With design costs, build costs, land acquisition, and everything else, homes are expensive. Add a layer to that, that homes be sustainable, or somewhat “green,” and they get more expensive. Yet folks want these homes to be cut-rate affordable. It’s tough to do and a new modern home in Columbia, South Carolina, perhaps gives us an idea of what an affordable, light green home could look like.
About a year ago we mentioned the construction of the H4 prototype home by BRIO54. The development firm describes the modern residence as a work of art — bright, spacious, natural, and functional — that you get the opportunity to live in. Indeed, it’s a fascinating home with a bold exterior of black and white stripes, state-of-the-art green finishes, and a minimalist yet cozy form of interior design.
A little over a year ago, I wrote about this Green Concept Home in Bellevue, Washington. The modern residence was finished under budget and according to schedule, and the owners are now working on obtaining LEED for Homes and Built Green certification. Modus V Studio Architects designed and built Green Concept Home with a number of noteworthy green elements.
Readers noticed the omission of one particular project in our year-end compilation of 15 shipping container projects from 2010. If you’ve seen TRON: Legacy, you know Sam Flynn (played by Garrett Hedlund) has a cool shipping container house in the movie. After some investigation, it turns out that a temporary container structure was built as a set on the shore of South Vancouver and later torn down.
FreeGreen, a provider of free and premium green house plans, recently unveiled a new premium plan called Loop House. The modern design features a two-story rectangle covered in fiber cement panels with a loop of cedar that creates a covered porch space. It’s easy to envision using this space in several ways — watching movies, gathering around a fire pit, and relaxing with friends.
Project Profiles
