Off-grid Housing

                                                                            

Chuckanut Ridge House

Off-grid housing refers to homes that are designed to function without being connected to the National Grid (‘grid’) for electricity, mains water supply, sewage or natural gas. This creates a stand-alone, fully functional, independent eco-friendly living spaces that adopts alternative methods to provide renewable energy sources.

As the house is build off the grid and renewable sources are used instead of the main supply, there are many advantages that come with it. One of the main merits of off grid housing is the stand alone power systems used to generate electricity on-site by using a wide range of renewable energy sources, such as sunlight. Solar panels are used to capture the energy produced by the sun and transforms this into alternative energy which can be used for electrical goods or to produce hot water. Geothermal energy is another method that utilises the natural heat produced beneath the earth’s surface to create electricity and also heat and cool homes directly. The main benefit that comes from using these solutions is the reduced energy costs, as it works out substantially cheaper than using energy produced on the grid and can sometimes not cost anything to run these systems. Wind is another natural energy sources that is used on off-grid houses. Wind turbines are used to achieve this, as the wind rotates the turbine which in turn produces energy which can be used within the home. If you have a suitable site which is locates near to a river, stream or creek a micro-hydroelectric system can be installed to gather the monument from the flow of water and convert it into energy. The most predictable and cost effective way to make renewable energy as the flow is relatively constant unlike the wind and levels of sunlight which can vary day to day. Another quality of using the stand alone systems is the lowered risk of power cut outs and lower demand. If there is a storm and the national grid losses power, an off-grid house will still have supply of electricity.

Off-Grid housing also employs greater eco-friendly solutions to supplying water as they use natural resources such as streams and lake. A pump and infiltration system can be installed to collect water from these natural reservoirs and deliver fresh, clean water directly to your taps. Wells can also be used to collect rain and groundwater which can be collected and used once filtered. Rain water harvesting is the final way to collect natural water. Large containers are placed outside to catch as much rainwater as possible, which leads into a filtration system and into the taps, eventually to be returned to the water cycle unless consumed, this is a more sustainable method to producing water as it is recycles the water and is not damaging to the environment.

Another merit of off-grid housing is the ability to live wherever you want, as you are not restricted by to the limits of the grid, this allows you to live in remote areas. With managing alternative energy systems, living more simply and learning the best ways to conserve offers hand on education and if done properly can also help reduce your carbon footprint and reduce damage to the surrounding environment. Although there is a lot of credit associated with off-grid housing there is also very few cons with living off-grid. The first is the cost, although in the long run you will end up saving money, at the start the cost of the RE systems are very high and you also may need to buy a backup battery system (depending on your energy needs) for when you alternative energy resources are unavailable. Another disadvantage may be the space requirement of some of the systems and you may be limited to where you can place your home depending on the space for the systems to operate. The last disadvantage can be seen either way, is the conservation and maintaining of the systems as they sometimes require attention to make sure they are fully functional and reaching maximum potential.

The merits of off-grid housing outweigh the cons and it is a sustainable alternative to use alternative energy sources instead of the main supply and create a eco-friendly home that is self-sufficient.