Photovoltaic Systems

Archive for August, 2011

If you follow the prefab movement or have an interest in these homes, I recommend reading Todd Woody’s recent profile of Blu Homes in Forbes.  Blu, which is planning a second factory north of San Francisco, uses software, engineering, design, and technology to make sustainable homes attainable to more people.  They’re a “technology company that builds homes,” according to co-founder Maura McCarthy.

[+] Apple Approach to Green Prefab Homes in Forbes.

Credit: Breezehouse by Blu Homes.

Related Articles on JetsonGreen.com:

1. Blu Perfects Iconic Breezehouse Prefab
2. Element Prefab Installed in Long Island
3. New Zero Series Prefab from Studio 101

EnergyHub just announced the launch of an energy management system for consumers interested in monitoring, controlling, and reducing energy use.  The system includes an in-home display, wireless thermostat, sockets, and strips, as well as iOS and Android apps for on-the-go control.  Some purchasers will also be able to integrate the system with data from their smart meter if they have a compatible meter.

The Home Base is a custom command center with one-touch modes like “at home,” “goodnight,” and “away.”  Homeowners can adjust a connected thermostat, socket, and strip right from the Home Base.  Sockets and strips plug in to the wall for appliance-level control of home energy use.

Previously, the EnergyHub system was available only to select consumers through utility programs, though it’s now available direct to consumer.  The Home Base and thermostat bundle starts at $299.99; the Home Base with a socket and strip starts at $324.99; and the Home Base with a thermostat, socket, and strip starts at $399.99.

[+] Read more about the EnergyHub system offered to consumers.

Credit: EnergyHub. 

Related Articles on JetsonGreen.com:

1. Monitor and Control with Energy Hub
2. GE Nucleus: Home Energy Manager
3. EcoFactor Cuts Home Energy Use by 17%

We’ve seen teams around the world doing great things with shipping containers, or intermodal steel building units (ISBU).  That said, even carefully designed projects seem to have challenges.  ArchDaily, in a recent article called The Pros and Cons of Cargo Container Architecture, said: “Shipping container homes makes sense where resources are scarce, containers are in abundance, and where people are in need of immediate shelter such as, developing nations and disaster relief.”

The pros — adaptive reuse and strong, steel-frame construction — are obvious and don’t need much discussing. ArchDaily describes some of the following potential cons of cargo container architecture:

Con #1: Toxic Paint Coatings
“The coatings used to make the containers durable for ocean transport also happen to contain a number of harmful chemicals, such as chromate, phosphorous, and lead-based paints.”

Con #2: Toxic Wood Floors
“Wood floors that line the majority of shipping container buildings are infused with hazardous chemical pesticides like arsenic and chromium to keep pests away.”

Con #3: Upcycle Energy
“The entire structure needs to be sandblasted bare, floors need to be replaced, and openings need to be cut with a torch or fireman’s saw.”

Con #4: Ecological Footprint
“The fossil fuels required to move the container into place with heavy machinery contribute significantly to its ecological footprint.”

Con #5: Awkward Spaces
“Taking into account added insulation, you have a long narrow box with less than eight foot ceiling. To make an adequate sized space, multiple boxes need to be combined.”

Con #6: Opportunity Cost
“In many areas, it is cheaper and less energy to build a similarly scaled structure using wood framing.”

What do you think?  If you’ve worked with shipping containers, do you agree?

Credit: Håkan Dahlström.

Related Articles on JetsonGreen.com:

1. Container Studio Space in New York
2. The Moderne Container Sales Center
3. New, Simple, Green: InterModal Design

Cascade Built just announced a new single-family home in the Madison Valley neighborhood of Seattle, Washington.  “Alley House 2″ was designed by Seattle-based David Foster Architects and is currently under construction by Method Homes in an off-site factory.  The project team is seeking LEED Platinum certification with completion set for about October 2011.

Located near the original Alley House (which was constructed by Cascade Built), this contemporary home gets its name from being on an infill lot with alley access.

The green prefab is pre-selling, according to a listing with Infinite Real Estate and Development, for $599,000.  That includes a 1,687 square-foot home with three bedrooms, two bathrooms, and a one-car garage.

Alley House 2 will have advanced framing, ample natural light, solar hot water, hydronic in-floor heat, on-demand hot water, zero- and low-VOC finishes, strand bamboo flooring, rainscreen siding, pervious paving, drought-tolerant plantings, and a roof ready for vegetation and solar PV.

Credit: David Foster Architects. 

Related Articles on JetsonGreen.com:

1. Platinum Modern Prefab Drops in Seattle
2. Large Luxury Home Earns LEED Platinum
3. Luxury LEED Platinum on Preston Way