# Maintenance-Free Homes This Sustainable House Design is Stunning and Smart By Farida Helmy | Published 2014-06-17 | Eco Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/sustainable-house-design References: [dezeen](http://www.dezeen.com/2014/06/13/brick-house-by-leth-gori-features-maintenance-free-materials-inside/) & [lethgori.dk](http://lethgori.dk/brick-house-2/) Creating a sustainable house design with a lifespan of 150 years -- with 50 years of them being maintenance-free -- the [Brick House](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/paper-log-house) by Copenhagen-based architecture office Leth & Gori is stunning and smart. Located in Nyborg, Denmark, this sustainable house design uses [exposed clay blocks](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/cob-brick) and raw plywood to make sure the home stays maintenance-free, looks uniquely different and, most importantly, reduces CO2 footprints. As part of a sustainability initiative by philanthropic organization Realdania, the Brick House is inspired by historic houses and their old-school solutions to keep homes in good shape -- which the architects then gave a contemporary twist to. "We wanted to simplify the construction and use a minimum of materials," says architect Uffe Leth. "The fewer joints between different materials, the better chance you have to avoid mistakes in the construction process." ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 6.2/10 - Popularity: 91% | Activity: 88% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: Europe ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Eco](https://www.trendhunter.com/eco) > [Eco Architecture](https://www.trendhunter.com/ecoarchitecture) ## Key Themes ### Why This Trend Is Growing - **Sustainable House Designs:** Creating homes that are eco-friendly with minimal need for maintenance presents an opportunity for disruptive innovation. - **Raw Material Usage in Housing:** Using raw plywood and exposed clay blocks to reduce CO2 footprints in building homes represents an opportunity for innovation in sustainable construction materials. - **Long-lasting Maintenance-free Houses:** Designing houses with a lifespan of 150 years and 50 years of maintenance-free living provides an opportunity for innovative housing solutions. ### Industries Being Reshaped - **Architecture:** Architects can leverage sustainable designs to create structures using raw materials that are eco-friendly and maintenance-free. - **Construction:** Opportunities to innovate in sustainable construction materials and techniques exist if buildings can be built with less maintenance. - **Real Estate:** Providing housing solutions with minimal maintenance will create new opportunities for innovation in the real estate market. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Sustainable Country Homes](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/three-oaks-farm.md) - [Tranquil Sustainable Home Designs](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/saltviga-house.md) - [Off-Grid Self-Sufficient Island Homes](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/earth-house.md) - [Clay Ridge Residences](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/birdwood-house.md) - [Sustainable Off-Grid Minimal Cabins](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/fremont-house.md) - [Sustainable Cubic Homes](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/appels-architekten.md) - [Minimal White Brick Homes](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/brick-house.md) - [Timber-Framed Coastal Homes](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/timber-residence.md) - [Sustainable Red Utilitarian Homes](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/red-house-1.md)