I’m starting to change my mind about modular homes. One in particular that left an impression on me was the Net Zero i-House that was recently finished down in Savannah.
Photo by Clayton Homes
The home is nestled in the Green Bridge Farm neighborhood. In the middle of the subdivision is a four acre, organic farm boasting plenty of veggies and a fruit orchard.
If the neighborhood sounds tempting to you, there are still lots available for around $50,000. Each lot is about 1-2 acres, which is large enough to raise a bit of concern. Land developed is, of course, land disturbed and at a rate of 1-2 acres that’s a significant per capita impact on the land and the wildlife.
On a positive note, a few green features include:
- Energy Star appliances throughout the home
- no V.O.C paints
- quickly replenishing bamboo floors
- compact fluorescent lights that look much warmer than the sickly bulbs found in gas station restrooms
- low-e glazed, energy efficient windows to help insulate the home
Photo via Claytonihouse.com
- dual flush toilets, low flow faucets, and a tankless water heater to conserve water and energy
- rain water catchment system
- a butterfly roof laden with solar PV that produce enough energy to power the home as well as the owner’s electric car
The home is one of the first built according to Clayton Home’s i-House design. It possesses the basic benefits of modular homes combined with the benefits of Net Zero structures. Like all things technologically related, however, there is already an i-House 2.0 in the making that is supposed to be an upgrade from the original. One such additional feature is a covered walkway between the “pods” of the home.
Neighborhoods like these are excellent for people who work remotely or manage to find a job in the area. There is no public transit in these parts of Georgia so a commute to the city or even a larger nearby suburb would be a long haul–which isn’t very sustainable.
What do you think of the concept?
Source: Jetson Green