The best projects of houses. What is an autonomous house in the cold climate of Russia? The best home for a large family

As well as arranging a heating and sewerage system in it if it is located far from centralized communications, this is a rather difficult task. However, modern technologies and equipment make it possible to solve it quite effectively.

Autonomous house project

Before proceeding with the construction of a residential building, it is necessary to draw up its drawings indicating the methods for supplying all necessary communications. A comfortable autonomous house will be only if it has:

  • electricity,
  • heating,
  • water pipes,
  • sewerage.

We will talk further about how exactly all these types of communications can be summed up if the house is located far from centralized engineering systems.

Power supply

The most difficult thing is to make an autonomous house comfortable for living if it is located far from power lines. There are three ways to ensure a stable power supply to a building:

  • By installing a generator that runs on liquid fuel. Such equipment solves the problem of providing buildings with electricity very effectively. By connecting a pump and a boiler to the generator, it is possible to equip the house, including plumbing with heating. The disadvantages of this method of power supply of a private house can only be attributed to a rather high cost. Liquid fuel today is expensive, and you will need a lot of it. In addition, a separate room with good sound insulation will have to be built under the generator.
  • Installing a wind farm. This method is highly economical. You won't have to pay a penny to get electricity. However, the costs at the initial stage will be very high. After all, it is not enough just to install a windmill. You will also need equipment for energy storage and conversion to AC.
  • Assembling a mini-hydroelectric power station. This method is good if a river or a large stream flows near the house.
  • By installing solar panels. In this case, you will not have to pay for electricity either. However, such equipment will be very expensive.

Most often, homes in remote areas are electrified using generators. In the event that there are other buildings nearby, it makes sense for neighbors to chip in and install a wind generator that provides electricity to all houses at once. Mini-hydroelectric power stations are practically not used in our country either.

How to choose a generator for your home

Autonomous power supply of a building erected in a remote area is usually arranged taking into account the following recommendations:

  • If the building is located near power lines, but the power supply is irregular, it is advisable to use a gasoline generator. Such models are usually not too expensive, but their resource is somewhat limited.
  • Completely autonomous power supply is usually arranged using a diesel generator. This is a very productive equipment, designed for long-term operation.
  • The power of the generator is determined by adding the power of all consumers plus a margin of 15-20%. In small country houses, gasoline models with a power of up to 2 kW are usually used to provide emergency power supply. For a residential building, diesel generators with a capacity of 30 kW or more are more often chosen. This equipment is able to provide a country house with electricity uninterruptedly.

Features of gasoline and diesel generators

Gasoline autonomous power plants for the home can be designed for 500 or 1500 hours of operation. According to this indicator, they are significantly inferior to diesel models. There is also professional equipment of this type on the market, designed for 3000 hours. But these generators are quite expensive.

Diesel models are reliable and have a long service life. The only inconvenience that arises when using them is the need to run at full load every 100 hours. The fact is that this type of equipment does not tolerate idling very well.

wind turbines

The design of autonomous stations of this type usually includes the following elements:

How to choose

The efficiency of a wind turbine depends on two main factors: wind speed and blade area. For example, from 1 m 2 of the receiving device at a speed of movement of air masses of 3 m / s, you can get about 6.5 W of energy, at 21 m / s - 2.2 kW. For a small country house, installations with a capacity of no more than 0.1-2 kW are usually chosen. For a residential building, you will need equipment of at least 20 kW when using an electric boiler. An autonomous house, the project of which provides for gas heating, solid fuel or liquid fuel, is usually electrified from a 5 kW wind generator. Such equipment will be quite enough for the uninterrupted operation of basic household appliances - a refrigerator, TV, computer, washing machine, etc.

Autonomous gasification

In order to make living outside the city comfortable, of course, it is necessary not only to provide an autonomous house with electricity. The building must also be gasified. If for a stove it is enough to buy a cylinder and fill it every 3 months, then to equip the heating system, you will have to purchase much more sophisticated equipment.

Large tanks are called, with the use of which autonomous gas heating of the house is equipped, gas holders. They are usually filled with a mixture of propane and butane and are designed for pressures up to 1.6 MPa. The sizes of such containers can be different - from 2700 to 20,000 m 3. For a private house with an area of ​​​​200 m 3, the use of a minimum volume gas tank will be quite sufficient.

