The main goal: easy construction without the use of heavy equipment
A quick trip to IKEA can afford you multiple pieces of furniture you can load into your car and haul home to later be put together by simply following universal directions. With this idea of ease in mind, imagine being able to construct an entire house— now you can, thanks to Ecokit.
Ecokit, the product of sisters Camilla and Pavla, is a house in a box— more or less. The manufacturing process involves each of the more than 4,000 parts to be designed and cut by a single-arm robot or programmed CNC machine.
After manufacturing, the flat pieces are boxed and loaded into a shipping container that is then delivered to the desired site.
With the goal of constructing houses anywhere that a shipping container can be delivered, Ecokits are a solution aimed at remote building sites. They can also be an option for temporary housing since they can be deconstructed after the initial build and most parts can be reused or recycled.
“Ecokit will arrive in a container in the form of parts on pallets, from which you can construct a habitable unit with your own hands with a little effort in a short period of time. The final completion date depends on your aesthetic and energy demands. The assembly of our prototype two bedroom home lasted seven days,” recalls Camilla and her sister Pavla, who joined the business as the first house was built last year. “With all the accessories it can be fit out and habitable in about two months,” she adds.
In addition to ease of construction and remote site location, the Ecokit provides a versatile, pre-fabricated, modular design for a variety of uses. Plus, it is ultra-efficient. The house has nearly three times the amount of insulation as a standard Australian home and allows for the installation of solar panels and batteries for off-grid living. There are also systems for rainwater collection, waste treatment, with additional options for maintenance-free, bushfire-proof and cyclone-proof adaptations. Technology options even include smart phone controlled home automation packages including ventilation, lighting, security, audio and more.
But all this convenience doesn’t come at a sacrifice in comfort. High-quality timber windows, heated floors and upscale ventilation systems add to the livability of the home. Not to mention, finishes and treatments were chosen with little to no VOCs. Natural elements are used wherever possible for healthier air within the space.