BY: JESSICA BEUKER
Cold winter months in Sweden, which sit at an average of minus two degrees Celsius (27 degrees Fahrenheit), come with a few issues. So, realizing that the cold weather cost them money to heat their home, and also made growing fresh vegetables nearly impossible, Charles Sacilotto and Marie Grammar built a massive greenhouse, and sitting nicely inside of it – their entire house.
The couple’s “Naturhus” or “Nature House,” built on an archipelago in Stockholm, was the site of an old summerhouse. Now, it is a stunning green oasis made entirely of a four-millimetre pane of glass, and has a rooftop deck, where the couple and their son can relax among the plants.
According to EcoWatch, the greenhouse home is heated by the sun during the day, where bedrock below the home traps and stores heat to keep the house warm throughout the evening and night.
The family is working towards becoming self-sufficient. Fair Companies took a tour of the Naturhus and found that they collect rainwater for household needs and to water their plants. They also compost their garden and kitchen waste so that it can be put right back into their ecosystem. The sewage system even includes “a urine-separating toilet and uses centrifuges, cisterns, grow beds and garden ponds to filter the water and compost the remains.”
Inside the greenhouse the couple grows tomatoes, figs, cucumbers, herbs and grapes among other things. The entire greenhouse cost a hefty $84,000 to install, but the result is a gorgeous year-round green haven that will keep giving back for a very long time.
Image ources: ecowatch.com
