Jetson Green

MoMA Home Delivery Prefabs Debut This Sunday!

A while back when we heard about MoMA's prefab exhibit, Home Delivery: Fabricating the Modern Dwelling, we were pretty psyched.  I mean, if you can't tell by our archives with over 135 articles, we're pretty obsessed with green prefab as the future of home building.  The MoMA exhibit will tell an interesting story of the history of prefabrication starting in 1833.  I'm sure we've come a long way in over 175 years, but there's also the possibility that we've forgotten a few lessons in the process.  So I like the juxtaposition of the historical with the modern.  The modern will include five contemporary prefab structures, all of which have been assembled on the museum's 54th street lot.  Starting this Sunday, July 20 through October 20, visitors will get the chance to tour the below designs in real life. 

Blu Homes Launches Convenient, Green, Affordable Abodes

So I have some renderings and information on Blu Homes, and I've also spoken with the folks in charge of this company.  They're serious about building homes that are green, convenient, affordable, and also perfectly sized.  The management team has considerable experience in this industry and I expect to see great things.  Plus, with homes in development in both Utah and Massachusetts, you may be able to catch a live walk-through as early as this winter.  So let's get a small preview. 

UniCube Green Dorm Concept Takes Competition Prize

I just noticed this interesting building designed by a college student in Australia and had to mention it.  Andrew Southwood-Jones conceived and rendered the building, actually a green dormitory, for an Autodesk competition and he took the prize in the architecture category.  Called UniCube, it was designed to maximize space, be sustainable, and look good.  Andrew designed the conceptual structure to use a number of sustainable strategies: drought-tolerant plant wall in checkerboard pattern on exterior; exterior "gabion walls" filled with rubble and stone; inner walls made from straw bales; a copper roof that catches wind for ventilation and air circulation (without requiring air conditioning); rotating solar panels generating power for the building's lights; and rainwater collection for use in irrigation, toilets, and laundry. 

Blue Ridge Parkway Center a Model of Ecological Design

This is Blue Ridge Parkway Destination Center, a $9.8 million visitor's center near Ashville, North Carolina.  As a modern structure seeking LEED Gold certification, it's garnered significant press for its ecological design.  Designed by Lord, Aeck, & Sargent, Blue Ridge was modeled to use 75% less energy than a comparable, conventionally designed building.  That's due, at least in part, to its incredible green features, such as the sawtooth Trombe walls on the southerly face, 10,000 sf green roof, natural daylighting, high-efficiency mechanical system, natural ventilation, radiant heating, rainwater reclamation system for on-site use, etc. 

5ive Home Secures Platinum Paper in Minnesota

A little over a year ago, we featured Shelter Architecture's 5ive and later placed it on our Top Five Super Green Modern Homes list.  In a year, a lot has happened.  The home is now complete.  It's going to be honored with a 2008 AIA-MN Rave Award.  And now, the USGBC has officially certified it as a LEED Platinum home.  Congratulations on the noteworthy accomplishments!  So hey, if you haven't given this home a look, take a moment to scroll down and be inspired.  It's a modern, green abode that's also a healthy home.  It's close to mass transit and community services, and it exceeds energy code by about 35%.  It's seriously an incredible home. 

Vermont Green Home Features Contemporary Style

Reader and recent commenter Raedia just sent over details of her and her husband's green home being built in Vermont.  They were able to secure an in-town lot and decided to design and build something that was affordable, sustainable, and stylish.  In looking at the images, I think they were able to do just that.  With a super-insulated structure and passive heating and cooling, the home uses less of the mechanical systems for temperature control. 

Rubenstein Residence Took On Green Momentum

A glam, glitzy and green Hillsboro mansion [SF Chronicle]

41% more energy efficient than code, solar panels, geothermal, universal design, FSC certified wood exterior, grey water system, reclaimed wood floors, recycled denim insulation, 3form scraps, recycled content materials, etc. 

Modern Prefab Cabin Available For Rent on East Coast

If you've been listening to the chatter on prefab and thought: "What's the big deal with prefab homes?" or "Why would anyone ever want to own a prefab?", now's your chance to find out.  In his most recent update from A Prefab Project, Chris dropped a link to his shiny new website for Lost River Modern, a prefab cabin in Lost River, West Virginia.  And as you can tell from the images on the new website, Lost River Modern is quite incredible to look at.  Designed by Resolution: 4 Architecture, creators of the original Dwell Home, Lost River Modern is the first and only res4 home available for guests.  You can (and probably should) rent the place and completely chill out.  I see some slots are already filled up, so if you're interested in testing the prefab waters on the East Coast, you better get on it quick. 

Toyota Looking to Expand Stylish Prefab Homes Unit

Forget the fact that I lived in Japan and absolutely love its culture, I didn't know that Toyota had a homes unit.  And they've been in the business of making homes for over twenty years!  The company adapts automobile manufacturing technology to build stylish, earthquake-resistant homes for sale within Japan.  The Toyota Homes unit accounts for only .5% of the company's $262 billion in annual sales, and Toyota would like to beef that up a little bit.  Plus, with the roll-out of the plug-in hybrid beginning in 2010 (remember all that discussion here about solar homes and plug-in hybrids replacing gas stations?), Toyota would like to do more with their environmentally-friendly, prefabricated homes. 

Top Green Picks from "How Green Are You?"

There's some stunning green work being featured on Dwell right now as a result of the "How Green Are You?" competition.  The basic idea of the competition, co-sponsored by Dwell and the AIA, is to find inspiring entries assessed on their sustainability, functionality, originality, cost effectiveness, and design.  Entrants can provide up to four images and a simple, 250-word description of the project -- about all you need to find some incredible designs.  I understand 100kHouse (pictured above) just entered their project, but I didn't see it on Dwell yet.  Below are a few of my favorite entries so far.