Today USA Today published an article on green prefab in both the Money section and online. Wendy Koch, author and owner of her own green home under construction, gathered various industry opinions for the article. Here’s a snapshot of industry thinking on the topic:
The world of prefab — off-site fabricated homes shipped as panels, modules, kits — is doing well these days. Some companies are shipping more homes every month. Indeed, prefabrication offers several potential benefits that the housing industry cannot ignore: accelerated construction, controlled construction, construction without the elements, and minimal waste. It all depends on the designer and manufacturer, but these homes can be ultra green, too. Take these 20 green prefabs that we mentioned this year:
After several years of concept and development, architect Ed Binkley came up with “the shelter series” — small, green, affordable abodes — to be used as relief housing, guest housing, small scale developments, or pretty much anything else. These homes range in size from 300-1,400 square feet and can be built without breaking the bank.
Greenfab, developer of well-designed, sustainable homes, just installed six modules in the Jackson Place neighborhood of Seattle for what’s expected to be the city’s first LEED Platinum modular home. The demonstration home is owned by Robert Humble of HyBrid, project architect and general contractor, and will target net-zero energy and Built Green 5-Star certification.
The shedworking movement is growing with folks nixing the daily commute by carving out a little extra space at home. One way to do this is with a YardPod, which is fabricated in a solar-powered factory in Rohnert Park, California. YardPods are framed in light-gauge, recycled-content steel, insulated with recycled-content, natural cotton fiber, and covered with a cool roof. Flooring can be either bamboo or cork. A 10′x12′ DIY model starts at $2,100, while a complete kit starts at $11,000, not including tax or delivery.
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