Dedicated to sustainability, Plant Prefab has partnered up with Koto Design to create 2 new Net-Zero LivingHomes. The prefabricated modular homes inspired by Scandinavian architecture, embrace biophilic and sustainable living.
UK-based Koto Design, with US-based Company Plant Prefab, have created two new houses entitled Piha or courtyard and Yksi or first, in Finnish. “Using natural materials and creating spaces that heighten human senses and provide opportunities to fully immerse in nature”, the design generates simple structures that maximize light and space. Conceived with nature in mind, an important Scandinavian value, both houses connect the inhabitants with the outdoors.
Piha is characterized by two courtyards while Yksi takes on a sculptural cantilever. With minimum carbon footprint, both designs offer plenty of deck space for outdoor living, and large openings to maximize cross ventilation, reducing the need for air conditioning. “Following Plant Prefab’s rigorous sustainability standards, Koto LivingHome 1 and 2 will be built with ultra-efficient heating and cooling systems, smart energy monitoring, LED lighting, recycled insulation and drywall, and low-flow water fixtures”. Moreover, both Koto and Plant will determine with the homeowner the optimal site for his modular prefabricated house, taking into consideration environmental factors such as sunlight.
Aiming for a faster and more cost-effective custom, high quality, healthy home, while creating sustainable living, LivingHome 1 and 2 are made using Plant Prefab’s patented, hybrid system for building prefabricated homes. In fact, through the introduction of modular units and panels, the complexity and cost of transportation and installation are reduced, while design flexibility is increased. Moreover, to decrease the amount of embodied carbon expelled during construction, synthetic materials such as cement siding have been replaced with timber-based products.
