The Japanese Dome House: A Zero Waste Living Solution?

When we talk about zero waste, we talk about a lot of different areas. We talk about energy, we talk about food, and we talk about our clothing, but we don’t always think about one of the biggest uses of our resources; our homes.

People need homes, there’s no denying that, but the sheer amount of time and effort that goes into making traditional homes is staggering. Everything from how many resources it takes to cut the wood, forge the screws, and power the tools, to the sheer amount of waste many homes generate, is staggering. Of course, there are homeowners who have steered clear of tradition as a way to live cleaner, greener lives. Those who live in tiny houses, for example, have decided to minimize their footprint. Shipping container houses are built primarily from recycled steel containers, thus saving time and money in addition to being ecologically friendly.

Japan has introduced a new option for those looking to live in a green home. It’s called the dome house.

The dome house has a lot of advantages over both traditional housing, and standard prefabricated structures. According to the Japan Dome House website, these unique structures are made from expanded polystyrene. Unlike normal Styrofoam, though, this material is rated as construction strength. A team of three or four builders can assemble the pieces in no more than a few hours. The rest of the preparations can be completed in a matter of days.

Because of the unique material, which does not burn like regular Styrofoam does, homes are insulated. The shape of the dome makes them resistant to winds, and their low weight makes them resistant to earthquakes. There is no waste produced by making these homes, and the primary material used in their construction is carbon and hydrogen. They can also be expanded by building multiple domes and connecting them via short hallways, making them ideal for living spaces, stores, or even restaurants.

They’re growing in popularity in Japan. Whether they’re going to see success outside the island remains to be seen; it will be interesting if that happens to be the case.