BUILT around a tree trunk with a grass roof to collect water for household use, this woodland pad could be the home of the future, it is claimed.
The “eco-treehouse” from civil engineering lecturer Dr Anthony Leung regulates its own temperature and uses climbing plants on exterior walls to cut carbon emissions.
Leung, from Dundee University, says mature trees can support the weight of a family home and end the need to clear ground.
He said: “It is a moment of paradigm shift for civil engineers to develop more innovative and low-carbon emissions construction principles and methods that do not only protect our natural environment, but also work with it to create a more sustainable and resilient built environment.
“We can borrow the power of nature to create natural shelter for human beings in a modern, yet ecologically friendly way.”
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