Connection design

This equipment cannot be installed independently. You need to contact a private or regional gas company. In the first case, the cost of work will be slightly higher. The fact is that autonomous gasification of a house is possible only after obtaining various kinds of permits. Private firms usually take care of the collection of all necessary documentation. When contacting a regional company, you will have to go through the authorities on your own.

A hole of appropriate size is dug under the gas tank. The tank is installed on a metal base. A trench is dug to the house from it and a highway is laid. Before the start-up of the equipment, testing activities are carried out in the presence of representatives of Rostekhnadzor.

Heating

An autonomous country house can be heated in different ways. Usually, the installation of a heating system for a residential building in the absence of centralized engineering systems includes the following steps:

  • Boiler installation. At the moment, both electric and gas, as well as solid fuel and liquid fuel varieties of this equipment are produced. The first option is chosen if there is a wind generator of sufficient power. A gas boiler is connected to the tank with propane and butane, respectively. In all other cases, solid fuel or the first variety is more economical. Equipment that runs on liquid fuel is more convenient to operate.
  • Highway installation. Currently, autonomous heating of a house is usually arranged using polypropylene, steel or metal-plastic pipes.
  • Installation and connection of batteries. The most popular variety at the moment are bimetallic radiators. Somewhat cheaper and less durable aluminum models are also sometimes used.
  • Installing an expansion tank. Depending on the design, it is located either next to the boiler or in the attic of the building.
  • Installation of the circulation pump. It is placed on the bypass on the return pipe in the immediate vicinity of the boiler. A filter is placed in front of the pump to clean the coolant.
  • Setting up a security group.
  • Pressurization and start.

Today, an autonomous house, located far from centralized engineering systems, is most often heated using liquid fuel boilers. However, since this type of equipment is quite expensive, gas installations powered by tanks, as well as electric models operating from large windmills, have recently gained increasing popularity.

Water pipes

At the moment, only two types of heating boilers are produced - single-circuit and double-circuit. For a house located in a remote area, the second option would be the most suitable. When using a double-circuit boiler in the house, you can arrange not only heating, but also a full-fledged plumbing.

Usually they trust a company specializing in this. The cost of their services depends on the depth of groundwater in the area. To save money, it is worth pre-ordering geodetic surveys on the territory. A water pipe is brought to the house through a trench with a depth not higher than the level of soil freezing. Internal wiring is carried out according to the project with the connection of the hot water line to the boiler.

Autonomous sewage disposal system

If power lines and even gas pipelines are available in almost any village, then most residents of remote settlements do not even dream of sewerage. Almost all owners of suburban real estate face the need to install a system such as an autonomous sewage system in a private house. It is assembled like this:

  • Mounted central riser. In a one-story house, its installation is not required, but desirable.
  • At a distance of at least 5 and no more than 15 meters from the house, a hole is dug and a septic tank is installed.
  • From it to the building, a highway is dug below the level of soil freezing. The trench must have a slope of at least 3 cm per linear meter.
  • Most often, autonomous sewage in a private house is assembled using polyethylene, polypropylene or metal-plastic pipes. Before laying them, the bottom of the trench is laid with rubble. The pipes are covered first with sand and then with earth. The knees of the sewer system are allowed to be arranged only at an obtuse angle.
  • Wiring inside the house is carried out in compliance with SNIP standards. Do not place the toilet above the kitchen or living quarters. The distance between plumbing fixtures should not be less than 25 cm. The toilet bowl is located in close proximity to the riser. The further it is installed, the greater the likelihood of blockages. Washing machines and dishwashers are connected to the lounger via flexible pipes. Siphons must be installed under the bathtub and sink.

Ready autonomous house: price

Today, if you wish, you can not only order a project of a building equipped with all necessary communications. Some construction companies also sell ready-made autonomous country houses. Most often these are prefabricated cobbled or modular frame-panel structures. These houses are quite expensive. Depending on the types of equipment used and the size of the building itself, the price can vary between 1-3 million rubles and more.


The idea of ​​giving up electricity, plumbing and heating can scare anyone. But, having looked at how an autonomous house works, how wonderful a quiet life without stress is, far from the bustle of the city, one can change the opinion. These amazing alternative dwellings will undoubtedly serve as a powerful argument for creating a personal green oasis in the name of your own mental and physical health.


