PowerHYDE: Sustainable and Affordable Solar Homes
To solve housing and climate change crises at the same time, a Singapore-based climate technology organization, BillionBricks, and its partner, Architecture Brio, have come up with solar-powered residences called PowerHYDE.
The PowerHYDE housing model is a solar home created by Prasoon Kumar and Robert Verrijt of Billion Bricks from India and Singapore, respectively. Due to its groundbreaking innovation, the PowerHYDE housing model won a Holcim Award for Sustainable Construction.
This model house aims to explores sustainable means in order to build affordable and sustainable housing in Southeast Asia. These homes would be part of an entire community so people who could not afford to build a home before could finally have one.
The designers have a main goal in mind. “A BillionBricks Community is the world’s first carbon negative solar home community to bring families out of poverty within one generation.” And it is a truly worthwhile cause indeed.
With the employment of solar panels, the homes then could generate their own renewable energy, thereby consuming less electricity and the people could also save money for themselves. BillionBricks does take a radical approach in creating homes that have net-zero emissions. This in turn generates long-term value for both investors and owners of the homes, making it a win-win situation for everyone.
An indigenous prefabricated assembly technique is used for this housing model to make it easy to assemble in remote locations. As a solar array is installed on the roof, excess energy can be harnessed. The homeowner can choose to save it or sell it, converting it into extra income. The home can also harvest its rainwater and clean its own sewage. BillionBricks eyes the possibility of installing smart technology in order to make it more convenient to the people living there.
“BillionBricks homes are plug-and-play modular homes that do not need any connection to services and could be made functional from the day of completion of construction,” the climate tech venture organization explained of its current technology.
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Small communities of these net-zero homes have been erected in Mathjalgaon Village in India. In the near future, BillionBricks is planning to build approximately 500 homes near Manila, Philippines, and the goal is to generate 10 megawatt of power from this small community. This project would definitely be a worthy addition to BillionBricks’ long list of successes.
Photos by Photograhix
