Modular (pre-fabricated) homes have often suffered a bad reputation, but now, some of them are on the cutting edge of green living.
Based just upon how they are built, modular homes may be a more efficient, green way to go anyhow. Unlike traditional homes, modular homes can be made in a warehouse, so they are more time efficient because rain, snow, wind, etc. won’t stop the construction. But, today’s modular homes are also proving to be more energy efficient.
All American Homes, from Elkhart, Indiana, has built what they call the Living Zero Home. The home uses fiber cement siding, Icynene foam insulation (which can reduce the heating and cooling bills by up to 50%), solar panels, low flow plumbing fixtures, bamboo flooring, high-performance fiber glass windows, tankless water heaters, and Energy Star appliances and light fixtures. This home has been traveling around the country as part of the Department of Energy’s “Living Zero Home Tour.”
One of the most exciting features of the new Living Zero Home is the Smart Living System. This management system allows home owners to monitor resources used for potential problems such as a water leak. Learning about these potential risks early on can save money in the long run.
Epoch Homes, from Pembroke, New Hampshire, has a new line of green modular homes called Eco Collection. The Eco Collection homes are Energy Star compliant. Energy Star was developed as a joint program between the U.S. Department of Energy, the National Association of Home Builders, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and the International Code Council 2009, National Green Building Standard (ICC-7000), Silver Level.
If you really want to see what technology is being produced, plan a road trip to Washington, D.C. for October. There will be 20 self-sufficient solar homes located at the National Mall. These super efficient homes were constructed by teams from Canada, Germany, Puerto Rico, Spain, and the U.S. as part of the Solar Decathlon, sponsored by the Department of Energy.
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