Home of the future will have own biosphere

The home of the future could feature thermo-reflective wallpaper, an indoor biosphere to grow fish and fresh produce, and waterless ultrasonic washing machines.

Published: 2:46AM BST 12 Oct 2009
Plastic recyclers will turn waste into designer dining plates and showers will use filtered rainwater, it is predicted.
Eco-conscious home designers will be driven by climate change and the rising price of energy to design a range of eco-friendly products.

The Future Laboratory, who wrote the Conscious Home report for John Lewis, say the changes will mark "one of the most seismic cultural shifts since mass electrification in the 1920s and 30s".
In 2030 people will be living in the same homes but the buildings will be radically changed by devices such as "frugal fridges" that will compact food waste and suggest new recipes.
Kitchens will also have a self-contained biosphere, created by Philips, which will produce fish and fresh produce all year round. Running on household waste, it will deliver fresh hydrogen, used to power a car, while the plants will produce oxygen for the fish.
Appliances will create a "linked energy chain", feeding off each other so that, for example, a dishwasher can use the power generated by the washing machine's spin cycle.
Houses will be decked out with feedback systems to tell occupants exactly how much energy they are using, according to the report which was produced for John Lewis buying teams to help them visualise customers' future needs.
Sean Allam, head of product sourcing, said: ''With the onset of an era of acute energy consciousness, we want to assist our buyers in anticipating the products of the future that can help our customers move towards sustainable living.
''Our buyers and customers take their responsibility for the environment increasingly seriously and we are constantly on the lookout for new, innovative products.''
Home energy use accounts for 23 per cent of a person's C02 emissions, according to The Energy Saving Trust.