When we first brought news of Blu Homes in July, the company was on the cusp of something interesting.  Since our first article, they've been busy with plans to design and build innovative, sustainable homes.  They've also been crunching the numbers and working on ways to design and build prefab homes that are legitimately affordable.  And with all the talk recently about prefab and affordability, we thought it'd be interesting to revisit a couple development projects of Blu Homes.  They have two homes in the pipeline that, I think, illustrate the case for affordable, modern, and green homes.

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GreenPod, a company run by architect and environmentalist Ann Raab, designs and builds compact modular homes that are sustainable, healthy, and energy efficient.  The amazing thing about this company is their full-circle design approach, which aims to help clients create a complete green home right down to their bathroom towels and artwork. 

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Earlier this year, we mentioned the high desert, off-grid itHouse by Taalman Koch Architecture and readers loved it.  Now, Taalman Koch has launched their new itHouse website and announced news of their Three Junipers development project.  Three Junipers is a planned community that will have three, 5-acre properties for pre-sale.  The properties come with a building pad, foundation, and plans for a 1600 sf, 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom itHouse.  At Three Junipers, itHouses will be off-grid and powered by both solar PV and solar thermal systems.  Plans include a Poliform chefs kitchen, covered dining patio, outdoor solar heated Plunge pool, suspended indoor Fireorb fireplace, outdoor courtyards with fireplaces, and covered 2 car carports. 

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There’s something about modern townhouses that I’m just drawn to.  Like these here in a community called IndigoMODERN.  IndigoMODERN is being developed in two phases with a total of 22 residential units.  Phase one had eleven units and nine are gone already.  The remaining two are being sold in the $299 – $350k range.  Better hurry (if you can get a loan)!  Designed by Rob Paulus Architect, these 1800 square-foot homes are uniquely green.  Make sure to check the photos below:

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Kjellgren Kaminsky Architects have designed six new passive house designs for presentation at the Stockholm Housing Fair occurring October 9-12, 2008.  Shown in collaboration with Emrahus, these prefabricated, zero energy designs present a compelling concept for what is possible with good design and conscious materials.  Passive houses, using the definition of KKA on their website, "are extremely well-insulated buildings that are largely heated by the energy already present in the building."  Passive homes attempt to rely as little as possible on extra mechanical systems — they conserve first and foremost.  Scroll through these six passive home designs and leave a vote for your fave:

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