What about lightening strikes? Great idea and would love 1. Maybe have a collector that charges batteries when lightening hits? Solar? Lots of ideas but would love 1 anyway.

The way trees move in the wind will destroy any treehouse that is inflexibly mounted to two or more trees or even two widely separated branches in one tree.

Slowburn, I think that wouldn't be quite right. I think the term "tree house" is a little misleading. An actual house, in a tree or on the ground, will be close to, or even more than 100 tones. The stresses involved should be quite manageable with either support beams or something performing that function. Obviously, any house, on the ground or in a tree, can potentially be damaged by wind if the wind is strong enough. And I understand why you say what you do. But the structure wouldn't be fragile, not like a "tree house" built for kids to camp out in in the back yard.

I think it is really cool. It shows - IMO - that one can live among the trees without having to give up some 'comforts' of home.

re; GrantH
If the rigid structure is strong enough the damage will be done to the tree. I have seen it happen both ways but I have also seen a tree house with flexible mounts that has lasted decades.

It's a nice concept and all. The views would be fantastic. However, it's not very practical. Nearly every time I'm going to and from the outside world, I find myself lugging several items. The thought of lugging groceries and such up to those houses just stuns me. I guess it's not for everyone or perhaps it could be used as a vacation home away from home. Even then, you'd still be lugging things into it. Great place to visit, but I wouldn't want to live there.

These are simple problems to overcome. Trees do move in the wind, so build a couple of bedrooms in one, a flexible bridge to the kitchen/great room. Toting food, etc, up a long ladder is no fun, so rig up your own one person elevator with secure platform and pulleys. Use a counter weight that carries most of your weight and small dc motor for movement, which can recover power on the way down, minimal power use.

I'd like to see one of these tree houses servive a hurricane, That would be a good test of engineering. Maybe city and state governments should start planting taller and thicker tress, Imagine a city of redwoods country wide..

The tree house looks fantastic but im sorry to say it would only last one season in Australia as the first bushfire through the area would devastate it even built out of fire proof materials it would still destroy any thing in it

Energy harvested from wind and movement can be used to store energy hydraulically or mechanically. This energy can then run an elevator and perform other functions.