Marbella introduces world’s first revolving solar houses

The Sunhouse360º can be programmed to turn as often, or as little, as you want.

In the broadest sense, the entire world is solar-powered. Everything on the planet draws its energy from the sun, and everything that has ever been – rocks, oceans, forests, the industrial revolution, the Beatles, Benedict Cumberbatch – owes its existence to the sun.

But solar power in today’s world usually means solar panels, and Spain’s government has been irritatingly regressive in this issue, introducing recently a so-called “sun tax” that actively appears to punish homeowners who choose to install solar panels on their rooftops…

However, an innovative Marbella-based company has hit upon a novel solution that has been designed to get around this “sun tax” while still ensuring homeowners are able to benefit from the warmth, glow and energy provided by the sun.

Sunhouse360° has developed a unique circular home that rotates every 15 minutes to ensure that every room is flooded with sunlight for as much time as possible throughout the day.

In sun-drenched southern Spain, such an innovation can lower energy bills by as much as 70%, the company claims, thanks to the floor-to-ceiling windows that wrap around the homes, and the interior layout that has been designed to allow as much sunlight in as possible.

Floor-to-ceiling windows offer great views, which change all the time.

Owners can choose from a selection of property types and sizes, and can choose to have solar photovoltaic panels installed as well, combining the sun’s thermal energy with the photovoltaic effect to deliver electricity, too.

The houses will be priced at a not-inconsiderable £753,000 (+IVA) initially, but this buys you 250 square metres and a property that will cost very little to run and maintain.

The pace of rotation has been carefully programmed to ensure that those inside the home do not even notice that it is turning, but the designers at Sunhouse360° say that the property can be programmed to suit whatever rotational needs the homeowners want.

“Having sunlight in your home is very beneficial,” said Sunhouse360° co-founder José Carlos Moya. “And you can change so you’re not limited to having it in just one place. You can programme it so you can have sunlight in the kitchen all day if you wanted.”

The idea was first developed more than two years ago, and now Moya says that the homes are ready to be introduced to Marbella early in 2016.

The homes also boast ‘eco rotation’ software, which can be set to intelligently detect where the coolest part of the house is and rotate that part towards the sun. This feature has been developed for properties in more northern climes, but can work equally well in southern Spain, rotating warmer parts away from the sun to keep the property cool.

Innovation, sunlight and property – the Sunhouse360° pretty much encapsulates everything about Marbella that makes it such a famously popular tourist destination, and it will be interesting to see just how many of these striking homes begin popping up in the hills of the Costa del Sol over the next few years.