How do we meet rising demand for urban housing without it costing the earth? CasaE, Brazil’s first energy efficient house built by BASF and partners, shows some solutions.

By 2050, around 75% of the world’s population will live in cities. How do we meet rising demand for urban housing without it costing the earth? This is a challenge facing countries everywhere.

Built in the business district of São Paulo, the CasaE is Brazil’s first energy efficient house. BASF and partners have built CasaE to showcase to architects, builders and the general public in Brazil innovative products and technologies that can make significant energy savings possible.

Covering 400 square meters of building area, the combination of smart building materials means that CasaE consumes up to 70% less energy than a conventional house. But the first thing that strikes visitors to the house is its design. It is a modern, elegant building, filled with light that creates bright, functional living spaces. And although it is situated in a busy part of São Paulo, thanks to acoustic insulation, the sounds of the outside world are completely shut out once the front door is closed.

Insulation plays a big role in producing the energy savings, protecting the interior from heat and cold alike. BASF’s Neopor^® expanded polystyrene insulation was used in the construction system, along with the rigid polyurethane foam Elastopor^®. Inside the house, the walls contain Micronal^® PCM (Phase Change Materials), a material that absorbs and releases heat depending on the temperature – providing a form of air conditioning without electricity.

Other new materials have helped to cut the amount of water used in the cement by 40%, while lowering CO₂ emissions during construction. Special paint pigments prevent solar radiation absorption, helping to keep the building’s temperature low. Other specifically created paints protect the building from the ravages of the tropical climate, making it resistant to the effects of sun, rain and humidity and preventing the spread of algae and fungi.

The materials throughout the house have been chosen for their durability or reusability.

CasaE is open to all visitors wanting to learn about how sustainable homes can be developed affordably in Brazil and beyond.