A Couple Builds a Greenhouse Around Their Home

In People by Anja, February 2, 2016

During the winter months, people find various ways to stay warm.

A couple did something most of us would never think of. Why wear several layers of clothes when you can build a greenhouse around your entire home and keep it warm.

This happened near Stockholm, Sweden, where they renovated an existing summer home and added a greenhouse structure outfitted with 4-millimetre single-pane glass around it. The concept of having a greenhouse around a house was first proposed by Swedish architect Bengt Warne back in the 1970s, and it’s called the Naturhus (“Naturehousing”).

“Video screen capture/Fair Companies”

The owners of the home, Marie Granmar and Charles Sacilotto were inspired by Warne’s work to build their own version of the Naturhus some years ago. They found a property with an existing summer home, and installed a conventional greenhouse around it, costing around USD $84,000.

The greenhouse lengthens the gardening season

Warne’s original intention for the Naturhus was to create a home that is in a way a “sun collector”, where the cyclic flows of nature are utilized for producing energy, cleaning water, air and generating things like compost, in the Scandinavian climate. The Granmar-Sacilotto home follows the same principles: they built their own centrifugal wastewater treatment system that separates the urine from the solids, which is then purified by plants and sent to their garden. The greenhouse also allows them to lengthen their gardening season, growing Mediterranean plants like figs, while also helping them to cut down on heating.

“Video screen capture/Fair Companies”

What is especially great about this concept is the use of the home’s exterior spaces since they can now be used year-round, whether it’s the deck or the rooftop, which the couple converted to an extra “outdoor” space.

“Video screen capture/Fair Companies”

If you live in the colder climates this might be the perfect solution to cut down heating bills and extend your growing season. Besides the heating benefits, it also protects the house from weathering due to elements.

Check out the video below to learn more about this amazing eco-home!