Innovation That Matters

The NODE net-zero house | Photo source NODE

Carbon-negative homes put together like IKEA furniture

Architecture & Design

Startup NODE has designed environmentally friendly flat-pack housing that can be built in as quickly as two weeks

Summary: One company leading the way in building eco-friendly homes is the Seattle-based startup NODE, who are making beautifully designed, affordable, energy-efficient homes. NODE puts radical sustainability at the core of its values, having started the company around the idea of wanting to make homes that are carbon neutral or carbon negative. The houses have a flat-pack design that can be built quickly and inexpensively by four people — in as little as two weeks.

Building a brand new house can be an expensive and time-consuming process, which is where NODE’s flat-pack system makes a huge difference. They are designed to be constructed quickly, similar to IKEA’s model, and the materials are prefabricated for the home and packaged into compact boxes. The compactly packaged building materials can be easily shipped without needing any specific transportation vehicles, or special permits or licenses.

NODE offers mix-and-match modules such as solar panels, composting toilets, and water collection and storage. Furthermore, all the supplies used to make the energy-efficient homes come from non-toxic materials. For example, recycled denim is used for wall insulation and recycled glass for ceiling insulation. All these parts that make up the homes drastically decrease the carbon emissions and make more renewable energy than it consumes.

The costs of NODE’s homes vary, going up to €132,450 for 500 square feet, with more affordable options at €79,470 and 260 square feet.

Written By: Serafina Basciano

Explore more: Architecture & Design Innovations | Sustainability Innovations

Website: node.eco

Contact: node.eco/#Contact