It’s fun getting weeMail … we’ve just learned from Alchemy Architects about some new weeHouse announcements relating to affordability and sustainability. First things first, everyone wants to know about prefab pricing, right? You can now get a 2000 sf weeHouse with so called Good Stuff for around $125 per sf, give or take. Second, weeHouse has teamed up with The Fusion Companies to offer off-grid and supplemental Energy Kits for weeHouses.
Serenbe is located in Palmetto, Georgia, about 30-45 minutes southwest of Atlanta. The 900 acre community will preserve 70% of it’s land and eventual plans include about 600 homes. All Serenbe homes will be EarthCraft certified and the community offers a variety of options including work/live townhomes, cottages, and estates. The architecture is diverse and charming and is often inspired by historical buildings. There’s a Dwell Home being built (see below), and the above home by Redbone Construction was featured in various green building articles in local Atlanta publications.
Earlier this month, the USGBC awarded LEED Silver certification to the Resonance House, a project designed and built by the collaboration of Design Lab Inc. and University of Kentucky College of Design. Of note, the Resonance House is the first and only Kentucky home to be certified by the USGBC at the time of certification. It’s a 4,400 sf home with contemporary finishes and energy efficient elements. Located at 151 Old Georgetown Street in Lexington, the five-star plus Energy Star home has a small operating cost of 2.8 cents per sf, or ~$125 per month.
I’ve been intrigued by ZEDfactory ever since I first started seeing their homes and designs. The three letters "ZED", which stand for Zero Energy Development, seem to show up in all ZEDfactory designs. But I must admit: their designs have a certain whimsical, if not playful, look. That’s no big deal, though, because future solutions are going to look different. Certainly, ZEDfactory is serious when it comes to pushing the envelope towards sustainable housing options. The above and below RuralZED was on display earlier this year at EcoBuild in Earls Court, London. To be clear, RuralZED is more than a house, it’s a system for developing zero carbon, zero energy, healthy homes.
The NAHB rolled out its Certified Green Professional ("CGP") program earlier this year and already 1,000 builders, remodelers, and other members of the home building industry have earned the CGP educational designation. Potential CGPs must complete 24 hours of classroom training, of which, 16 hours must be qualified green building instruction. In addition, potential CGPs must have two years industry experience, sign a code of ethics, and commit to fulfilling continuing education requirements.
[+] Find a local CGP
[+] Become a CGP
Project Profiles
