Lifehaus: The first low-cost, fully self-sufficient home

Lifehaus is an organization that develops energy neutral, low-cost, self-sufficient dwellings.

The Problem

Net zero carbon buildings are becoming more commonplace, but the one thing they are not becoming is more affordable. Even the most bare bone net-zero studios can cost upward of $200,000. This is a problem because by making buildings net zero, we have a lot of potential to cut our overall carbon emissions. If 9.7 percent of new buildings will be net zero by 2050, the integrated opportunity is a reduction of 7.1 gigatons of carbon dioxide.

The Solution

The LIFEHAUS project is revolutionizing the construction industry by producing low-cost, energy neutral, passive, self-sufficient dwellings. It uses locally procured natural, recycled and unprocessed building materials, all the while reintroducing long forgotten ancestral building and survival techniques in combination with cutting edge eco-friendly architectural solutions.

The team is actually building the first prototype as a proof of concept in Lebanon. The building provides its inhabitants with their own electricity, water, and food. Lifehaus uses Passive annual heat storage to keep the house at 22°C all year around, with no need for any artificial source of heating or cooling.

Lifehaus implements for a constant rainwater catching and four time recycling, solar panels, and other piecemeal solutions to create a home that integrates seamlessly into the Earth without losing any of the comfortable amenities that we've come to expect.