Filed under: Design, etc, Architecture, Cool Homes
A green home doesn't necessarily mean throwing some solar panels on the roof and tending an organic garden in the backyard. So with Earth Day 2011 approaching, we're highlighting homes using unique materials -- and redefining green living.In an effort to reduce the environmental impact that sourcing all new materials for a home can have, some builders have become quite creative in using repurposed and recycled options to craft their dwellings.
A house made out of plastic bottles. Photo: The Ecological Bottle House
In Argentina, one family built their home entirely out of plastic bottles - more than 1,200 to be exact! While in another part of that same country, a man spent 19 years building a massive home out of glass bottles and other salvaged garbage. According to him, 6 million bottles have gone into his behemoth of house.
But if those sound a bit too trashy for you - then check out architect David Hertz' ultra-chic Malibu Hills, California design that involves repurposing a jumbo jet to create the home.
Hertz isn't the only architect looking to turn waste into tasteful and artistic elements for a house. Dan Phillips builds eye-catching abodes from mostly recycled and repurposed materials, using everything from broken glass and license plates to assorted materials salvaged from other construction projects. One of his recent creations, the "Bone House," has gained notoriety for its macabre décor that stylistically incorporates bones into the design, lining counter-tops and staircases.
According to EPA estimates, 60% of the nation's non-industrial, non-hazardous solid waste comes from annual building construction, renovation and demolition-derived waste - adding up to 170 million tons.
While deconstructing a defunct home or building piece by piece to be reused in a new project can cost three or four times as much as simply demolishing it, that cost can be mostly offset with tax deductions. Non-profits like RE Store or Reuse People Of America are happy to accept donations to put such materials back to use. Clearly, the long-term value for the environment makes the extra effort worth it, giving old building materials new life in a truly green home.