We’ve seen a ton of LEED Platinum homes on this site, but today’s home achieves something new.  USGBC founder David Gottfried and his family recently finished the green renovation of their 1440 square foot Craftsman bungalow, a home that was originally built in 1915, and took it through the LEED for Homes certification process.  In doing so, they received a total of 106.5 points (out of a total 136) and the noteworthy accomplishment of being the highest-scoring green home renovation since LEED-H launched earlier this year.  The Platinum home is designed to be net-zero energy and utilizes technology such as solar photovoltaics and a solar- and hydronic-powered water heating system. 

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Well, if you didn’t have a reason to visit Las Vegas in January 2009, maybe we could give you one now.  Builder is teaming up with LivingHomes and KieranTimberlake to place this beautiful, green prefab on the exhibit floor of the Las Vegas Convention Center at the International Builders’ Show (IBS) 2009.  The modern 2000 sf prefab will be built with steel-wood modules and an abundant list of sustainable materials.  Its ostensible purpose, I believe, is to show the industry that modular construction can be financially accessible, sustainable, and optimal for eliminating construction waste and debris. 

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You’ve probably heard about Marmol Radziner Prefab‘s latest single-module offering called the RINCON, right?  RINCON is the moniker for their latest modular series, a line of homes that can double as a small prefab dwelling or ancillary living structure, you name it.  The name is inspired by the Spanish word for "nook" — an apt description for this little accessory structure.  The largest model in the series is RINCON 5, and it’s a 660 sf model with full kitchen, living room, bedroom, and deck area.

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This website spends a good amount of time talking about new homes and innovation, but don’t let us fool you into thinking everything has to be brand new.  Just like the Box House renovation, this house, the Pinon House, is a great example of marrying the old and new to create an incredible living space.  Lead designer Rick Sommerfeld and the3rdspace, with the collaboration of Rob Pyatt, sent us the following narrative of their work on the Pinion House:

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This home took first place in the St. Louis Magazine AT HOME‘s 2008 Architect and Design Awards in category of Best Residential Architecture Less Than 4,000 Square feet.  Designed by Killeen Studio, the modern abode is a slightly lighter shade of green than the ones we usually feature — it has a four car garage — but there are solid green features nonetheless:  recyclable metal panels, bamboo floors, Energy Star appliances, efficient windows, and tons of natural light.  Plus, the 2,550 square foot home was built in a location that’s perfect for the owners, Ivan and Jennifer Garcia, so the environmental impact of their transportation has been minimized in a big way. 

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