The Exo looks like some sort of space station, but it’s actually a clever housing unit for emergency shelter situations. A cargo truck can carry about 15 of these — packed in two pieces, the base and upper shell — and a team of four can move and set one up in under two minutes. When assembled and connected, Exo has lighting, climate control, wall outlets, and four fold-down beds.
The prefab industry has changed a lot in the last few years. Case in point, ZETA Communities, a producer of net-zero energy multifamily housing came on to the scene in the beginning of 2008. In something like 3-4 years, they’ve built up a lean manufacturing facility with 91,000 square feet in Sacramento that’s just incredible.
Blu Homes just announced a new home style — the Lofthouse — designed by the company’s architects to “appeal to traditionalists and modernists alike.“ The modern version eliminates shutters, expands the windows, and provides an indoor/outdoor living experience. The traditional version has Colonial-style windows and shutters to fit in an existing or historic neighborhood.
This is martial arts instructor and ex-photographer Steve Rapport’s LV home, a modern prefab designed by Rocio Romero, in Pacifica, California. Steve has been documenting the construction and working budget on his site, The Minnie House — a reference to his late mom, Mina, sometimes called Minnie — and the finished home is looking fantastic. Check out some interior and exterior photos below:
There’s some great homes across the country being finished with the first i-House design. This one, for instance, was built on a lot in Green Bridge Farm, an eco-friendly development of 25 lots in Effingham County, Georgia. Owner Charles Davis won’t have an electric bill with this net-zero energy home. His butterfly roof has solar PV that generates electricity and powers a brand new Chevrolet Volt (pictured below).