Sod roofs are still common in the Scandinavian countryside. They help strengthen the home and provide wonderful insulation. If you take care of them properly, then such roofs will last for many years. Some owners grow flowers and even trees on them. This Norwegian self-contained lake house boasts lovely grass growing on the roof.


Village house with minimal energy consumption Soleta zeroEnergy is made from 97% recycled waste. It is completely eco-friendly, but if you are not able to give up the so-called signs of civilization, then it can offer household goods. Geothermal heating, wind and solar energy, a water collector, LED lighting are just some of the possibilities at home.


Known throughout Australia. The six-pointed house protrudes above the coast line, and can only be reached by a footbridge. Some parts of the house, capable of withstanding any natural disasters, were left open. But the owners do not need to worry about a flood or a cyclone at all. This self-contained home was purpose-built as a hideout. A roof with solar panels and a rainwater harvesting system are some of its main eco-friendly features.


The area of ​​the house Arc, created by the architect Joseph Bellomo (Joseph Bellomo), 45 km2. It is ideal for those who want to change their lives. It is made in retro style - large windows and eco-friendly furniture. In addition, he will be able to withstand the strongest tropical storms, and if necessary, he can be transported to another place.


Built with minimal disruption to the surrounding trees, the Canadian Muskoka Lake House is characterized by a slight sway and shine, the slit design allows you to fully experience your escape into the forest thickets. Life in a sort of hut on chicken legs.


If you have ever dreamed of solitude, but still would not like to suffer from hurricanes and floods, then you should move to ZeroHouse. The house of almost 200 m2 is able to withstand winds up to 90 km / h, and the helical anchor system guarantees safety even when the water rises up to 3 meters. No wonder in New Orleans they thought about houses that could withstand high water, for example. Solar panels store so much energy that you can live a week without sunlight. Can't wait for the apocalypse!


The Fab Lab House makes full use of the resources of the environment - sun, water and wind - to create a special microclimate and provide basic living conditions. Such a solar-powered wooden house can be built anywhere.


Modern minimalist design and incredible environmental friendliness (wind turbine, geothermal heat pump, heating system with photovoltaic underfloor heating).


This beautiful self-contained home located in Colorado is built from conventional containers. Nevertheless, he organically fit into the landscape. Containers adjacent to the main room housed bedrooms, a kitchen and an office. The house is partly powered by solar energy.


This small wooden house, located in Sullivan County (New York), is elegant and also eco-friendly. For its construction, boards from a hundred-year-old wooden barn, stone and other natural materials were used. It has no water or electricity. Household members bathe in the nearest pond and go to the outhouse. But the beauty of the surrounding nature is breathtaking.

The cherished dream of many families begins with one very best project. And last year was no exception. Someone made a big decision about at the beginning of the year and already arrives at the construction site with thoughts of a quick settlement, and someone has decided on the project closer to the New Year and is in an exciting wait for their turn for production and installation. Our architects prepared more than a dozen projects in 2015, among them were and individual, and each next was not like the previous one. But according to the emerging tradition, there were favorites among our projects, which more often than others attracted the attention of future new settlers.

We present the top three most popular projects in 2015 and one project that won the Grand Prix.

Golden medal

Functional approach to beauty

The concentration of beauty and functionality per square meter in this project has reached its maximum. This wooden house is made of round logs 240 mm. has a relatively small size (145 sq. m - total area, 58.2 sq. m - living area), but the thoughtfulness of its layout guarantees comfortable living for each member of your family. It has several zones, each of which meets all the most necessary needs of a modern family.

On the ground floor in the house from the OCB according to the S-136 project there is a zone for daytime rest and eating. The absence of extra walls helps to create a feeling of lightness and spaciousness, which is especially important for small living spaces. Here you can not only relax after a hard day, gather at the dinner table with the whole family, celebrate an important event with close friends, but also, if necessary, work productively in a secluded corner with a laptop.

In a country house, the functionality of not only the interior is important, it is also necessary to use the outdoor area. The project of a wooden house made of logs S-136 provides for a spacious terrace overlooking the backyard. It will be nice to spend time here in the summer with a glass of homemade lemonade and an interesting book, or even arrange board game fights.

