The term “green” can mean different things to different people. With regard to our homes we think of green as building in a more healthful and resource efficient way. Because we are bringing advanced design thinking to re-conceptualize home construction, we can integrate best practices with the goal of building homes that are actually good for the environment rather than just better than they could be. For us, green falls into several categories: Energy Efficiency, Material Efficiency, Waste Reduction, Durability, Healthful Building Environments and Integrated Design. We are working towards the goal of truly sustainable building practices.

 

Energy Efficiency

Buildings in the U.S. are responsible for almost 50% of the energy we consume and create 50% of the green house gas emissions. We believe that new construction must be designed to meet aggressive energy performance goals beyond the minimum standards of the building codes. We’re accepting the 2030 Challenge but instead consider it the 2010 Reality. Through efficient building envelopes, mechanical and lighting systems we can deliver zero-net energy homes today. In some locations it’s possible to generate up to 50% of the energy needed to operate an average home through the use of any of a combination of photovoltaic solar panels, solar thermal and wind turbines. Save 50%, make 50% - that’s zero-net energy now.

 

Material Efficiency

We value using the earth’s material resources respectfully and efficiently. As such we select materials and systems with careful evaluation of environmental impacts over the full life of the material and use. Thinking holistically, we examine all processes from fabrication to delivery to assembly in order to optimize material use and integrate material re-use and recycling. For example, we utilize high-recycled content metals, use efficient and renewable materials such as bamboo, and design our homes so that their components can be re-used or recycled if no longer needed in the original configuration.

 

Waste Reduction

Central to the benefits of factory built prefabricated construction is the ability to reduce and eliminate waste during the construction process. Three to seven dumpsters worth of debris is buried in a landfill every time an average home is built in the U.S. To us this is entirely unacceptable. Thoughtful design and manufacturing processes mean that material can be used efficiently, cut precisely and recycled systematically.

 

Durability & Longevity

It’s all about putting our resources to good use. Today’s homes are often designed solely for “curb appeal” and first cost with little regard given to quality and life cycle costs. This sensibility leads to another more insidious kind of waste. Homes should instead be built to last, wisely employing the earth’s resources. Our homes use state of the art assemblies to greatly reduce risks of water damage common in conventional homes. We are creating high quality construction that will last for generations. Imagine never having to paint the exterior of your house because the finishes are that durable.

 

Healthful Building Environments

Many building materials used today contain chemicals that are toxic to humans. We are committed to using healthful building materials throughout our homes, materials, which produce higher indoor air quality for your family. This means careful consideration of material selection and assembly methods as well as systematic design of the mechanical systems.

 

Integrated Design

How a home sits on the land is equally as important as how the home itself is designed. With smart site planning human comfort can be maintained while using less energy for heating and cooling. Simple things such as correct solar orientation and proper tree location can make all the difference in the comfort of a home without ever having to touch the thermostat.  Our mass customized approach allows us to tune the home to your site.