If you’ve always desired to live in a self-sustaining, solar-powered small house with no carbon footprint, the Ecocapsule might be the ideal solution. This off-grid house may be powered by the wind or the sun and is built on a trailer basis. Nice Architects (now Nice & Wise) created it for a 2008 architectural and design competition!
Although the Ecocapsule did not win, inhabitat.com recognized it as one of the most fascinating concepts in the competition. Its creators in Slovakia obtained enough good feedback to motivate them to create the device. The first Ecocapsule project was completed in 2014. It was originally designed to house individuals who wished to live off-grid in nature for an extended period of time, such as park rangers or scientists, or as a short-term housing option for emergency response requirements.
High-end customers in New York City and Silicon Valley, on the other hand, expressed an instant interest in utilizing the unit as a studio, guest room, or rooftop fixture. To get an Ecocapsule, you must be prepared to invest $139,000 USD. That’s a lot of money, but Ecocapsule’s Innovation Director and Co-Founder, Tomas Zacek, feels it’s justified.
“We understand that many people find [the Ecocapsule’s] price to be exorbitant, but it’s all about the most cutting-edge smart and sustainable technologies.” When you use Ecocapsule properly, you leave no carbon impact, which is a breakthrough.” The Ecocapsule, which is powered by batteries, wind, or solar energy, was designed to be environmentally friendly. Its egg-shaped form helps it retain more heat and collect more precipitation.
The latter is critical, particularly for off-grid clients, since the unit’s water system has its own filtering system, allowing users to replace it with rainfall or water from streams and lakes. Its 9.7-kilowatt generator can keep the house powered for at least four days on its own, but its 880-watt solar panels and 13.5-foot wind turbine with a 750-watt power output may be able to extend that. Connection alternatives were also given for people who would not utilize them for off-grid living.
The Ecocapsule is constructed from foam insulation, steel, and fiberglass. It’s a little house, with just 88.3 square feet of internal area and 67.8 square feet of usable floor space. The unit is about 14.6 feet long, 7.4 feet broad, and 8.4 feet tall without the wind turbine. The solar-powered Ecocapsule can accommodate up to two people despite its small size. The house also features two roof hooks that enable it to be lifted by crane or helicopter. When you go in, the bathroom and kitchen are on your left, and the dining table and bedroom are on your right.
There is a sink with running water, a burner, and an optional mini-refrigerator in the kitchen. There is a sink, a composting toilet, and a shower in the bathroom. The bed may be unfurled to provide a 6.6-foot by 5.2-foot sleeping area for two people. You may also store your belongings in the over-bed cabinets. The electrical device powers the inside LED light strips as well as two power outlets.
Because the Ecocapsule operates on off-grid electricity, appliances such as a washing machine and microwave are not included. Manufacturers advocate purchasing a manual, crank-powered washing machine that does not need electricity for those who absolutely need one. If you don’t like the default inside of the Ecocapsule, you may modify a lot of items, including the material used for the kitchen cabinets.
Builders may add an air conditioning unit if the windows’ ventilation and passive heat recovery are insufficient. To understand more about the remarkable Ecocapsule, watch the video below.