(Cross-posted from Florida Workforce Housing Network)
MIAMI, Fla. --- Students and faculty at Florida International University in Miami are building a 3,200-square foot student-designed Future House USA that combines the organic architecture style of Frank Lloyd Wright, feng-shui, the Chinese art of environmental harmony, and the most energy-efficient design on the planet.
Scott Travis at the South Florida Sun-Sentinel posted the story in today's edition:
The structure's energy-efficient trademarks include solar panels, geothermal heat pumps, permeable paving, nontoxic building materials and a water-recycling system. The goal is to achieve what's known as "zero net energy," meaning the home would produce as much energy as it uses.
Is this the future of affordable housing in Florida? Anyone want to guess why it's being built in China?
China's Ministry of Construction commissioned the Future House project as a way to guide future construction, expected to exceed 100 million homes in the next decade. Developers envision designing a smaller version of the U.S. house, about 1,600 square feet, to sell to the public.