Skip to main content

Sustainability the focus of Danish architecture firm’s villages

This summer, the world will see the first off-grid village capable of not only producing its own energy but manufacturing its own food erected in Almere, the Netherlands. Dubbed ReGen Villages, these innovative communities would help address a growing need for regenerative housing as populations across the globe continue to balloon. Designed in partnership with the Danish firm EFFEKT, ReGen Villages was founded by James Ehrlich as a global real estate development company geared towards building off-grid neighborhoods.

Once built, each village would be comprised of several buildings (i.e. houses, community spaces, etc.) that would all be connected to greenhouses. These greenhouses would allow the residents to recycle waste products or grow an abundance of fruits and vegetables. Additionally, the city would configure to accommodate solar panels — and other sustainable energy solutions — in order for it to be able to continuously produce its own energy and heat its water.

“We’re looking at some very interesting technologies for small-footprint biomass that can take surrounding farm waste and turn that into a consistent energy source in a way that can power these communities in northern Europe even in the dead of winter,” says Ehrlich to FastCoExist.

Living in a community such as ReGen Villages would require that families take responsibility for making sure the ecosystem continues to function properly. For instance, one family may operate the greenhouse while another maintains the solar panels or electric charging ports. EFFEKT sees this system as something that would not only help build society morale but also has the opportunity of lessening the overall load on smaller, perhaps stumbling local governments.

“We’re really looking at starting off as the Tesla of eco-villages,” added Ehrlich, author of the Stanford University research paper that led to the development of ReGen Villages. “That’s the idea. So we’re coming out as a little bit higher-end for Northern Europe.”

Should the first batch of villages prove successful, it’s likely other pilot programs will begin to take shape in countries like Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Germany, China, and the UAE while also potentially popping up on the continent of Africa.

Rick Stella
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Rick became enamored with technology the moment his parents got him an original NES for Christmas in 1991. And as they say…
The Yale Assure Lock 2 has only grown better with age
the yale assure lock 2 has only grown better with age plus

The Yale Assure Lock 2 has long held a spot on our roundup of the best smart locks. Offering a sleek design, robust companion app, and a multitude of customization options, it's a premium choice that's an easy recommendation for most shoppers. And while some smart locks begin to show their age over the years, the Yale Assure Lock 2 has only grown more enticing.

Part of this is due to its impressive durability — the one installed on my front door has seen more than a few Colorado storms yet remains in pristine condition — but the other reason is Yale's commitment to expanding the number of models in the Assure Lock 2 lineup. I recently had a chance to test out a second, newer version of the Assure Lock 2 that works with Apple Home Keys, and it cemented my belief that it's one of the best smart locks money can buy.

Read more
Hue gives users eight new free spring-focused themes
A TV with ambient backlighting from Philips Hue.

The latest Philip Hue app update, version 5.39, is now available from download from both the iOS and Android stores. This update introduces brand-new scenes, each of which has a distinctive springtime-theme. All of the themes are available now in the Hue scene gallery, and you should be able to find them after you update your app.

The eight scenes are Nature's colors, Precious, Narcissa, Baby's breath, Crocus, Blossom, Spring lake, and Spring blossom. Various shades of pink, yellow, and green dominate the scenes, but the most impressive of all is the Nature's colors option.

Read more
This Arlo security camera is 50% off today — down to $50
The Arlo Essential 2nd Gen security camera, installed outdoors.

Protect your entire home with the Arlo Essential 2nd Gen security camera -- you'll be able to afford multiples of this smart home device while Arlo's 50% discount is active. From the 2K model's original price of $100, you'll only have to pay $50, so covering every corner of your house will be easier on the wallet. You'll have to complete your purchases as soon as possible though, as we're not sure how much time is remaining for you to pocket the savings of $50 each for every unit of this security camera.

Why you should buy the Arlo Essential 2nd Gen security camera

Read more