The attic floor of the wooden house S-136 is completely reserved for the evening relaxation area. There are three bedrooms and a bathroom with a combined bathroom. From the rooms, the windows of which look at the backyard, there is an exit to a wide balcony. Its functionality and popularity among households will be difficult to overestimate, especially in the summer.

silver medal

Space and aesthetic pleasure

The popularity of this project from year to year sets new records, and the number of restylings of this house has become the pride of our team.

The project of a wooden house made of glued laminated timber S-101 fascinates with its spaciousness and aesthetics. It is very minimalistic and thanks to the presence of large windows around the entire perimeter of the house, a feeling of extraordinary lightness is created. The organization of the interior spaces also supports the effect of an abundance of air and spaciousness.

Upon entering the house, you are greeted by a large living room with a comfortable seating area, which is adjacent to the kitchen-dining room. The abundance of natural light in this room creates a special atmosphere of coziness and comfort. There is enough space for an evening rest with the family for a pleasant conversation and watching your favorite movie, as well as meeting a large group of friends.

Some distance from the spacious living and dining area are three secluded bedrooms. They are hidden from prying eyes, and the sounds from the living room will not disturb your family, who are already getting ready for bed. The bathroom is conveniently located next to the bedrooms.

In addition, the S-101 project provides for a wide terrace encircling half of the house. The entrance to it is located on two sides: from the side of the main entrance and the living room.

Bronze medal

All inclusive

The wooden house project S-114 rightfully became one of the most popular in 2015, according to our future newcomers. At first glance, it is even difficult to imagine how it is possible to place all the necessary functional areas on 143 square meters so successfully. In this project, every detail is thought out and the best solution for organizing a room for a comfortable country life, relaxing holidays and productive work of a small family is proposed.

The wooden house designed by the S-114 project wins the hearts of active families, where a thoughtful approach to the organization of the surrounding space is appreciated. The interior spaces in this house fully meet the modern requirements of a dynamic pace of life. There is a spacious living room, a cozy kitchen combined with a dining room; a secluded bedroom and a full study.

In addition, the project has separately thought out a system for convenient storage of things in the dressing room, a spacious bathroom with a separate toilet and a separate laundry room.

A comfortable life outside the city provides for a private car or even several for a family, therefore, in the project of a wooden house made of profiled timber S-114, a garage space with additional parking spaces in front of the garage entrance was also implemented.

The Grand Prix

The best home for a large family

Families with two or three children are more likely to get tired of the cramped conditions of city apartments. Therefore, their dream of their own wooden house, as a rule, takes on the features of a spacious one-story or two-story house of their own. And the most popular project in 2015, which harmoniously combines all the necessary premises for a comfortable life of a large family, was the S-121 project. This is a unique project in which every square centimeter of the area is used to the maximum. The skill and professionalism of the architect made it possible to organize a 140 sq. m with a total area of ​​100 sq. m of living space!

It takes into account the characteristics of each member of your family, young and old, and each of them will have their own favorite room in this house. For family breakfasts and dinners, there is a kitchen combined with a dining room, where a large dining table can easily be placed. Here the kitchen-dining room acts as a separate room and is not combined with the living room.

You can relax after work or have fun with friends in the spacious living room. And if you need to work in silence, in one of the three rooms provided for by the S-121 project, you can organize a full-fledged study.

In the summer, a spacious terrace with access to the patio will be especially popular with your household. Here you can organize a summer dining room or place a few sun loungers for sunbathing. And your children will surely like the idea of ​​organizing family table tennis tournaments on the terrace.

Always happy to answer your questions

Many people sometimes think about building an autonomous house. I want to live away from other people, in nature, to listen to the birds singing and the buzzing of insects, and not the noise of city streets. For people living in remote rural areas where communications are not yet laid down, a self-contained home may simply be a necessity. But it’s really expensive and not easy to build such a house, especially in the cold climate of Russia. However, it is still possible to make an autonomous house with a competent approach, using currently available technologies and taking into account Russian realities. So, what is a self-contained house?

autonomous house- this is a house that does not depend on infrastructure, external electrical and gas networks, water supply and sewerage systems, etc. The undoubted advantages of an autonomous house are a reduction in maintenance costs and a decrease in the degree of environmental impact, which corresponds to.

Minimum power consumption

First of all, in order to build an autonomous house, it is necessary to minimize energy consumption.

