It’s only slightly larger than a U.S. jail cell or an outdoor storage shed, but it’s energy-efficient and architecturally appealing—and it’s home to Dr. Mike Page of the University of Hertfordshire in England.
The entire dwelling covers a 10 foot x 10 foot x 10 foot plot of land and is designed to snugly suit one person or "two friendly people"—with minimal impact on the environment, according to Dr. Page.
It's referred to simply as The Cube, and it offers all the comforts of a modern home, including a lounge area with two custom-made chairs, a table, and a flat-screen TV; a kitchen (with energy-efficient fridge, induction hob, re-circulating cooker hood, sink/drainer, combination microwave oven, and storage cupboards); a closet; a full-size shower and a “composting” toilet; a washing machine, and a double-size bed. It has cork flooring and there is 6.5-foot head space throughout. The micro- home is constructed from a variety of sustainable materials.
Conceived, and designed by Dr. Page, an engineer and Reader in Cognitive Psychology at the University’s School of Psychology, the first prototype, QB1, was unveiled on April 9, 2011, in St Andrew’s Square, Edinburgh, as part of the Edinburgh Science Festival.
Dr. Page teaches psychology, but he says his hobbies include “singing, sailing and woodwork, though not all at the same time,” adding, “I'm also very interested in matters relating to the environment.”
With that in mind, the micro- home is constructed from a variety of sustainable materials. Lighting is achieved by ultra-efficient LED lights, and the Cube is heated using an Ecodan air-source heat pump, with heat being recovered from extracted air.
The Cube is designed to generate at least as much energy as it uses, averaged over the year—and to be completely self-sufficient in terms of electricity. It does this by using solar photovoltaic panels that are integral to the building itself. If registered with the U.K. Government’s Feed-In Tariff (FiT) – an incentive for producing energy from renewable sources— the Cube will raise around $1,600 annually in FiT income. The only connections it requires are a connection to the electrical grid, and a cold-water supply. No mains drainage is required, and waste is either composted or processed on site by a small reed-bed and soak-away.
It was an important design criterion that none of the techniques or technologies used in the Cube would be solely applicable to small buildings, explained Page. “When scaled up appropriately, everything we used could equally well be applied in homes and businesses of all shapes and sizes. The Cube illustrates what we believe to be the best of low-carbon living.” But remember, it’s not for claustrophobics, collectors , or hoarders—and there’s no room for clutter.
Is all this enough to make you want to trade your McMansion for a micro-mansion like the Cube? Unfortunately, it doesn't appear that the energy-saving getaway will be built to order, but you can obtain a full list of materials used and supply vendors on the project home page, if you feel like building one yourself.
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Cheryl Kaften is an accomplished communicator who has written for consumer and corporate audiences. She has worked extensively for MasterCard (News - Alert) Worldwide, Philip Morris USA (Altria), and KPMG, and has consulted for Estee Lauder and the Philadelphia Inquirer Newspapers. To read more of her articles, please visit her columnist page.Edited by
Jamie Epstein
