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Charlotte, North Carolina, is a fast-growing city, committed to revitalizing its urban
center as a vibrant focal point of a thriving region. Inspired by this vision, the UNC Charlotte
solar-powered house, “UrbanEden,” is defined by a commitment to urbanism: high-density
dwelling, sustainability, vibrancy and diversity, and technological innovation - combined with
a respect for and intimacy with the natural world.
Envisioned as an urban-infill project for young professionals or empty-nesters, the
home’s design begins with an ancient urban building material, expertly modified to become
eco-friendly: pre-cast geopolymer cement concrete. Aesthetically versatile, but always appropriate
to a city setting, the concrete provides a sound barrier to the noise of the city. And
Urban Eden replaces the Portland cement binder in conventional concrete with a geopolymer
material that offers a 90% reduction in carbon footprint.
UrbanEden consists of four integrated interior modules. In response to Charlotte’s temperate
climate, the design increases living space with a series of connected indoor and outdoor
rooms.
Upon entering the house, visitors are welcomed into an open living, kitchen, and dining area
awash with natural light, with a direct view to the exterior garden through the south-facing
glass wall. Urban-living defines the design. Emphasis is on the wise and creative use of
space.
A table stored under the kitchen counter can be brought out to seat 8 for dinner. The television
pivots for outside viewing, and a Murphy bed descends from the west wall to accommodate
overnight guests.
The internal core of the house contains mechanical space, a water closet and a day-lit full-sized
bath. With its built-in storage space and transformable
bed, the master bedroom is a workspace by day and a comfortable sleeping space at night.
The spacious exterior rooms are truly an Eden – a place where nature provides a peaceful
setting AND the resources for healthy living. The vertical garden serves as a natural screen
that offers a plentiful harvest of vegetables and fruits. A wetland purifies greywater for
irrigation use. Generating energy from the sun, adjustable PV panels slide out from the
roof over the outside living space, providing shade from the sun or shelter from the rain.
All aspects of UrbanEden work together to produce optimum comfort while using minimal
resources. The insulated geopolymer walls contain an innovative radiant heating and
cooling system. A series of tubes embedded in the concrete are filled with circulating
water that flows warm in the winter, but in the summer, carries heat from the walls to
a roof-mounted heat exchange system, releasing heat into the evening sky.
As the city of Charlotte reinvests in its urban core, we at UNC Charlotte commit ourselves
to sustainable urban living, in a home that combines enthusiasm for city-sophistication
with an appreciation for the abundant provision of our natural world.