PassivDom, a startup company in Nevada, is creating 3D printed solar homes that can operate completely off the grid.
Fast Company reports that the homes will use solar for power, including heating and cooling. They will be constructed from a polymer composite that improves energy efficiency .
The shower was the next problem to solve, since heating water for showering uses a lot of energy. The home uses a shower from Sweden-based Orbital Systems with technology that recycles water in a closed loop. As someone showers, the water flowing into the drain is monitored with sensors. If the water is deemed worth purifying, it flows through filters that can remove impurities as small as bacteria, and further cleaned with an ultraviolet light before it’s recirculated. The water is continuously heated.