The concept includes a comprehensive approach to rainwater harvesting and water use. A rooftop rainwater collector filters water naturally, gets used, and reused as greywater to irrigate the surrounding gardens. Gravity would be taken advantage of to reduce the energy required to move water throughout the home. A compost toilet limits the use of water, and treats waste and later returns nutrients into the surrounding ecosystem.
Solar gain and proper ventilation are primary focuses in the design as well. Through large south-facing walls, sunlight heats the floor in the main living areas of the home. A solar hot-water heater heats the house through radiant floor pipes. Operable windows would allow proper airflow throughout the space.
To keep in line with the holistic ecology concept of this home, the home itself would be edible at every stage of its life cycle. While occupied, the exterior walls and gardens could provide food for its occupant(s) and animals. Near the end of its life cycle post-occupancy, elements such as the bioplastic windows and plant walls would degrade and provide nutrition to the surrounding ecology.
How much does it cost?
According to the Fab Tree Hab, the costs can shift depending on where you are in the home’s life cycle and one’s location. Upon construction, prices would be similar to construction costs for a traditional home. The primary building materials (clay, gravel, and straw) would cost about the same as concrete. Plants included in the home’s pleaching could be purchased for a nominal fee and propagated from seedlings to reduce costs further. Plumbing, electrical, heating, and lighting costs would be similar to a traditional home.
That said, there are nontraditional operating costs associated with a home like this. Most notably, a homeowner would have to pay for pest management to protect the structure of the house. In addition, homeowners would want to keep up with the maintenance of the home’s water treatment system to ensure it is working correctly.
This concept is a working experiment, and as such, some elements of the idea are unknown at this time. For instance, the soy-based bioplastic window concept is still being explored to understand how they could perform later in a home’s life cycle.
