Will the houses of the future look like this?
The people who live in these houses on the edge of London use about one-third of the energy that people who live in ordinary houses use. And they aren't adding greenhouse gases to the atmosphere.
This isn't down to some special invention. It's simply because the houses use every trick in the book to save energy.
Hot water and electricity for the houses is generated on site by burning tree clippings that would otherwise be thrown away, while solar panels provide electricity to power electric cars.
Insulation for the walls and windows keeps heat in, so even your cooking can keep you warm. And because these houses face south they get lots of the Sun's natural light and warmth. Energy-saving kitchen appliances and light bulbs also make a difference.
Would you like to live here? Or would you prefer an old house in the middle of the countryside?
A mixture of what the government wants, what sells well and what people 'really' want will affect house design in the future - and that's why it's going to be hard to predict what the house of the future will look like.
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Fascinating fact
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BedZed housing
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BedZed wind cowls
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Watch: Tree power
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