Image via Snøhetta

The Norwegians have done it again. In their relentless quest to be the best at everything (free university education, happy people, progressive prisons, mandatory five weeks paid vacation…) the Northmen have built a single-family home that isn’t just sustainable, it produces excess renewable energy.

Architects from Snøhetta, in partnership with The Research Centre on Zero Emission Buildings (ZEB), used photovoltaic and solar-thermal panels to counteract harmful CO2 emissions produced by power stations. The roof of the “plus-house” tilts upwards towards the southeast, which is ideal for catching rays or rainwater that can later be recycled.

Image via Snøhetta

Quite literally tapping into one of Norway’s most valued natural resources, geothermal energy is collected from underground wells — enough to maintain the household and power the family’s electric car for a whole year.

The house is as stylish as it is efficient. A spacious outdoor atrium with a cozy fireplace is the perfect spot for entertaining guests during the warmer months. The materials used within the interiors were chosen for their aesthetic and thermal properties to assist with heating and cooling. The use of natural light was also important to the architects — the house contains several large, luminous windows that offer pristine views of the surrounding landscape. There’s also an outdoor swimming pool heated by solar thermal energy.

Image via Snøhetta

The ZEB pilot house was completed on September 17th and (for the meantime) will be used for demonstrative purposes only. The project’s intention was to encourage sustainability in the construction industry.

Want to learn more about sustainable design on BuzzBuzzHome? Check out this article about a geothermal system that heats and cools an eight-storey residential development in Toronto. Or this building’s smog-fighting facade, inspired by a petrified forest.