th, 2010 at 3:28 am
@Data Quality: yes you are likely right. This probably is more of an architectural showcase rather than a real attempt at making the most efficient house. The rotating feature is obviously not an efficient decision, but it does make the story more interesting for the media.
car battery
September 9th, 2010 at 9:00 pm
It also says that the balconies railings on the roof are solar thermal collectors so for getting those exposed to the sun, you’d need to rotate the outer structure atleast, but certainly not the whole building.
sell your textbooks
September 11th, 2010 at 12:46 am
That is really cool. I can’t believe they have the house rotating. It makes sense though. I could live in a place like that!
Tej Kohli
September 13th, 2010 at 3:58 pm
Wow Such a Great News, its can sort out our Energy problems
SPA UK
September 14th, 2010 at 12:53 am
We have just had an installation based on the same principle fitted outside our university in Preston, Lancashire (UCLAN). The solar panels actually rotate and follow the suns paTh throughout the day giving an overall 20% increase in the amount of electricity produced over a normal static solar pv system. The technology is just getting better every year with some great advances in thin film solar panel technology on the horizon. Time to think about moving away from fossil fuels before we run out…….
Uzi
September 15th, 2010 at 2:41 am
I am waiting for those days when solar energy will be cheaper and affordable for everyone.
Laptop Briefcase
September 15th, 2010 at 5:46 am
I think I read about some Hollywood celebrity or something who also has a rotating house. His was purely to take advantage of the views though.
Internet Marketing For Newbies
September 16th, 2010 at 5:14 am
That’s pretty cool. If you lived in a windy area you could even change out the solar panels for wind turbines as well.
small business
September 18th, 2010 at 12:05 am
A perpetual energy house? Pity its not sunny enough for this in the UK
PHP Development India
September 21st, 2010 at 12:50 pm
awesome news you have shared here. it’s a great idea to save energy. it will help us to solve energy problem. Solar energy is the best way to generate energy.
Sikiş
September 22nd, 2010 at 2:06 am
i hope one day all of us understand that solar energy is cheaper and better than the others and i like this place.
bikram
September 24th, 2010 at 4:40 am
I read about this like a year ago and some houses what they do is send electricity back power companies but I don’t remember how they do that.
bikram
September 25th, 2010 at 1:53 am
that house is really cool Solar energy its there free for all i just wish solar panels were cheaper
seks izle
September 26th, 2010 at 9:58 pm
I am waiting for those days when solar energy will be cheaper and affordable for everyone.
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September 28th, 2010 at 11:14 pm
definitely a neat idea, but why can’t we seperate the two? Why do we need to have houses also be power stations?
Solar arrays = good.
Effecient homes = good.
Combine the two = ugly.
cellphone reviews
October 1st, 2010 at 1:41 am
I just don’t see the benefit really. Lets live a life of green living…not just at home, not just at work.
yogie
October 10th, 2010 at 2:01 pm
@cellphone reviews, I agree with you but is a great way live a green life
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October 12th, 2010 at 1:25 pm
That home is pretty wild, I love how it is able to generate more energy that it consumes. Rolf outdid himself with this, it is simply wonderful.
sell your textbooks
October 19th, 2010 at 3:41 am
I still can’t believe how cool this house is. I would love to live in a rotating house.
David The Solar Power Man
October 22nd, 2010 at 5:41 pm
Fantastic post, thought it was interesting. I am putting your website to my list of faves, keep up the fantastic posts bud!
Tej Kohli
October 26th, 2010 at 6:06 pm
Reminds me of a rotating restaurant in New Delh, only it wasn’t energy efficient and instead consumed electricity to rotate.
sell your textbooks
November 15th, 2010 at 8:10 am
this is so cool. I wish I could live in a rotating house.
VentSmart dryer vent cleaner
January 15th, 2011 at 7:16 am
what an excellent design
Infrared Heaters
September 25th, 2011 at 5:38 am
Infrared heaters do not heat the air. A true infrared heater will heat any object it comes in contact with including water molecules, carpet, furniture, and even the human body. Because the human body is over 75% water infrared heat will warm our bodies similar to the rays of the sun without the damaging UV rays.