SA developers and architects are exploring fresh ways to build smarter, greener and more efficient homes AT MONAGHAN Farm near Lanseria on the northwestern outskirts of Johannesburg, an imaginative project has been completed at Stand 47. At first glance, it appears to be just another modern but fairly conventional home. But it's not. Bricks and mortar have made way for lightweight steel, prefabricated drywalls and timber. Rainwater harvesting, solar photovoltaic power and thermal insulation mean that the house can take care of much of its own electricity, energy and water requirements.It is a new trend that echoes recent developments elsewhere. In Amsterdam, Dutch architects have designed what they say will be the world's first 3D-printed house. The revolutionary technology uses a printer to produce building blocks consisting of a recyclable, bioplastic mixture. The blocks will be stacked like Lego bricks to form what looks like a traditional Dutch gabled canal house. And in the US...
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