MNN - Mother Nature Network

It wouldn’t be a proper Earth Day without a little green home eye candy, right?

 

Right. Get a load of the Hill End Ecohouse, a gorgeous green abode from Down Under that was recently completed and inhabited by some truly lucky Aussies. It's obvious that the home is extremely easy on the eyes (this seems to be a recurring theme in Australia whether dealing with people, places, or things) but the project itself is also an impressive feat of deconstruction: a whopping 80 percent of the raw materials from an existing home on the building site were salvaged and incorporated into the new structure. Any non-salvaged materials used in the building process were locally sourced.

As you can see in the photo on the left, the original home — built in the 1930s on a compact, hilly lot — had seen better days. Enter Brisbane-based Riddel Architecture who made it top priority to turn as much building refuse into treasure as possible without sacrificing style. 

 

Says Riddel director Robert Riddel of the project:

 

 

In addition to being built — Robert Peagram Builders oversaw construction — almost entirely from recycled materials, the Ecohouse boasts an array of features meant to make the home as self-sufficient as possible. Just a few of the bells and whistles include rooftop photovoltaic panels, energy-efficient appliances, an intensive rainwater collection and greywater treatment system, a high-tech energy monitoring system, and an overall layout meant to make the best of natural daylighting and air ventilation. My favorite part? The edible landscaping around the home with gravel made from crushed paving and chipped trees from the home’s previous garden. 

 

 

Via [Dezeen] via [Trendhunter]