A small development in the town of Neath, Wales, has a mix of single-family homes and apartment buildings that have solar roofs and solar collectors on walls so that homes can generate their own electricity.
Fast Company reports that homes in the pilot program are being thought of as “buildings as power stations.” The houses have a traditional appearance and are only 10 to 20 percent more expensive to build. The power-generating features can save home owners upwards of $800 a year in energy costs
Wrapping around the top of the homes, a perforated steel skin creates a pocket of heated air as the sun shines on it, which can be drawn into the homes for heat. Shared battery storage holds excess electricity until it’s needed in the homes or to charge electric cars.
The partners behind the project intend to roll out this program, with plans to build 1,200 more energy-positive homes around the area.
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