Project

Tomorrow House Is Passive Prefab (France)

French designers debuted Construisons Demain, or Tomorrow House, designed by architect Eric Wuilmot, at Batimat in Paris in 2007. The prefabricated system showcases low-energy living and passive house design. Its design features three basic prefab modules, resource and energy efficient systems, healthy finish materials, and inviting living spaces. Solar thermal collectors coupled with a condensing boiler provide heat for domestic hot water and radiant underfloor heating. Sixteen rooftop mounted photovoltaic panels capture solar to generate electricity. The home is highly insulated with wood fiber and wool cellulose, and double-glazed wood windows are argon-filled to improve the building’s thermal envelope.

The 2,150 sq. ft. house is covered with FSC-certified wood siding. A 680 sq. ft. interior courtyard provides natural daylighting with a sliding glass canopy that can be opened in summer. A sheltered outside patio allows natural ventilation and cooling for improved environmental quality. The courtyard is flanked by two wings of the house that are covered by vegetated roofs to retain and recover rainwater.

Interior finishes include no-VOC textile tiles made from recycled polyamide fiber and low-emission paints. Finish choices are also high in recycled content, recyclable, and reusable. The home is wired for intelligent management that allows remote adjustment of system functions and continual improvements to overall energy efficiency.

Relevant books on passive homes:

Passive Solar House: The Complete Guide

Passive Solar House Basics

The Solar House: Passive Heating and Cooling

Thermal Analysis and Design of Passive Solar Buildings

The Passive Solar Design and Construction Handbook

Documents

Tomorrow House (Construison Demain) Article in FRENCH (1,513 kb)

Tomorrow House CMB Report FRENCH (842 kb)