In the unique ‘One Tonne Life’ project, launched January 19, the Lindells family of four will try to live within the limits of one tonne of carbon dioxide emissions per person per year. The project has been initiated by A-hus, Vattenfall and Volvo Cars, with ICA and Siemens being the project’s specialist industry partners. The family lives in a climate-smart wooden house, use an electric car and turn to advanced energy solutions, which are already available or will become available in the very near future.

The Lindell family were chosen in tough competition with more than 50 other families, and they have now moved into the newly built house just outside Stockholm. The plans for the villa were drawn up by architect Gert Wingårdh. He has made the white house more energy-efficient with the black roof and the south-facing solar panels and given it a more interesting appearance with the characteristic protruding framework around each window and the wind-catcher in the entrance hall.

The family’s Volvo C30 Electric operates quietly and emits no carbon dioxide at all when it is recharged with renewable electricity. Powered solely by electricity, it offers the very same comfort, interior space and safety as the standard version of the C30.

In ‘One Tonne Life’ Vattenfall, one of Europe’s leading energy companies, is making a variety of contributions including Energy Watch—a cutting-edge technology for measuring the family’s electricity consumption in real time.

Household appliances account for up to half of a normal household’s total energy consumption—and the way these appliances are used also affects the size of the electricity bill. Over the past 15 years, Siemens has cut energy consumption of its appliances by up to 80%, and its figures for energy and water consumption are of world class.

«We’ve always liked adventures and challenges, and working out a climate-smart lifestyle is just about the most exciting thing imaginable. We’re getting the chance to gain unique expertise for ourselves at the same time as we inspire others,» says family father Nils.