I have just got back from the Home Building and Renovation Show at the NEC. It's absolutely manic so if you are planning on going get there early and it you want to check out the Eco Pod, it's outside the front of the main entrance.
Eco pod showcases at the NEC
The Eco Pod house is tiny; 4 metres in diameter and 6.5 metres tall but has a living area, kitchen and bedroom. The pod is fitted with solar panels on the roof to heat the water. It has a wind turbine to generate power and a wood burning stove in case there's no wind. There is a water harvesting and recycling system and odourless dry toilet. The pod sits on a deep concrete base which incorporates the under floor heating system. Its not cheap though - this pod costs around £45,000.
Photo: dome-shaped pod that could be the eco-home of the future
The Eco-Pod is the invention of Aidan Quinn, who has even been living in it entirely self-sufficiently for the last four weeks.
He has spent 18 months working on the Pod, from the initial concept to making each section and fitting them individually. The Pod is manufactured in sections with polyurethane blown into moulds he has designed and manufactured which are then bolted together and sprayed with lightweight concrete 60mm thick giving the structure both strength and insulation. It is then covered in tiles made from recycled car tyres that look like slate, with solar panels installed in the upper section.
The internal fittings, including the shower tray, sink, kitchen cupboards and stairs have been designed and made by Aidan and his team. The ground floor is concrete, cast and polished to look like slate tiles. The inside walls are plastered and porthole windows on both levels combined with the glass floor and the Perspex dome on top make it light and bright inside.
They are currently looking for a big investor to come along so they can manufacture the Eco-Pod much more quickly and efficiently, so lets see if the Eco Pod is the future!
There is loads more information on Aidan Quinns website www.eco-hab.co.uk and there is also a webcast on the BBC website where you can see a tour of the Eco Pod.