Electricity consumption can be reduced by:

  • use of devices with energy efficiency class A+, A++;
  • (although you need to know what LED lighting has);
  • use ;
  • heating systems with A+ pumps;
  • septic tank with ultra-low consumption of electricity and / or;
  • ventilation systems with heat recovery.

The concept of passive was proposed in Germany as early as 1988. In accordance with it, an indicator of the energy efficiency of a house is the loss of thermal energy in kilowatt-hours per square meter per year (kWh / m²). According to the standard, a house is considered passive if its heat loss is below 40 kWh/m² per year, in European countries this figure is limited to 15 kWh/m² per year. On average, the heat loss of an ordinary brick house is 250-350 kWh/m² per year. A passive house must be very well insulated. Effective thermal insulation of walls, floors, ceilings, attic, basement and foundation should be provided. The walls should not "breathe", forced ventilation should work to create a good atmosphere in the house. The ventilation system in the passive house should be provided with recuperation, however, in Russian conditions, this system often requires too much energy due to moisture condensation. Therefore, it is necessary to choose energy-efficient equipment for these purposes.

In accordance with the principles of the passive house, the windows should face south and are made very large. The requirement for large windows is not very suitable for Russian climatic conditions. In winter, more heat is lost through large windows in colder climates than is gained. When designing a house, a balance must be found between maximizing daylight and minimizing heat loss through the glass. I also already wrote about houses with large windows. You can, of course, use thermal shutters, but their operation requires additional energy costs.

Thus, it is not rational to use all the principles of a passive house when building an autonomous house in Russia.

In our conditions, it is reasonable to build a house

  • with superheated hermetic circuit;
  • a minimum of northern windows, which are better to use the usual size, but high quality,;
  • in the northern part of the house it is rational to locate technical rooms;
  • the ventilation system must provide for heat recovery.

Heating and hot water

Usually, energy in a house is needed for space heating and cooling, hot water supply, cooking and food cooling (stove and refrigerator), lighting, laundry and various other household purposes. In the case where all the energy in the house is obtained from electricity, in temperate or cold climates, more than 60% of the energy is used only for space heating and hot water.

Heating sources

There is not so little sun in Russia. It is quite possible to use water heat collectors as sources of heat to provide the house with hot water and heating, I wrote about them in. You can store heat in a seasonal heat storage tank of large volume.

You can use conventional wood stoves (since trees can be grown on your site, this will provide autonomy).

Heat pumps can be used, but they still require electricity to operate.

Heating type

Electric heating is irrational to use, as it leads to a large consumption of electricity. It is best to use a heat transfer fluid, water with alcohol, for example. It is safe, no toxic substances are released, as is the case with ethylene glycol. And water with alcohol freezes at a lower temperature than just water.

To heat with a low-temperature coolant (since heating the coolant to a high temperature in an autonomous house is an extra waste of resources), it is necessary to increase the heat exchange area, so it is best to use a warm floor in this case. There is an assumption that warm floors are harmful to the human immune system, that it is better to walk on a cold floor. I did not find any research on this topic, but warm floors, in fact, are not that hot, only 25-27 ° C. In summer, ordinary floors can warm up to this temperature.

Electricity supply

Again, the sun can be used as a source of electricity. However, in the central regions of Russia, additional sources of electricity are still needed, for example, a diesel generator or, if the power grid is still connected, the network. Solar energy will be able to provide the house with electricity by about 80%. The use of wind energy is also possible, but we do not have very strong winds, especially in winter, so it is difficult to get a large amount of energy from a wind generator.

In order to receive electricity in the evening and at night, when the sun has already set, it is necessary that the energy management system of the house has the ability to store daytime solar energy in batteries.

There are a lot of subtleties and nuances when building an autonomous house - more than when building an ordinary house. Since such a house turns out to be expensive, all materials and equipment must be durable and reliable in order to pay off with further operation.

I also recommend watching a very interesting and useful lecture on the topic of a real autonomous house in Russia by Igor Glushchenko.

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The profession of architect is dying, already now about 90% of all buildings in the world are being built without the participation of an architect. The modern consumer is becoming more thrifty and responsible in the use of resources, time and money. Nobody wants to build a house for 10 million, everyone wants to build a house 10 times cheaper and faster. And now it is possible more than ever.

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