A home on the market in Florida promises to be “disaster-proof” thanks to its unique design and engineering.
The house is actually a geodesic dome, a circular structure made of interlocking straight lines instead of curved lines, made to withstand hurricanes and remain rust, rot, mold, and pests, according to the listing covered by Orlando Weekly. It also features a steel mesh-reinforced non-combustible concrete exterior.
Inside has 24-foot ceilings, concrete flooring, and skylights throughout. There are three bedrooms and two baths, with the primary bedroom boasting a walk-in closet. The structure sits on just under an acre of land and is only 2,484 square feet.
The home hit the market last year at $620,000, and the price has now dropped to $553,000.
While this particular geodesic dome is on the larger side, the overall design is praised for its energy efficiency and lower construction costs. As Nature.com explained, the larger internal area doesn’t have internal supports, saving on materials, and the high ceilings help keep the space cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter.
The dome’s design is also uniquely suited to withstand extreme weather events. Domes can withstand hurricane winds due to their shape, which channels wind around them, meaning it can’t exert force on a flat surface, and the interlocking triangles carry more of a load than other shapes, according to the New York Times.
More and more people are creating their own dome homes, like a person who built one in their backyard, or another who decided to completely go off-grid with theirs.
Combining energy-efficient and sturdy design is a great concept, but if it’s too big a leap to move or build a whole new structure, you can make your home more energy-efficient and less reliant on the power grid in other ways.
Installing solar panels is a great hack for this and can bring down your energy costs to at or near $0, plus it makes you less reliant on the power grid during storms and other weather problems. EnergySage provides a free service that makes it easy to compare quotes from vetted installers near you, which can save you up to $10,000 on installation.
The upfront costs of buying solar panels can be an investment and not in everyone’s budget, but there’s always the option to lease solar panels, which can help avoid fluctuating energy prices while still helping the planet. Palmetto’s LightReach solar panel leasing program will install panels for no money down and lets users lock in low energy rates.
Another way to make your home more efficient is to upgrade your HVAC system to a heat pump, which can save nearly $400 a year on energy costs. Mitsubishi can help find the right affordable option for a heat pump, making the upgrade an easier transition.
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