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Ecocapsule


The Ecocapsule is an egg-shaped, mobile dwelling designed to produce more electricity than it consumes and harvest more rainwater than its occupants use. It was developed by Nice Architects, a firm based in Bratislava, Slovakia. Shaped like an egg to minimize its surface-area-to-volume ratio, its walls are made of two layers of aluminum-reinforced polycarbonate with aerogel insulation sandwiched in between. Nice Architects describes the Ecocapsule as a "low-energy house packed into a compact form", although other potential applications include as a disaster-relief shelter, a scientific research station, and even as a "remote Airbnb".

Weighing 1.7 metric tons (1.7 long tons; 1.9 short tons) and measuring 4.5 meters (15 ft) in length by 2.4 meters (7.9 ft) in width by 2.5 meters (8.2 ft) in height, the 86-square-foot (8.0 m2) Ecocapsule is designed to accommodate two occupants. In addition to providing sleeping quarters for two with folding beds, it also includes a kitchenette, a shower, a table with two chairs, working windows, and even storage space. The Ecocapsule's interior, described by Devin Coldewey as "futuristic but warm", is bathed in natural light and predominantly white in color with blond wood accents.

The Ecocapsule is powered primarily by a built-in, 750-watt (1.01 hp) wind turbine and secondarily by a high-efficiency, 600-watt (0.80 hp) solar cell array. It is designed to produce more energy than it consumes, as long as the external temperature remains between −13 °F (−25 °C) and 104 °F (40 °C). The dwelling is also equipped with a 9,744-watt-hour (35,080 kJ) battery that can hold five days worth of electrical charge. If the battery is charged, the Ecocapsule diverts some of the energy captured by the solar cells to supplement its water heater. Other energy-conservation features of the dwelling are its high-efficiency climate control system and a heat exchanger that uses exhaust air to warm fresh incoming air.


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