Hjertefølgers is a Norwegian family that counts no less than six members. They have wholeheartedly embraced the environmentally friendly lifestyle by building a sustainable house made of adobe, wood and other sustainable materials. They have also adopted a vegan diet that’s based on the permacultures that grow around the house.
However, the conditions beyond the Arctic Circle are really harsh, dominated by long, cold winters and short summers. Their “Nature House” is covered by a geodesic dome that’s over 7 meters high, giving it the appearance of a UFO.
The structure was created by the British company called SolarDOM and it consists of no less than 360 glass panels that are 6mm thick. The Arctic Nature House is designed to withstand low temperatures and strong winds, 11 of panels having the role of windows that can be opened to ventilate the interior space.
The metal part of this Nature House is made of recycled aluminum and is guaranteed to last over 100 years. In comparison to a typical rectangular building, the dome solution entailed a 30% savings in the use of materials. The glass, besides having its own resistance, it is sufficiently permeable to allow the sun light to feed the solar panels, but also to help the growth of plants in the garden (just like a greenhouse).
