What our homes will look like in 2107

Self-cooling, self-heating houses on stilts with no need for diy? Designers are already working on the homes of the future!

by Nikki Sheehan

The house builders of the last century had it pretty easy. Essentially, all they had to do was provide pleasant accommodation on budget that wouldn't fall down.
But, according to research commissioned by insurers Zurich, and carried out by architectural practice, Arup Associates, the builders of the future will be struggling with issues such as population growth, global warming, and fuel and water crises.
"History shows that we can't predict the future with absolute certainty, but we can prepare for it," says Martin Horsler from Zurich.
And it certainly makes sense for insurers to encourage building that will leave them less vulnerable to big payouts for damage caused by changing climactic conditions.
So what, according to Zurich, can we expect to see down the average British street in 2107

Hot Summers, Stormy Winters
The latest projections suggest that by 2080 summers could be up to 7ºC warmer, and with temperatures regularly soaring to 35ºC and above, simply opening the windows won't cool us down.
To combat this, it's likely that the semi of the future will be built with solar shades to block out 95 per cent of sunlight during the day, and extended overhangs to beat the heat.
Fuel-guzzling air conditioning as we know it will be out, but an eco-friendly alternative will be provided by pipes carrying cool, recycled water built into, and around, ceilings and beams.
While summer and autumn looks set to be hot and dry, winters may be wetter with more frequent, intense storms. But the inhabitants of 2107 will hardly notice.
According to the Zurich study, the house of the future may be kept warm by gas-filled triple-glazed windows and 'intelligent insulation' that automatically adjusts to external temperatures.

H2No: Water Issues
Despite the lashing rain, long periods of drought are also forecast, and homes may need to be largely independent from the mains.
The homes of tomorrow will be adapted to collect and store rainwater, and will be using sustainable drainage systems, and water recycling.
So you can kiss your power shower goodbye. If water becomes a luxury dust baths look more likely than bubble baths.
And we can forget our English country gardens. Obviously sprinklers and hosepipes will be locked in the shed for good, and sun-loving olive trees and cacti could replace the traditional roses and hydrangeas.
But roof gardens are likely to be very common. Living roofs covered in vegetation such as low growing succulents prevent buildings from absorbing too much heat in the summer, and absorb rainfall to lower the risk of flooding in the winter.
Any pitched roofs being built are likely to be inverted for efficient rainwater harvesting. And if, despite our efforts, some areas remain at risk from flooding, houses could be built on stilts.


Microgeneration: Power To The People
Self-sufficiency is the key to our future power needs. On a national level the UK could be growing its own energy thanks to greater use of bio-fuels from plants such as rapeseed.
But the householders of the next century will expect their homes to produce most of the energy their family needs from wind turbines, solar panels and geothermal energy systems.
These microgenerating houses may even fuel our cars. No more queuing up at the petrol station: the cars of the future could be battery powered, plugged in and charged at night by our homes.


Modular homes - Room For The Mother-in-law
Land shortages and an ageing population will intensify the demand for space-saving accommodation that can house several generations of one family. But we're not talking granny flats.
Homes of the future could be modular, or even mobile, with walls, rooms and even floors that could be added or taken away to respond to the changing needs of three generations.
Here's the good news - put away your tools: the modular hi-tech homes of tomorrow are likely to be too complicated for home maintenance.

Goodbye Commute
The trend has already begun, but in the future it looks likely that advances in technology could create a society of home workers.
But this doesn't have to mean social isolation. The experts believe that, as in the past, people spending more time at home will lead to enriched local communities.
Shops, services and even our relationship with our neighbours could play a far greater part in our daily lives.

Tomorrow's World Today
Although Zurich's vision may seem futuristic, many people are already investing in tomorrow's technology.
Architects are building houses on stilts in high-risk flood areas such as East Anglia, Liverpool and Cornwall.
Politicians, among many others, are leading the way in generating their own power by installing microgeneration devices into their own homes.
And rainwater-absorbing flat roofs are becoming increasingly common on eco-friendly new builds.
As for rushing to redesign our homes so that the mother-in-law can move in, that may still be some way off.

Ten Ways Our Homes Will Change
1 Modular homes: Walls, rooms and even floors could be added or taken away to accommodate three generations as we live longer and land becomes more expensive.
2 Houses on stilts: In areas particularly at risk of flooding, houses built on stilts could become a common sight.
3 Death of DIY: The more hi-tech the house becomes, with solar panels, wind-turbines and geothermal energy systems, the less able we will be at DIY.
4 Self-heating: Solar panels, gas-filled triple-glazed windows and intelligent insulation could all be standard fittings and fixtures.
5 Self-cooling: Pipes carrying cool, recycled water built into, and around, ceilings and beams; solar shades and houses built with extended overhangs top beat the heat.
6 Energy self-sufficient: Renewable energy generated by family wind turbines and solar panels.
7 Water independent: Homes tailor-made to re-use and recycle water. In the house of the future, water used and waste produced could be re-used and recycled.
8 The end of the commute: Technology could create a commute-free society as more people work from home.
9 Plug-in cars: As our homes become power sources in their own right, battery powered cars will become more common.
10 Flora and fauna: Regular droughts and water shortages will mean a shift to more Mediterranean plants.

Article by Nikki Sheehan FindaProperty.com is a leading UK property website advertising over 200,000 properties for sale and rent. The site also has regular news and features on every aspect of the property market as well as detailed
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