Casa 100K Euro by Mario Cucinella

by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 03. 2.09

The guys building the 100K House in Philadelphia are not having an easy time keeping within budget, so does Mario Cucinella have a hope of building a carbon-neutral home for 100,000 euros?

Given that it is made of concrete, has wind turbines, biomass heating, solar hot water, radiant in-floor heating and ground source heat pumps it looks like a bit of a stretch.

Perhaps there are economies in the prefabricated structure and being multifamily, perhaps the unit is much smaller.

The architect writes:

This research project explores the design of a 100m2 home that is low cost, high quality with zero CO2 emissions and a low environmental impact. A building that brings back the pleasure of living and repays the investment cost with the energy produced. The architectural design integrates photovoltaic panels, solar capture during the winter months, circulation of air in the summer months and other passive environmental strategies that render the residence a bioclimatic machine.

The building cost is kept to a minimum by using light and flexible pre-fabricated building systems: structural elements, integrated services, and mobile elements such as sliding-removable-supple wall panels for internal divisions in the apartments. External walls are made from modular panels. The material changes – glazed or opaque- creating an elevation that is dynamic materially and spatially integrating balconies, terraces and loggias. The structural framework allows a variety of apartment sizes adapting to the different spatial needs of the occupants.