The Sustainable Dream House
For most families and individuals in the Western world, the idea of a ‘dream home’ has drastically shifted in recent years. The image of a white picket fence and a large yard is on its way out as more people opt for environmentally friendly houses to build their lives in. Approximately 85% of home buyers today prefer to own an eco-conscious and sustainable place. This has ushered in a new era of modular homes, consisting of pod-like modules built in factories and transported to desired building sites for assembly. The energy-efficient strategy and minimized waste associated with constructing modular homes make them an obvious top choice for homeowners today and create a much more affordable solution for homebuyers in a typically expensive and competitive market. Modular homes have also built an opportunity for pre-existing homebuilders to take a different approach to their business.
In metropolitan D.C., modular homes are starting to appear all over the market thanks to Northern Virginia building company Van Metre homes. With almost 70 years of experience in the housing industry, Van Metre is well equipped to understand and maneuver the efficiency of modular homes.
Building a POWERhaus home starts at Van Metre’s factory in Winchester, Virginia, where 95% of a property’s parts are created, allowing for more efficiency. Traditional home-building processes typically involve shipping different elements from several locations to an outdoor construction site. A crew is instructed to handle dozens of tasks while maneuvering delays such as poor weather. Creating all of the parts in the factory gives the builder complete control over every aspect of the process. Improvements in automation and technology like 3D printing let designers customize every detail, down to the texture and appearance of walls and surfaces. The method also produces far less waste; on a test run, Van Metre cut construction waste from several dumpsters to just a few small-sized bins. The company can order specifically dimensioned materials in bulk, eliminating the need to trim wood and toss away unused pieces.
Entire rooms and significant parts of POWERhaus homes are transported from the factory to the building site in compact modules that can easily be attached on-site, which the company refers to as cartridges. Before leaving the factory floor, cartridges are equipped with modern technology such as clean-energy mini splits, smart bathrooms, and lighting. This allows residents to access the newest technology available without purchasing and installing parts individually.
Net Zero Energy
To learn more about modular smart homes and the POWERhaus homes, go to WashingtonPost.com:
“To achieve their goal of energy efficiency, Van Metre ensured that POWERhaus homes were equipped with electric car-charging capabilities and a home-energy control system that tracks energy consumption, tools that make it easier for homeowners to curb waste. Another energy-saving feature is the induction cooking system, which transfers heat from the cooktop to the pot magnetically and limits the amount that is able to escape.
In addition to being energy-efficient, the homes also have a renewable energy source: solar panels. This allows POWERhaus homes to achieve ‘net zero’ status—meaning the total amount of energy used by the property is equal to or less than the renewable energy the house produces.
This level of climate-friendliness will be crucial for future home buyers. Eco-consciousness factors heavily into home-buying decisions for almost two-thirds of people; 80% of home buyers want properties with energy-efficient features and 89% would choose one home over another if it were more energy efficient.”
From Building the Future - Washington Post
Photo Source: S2A Modular (https://www.s2amodular.com/)
When considering your own dream house, is sustainability a critical component for you?
Written by S2A Modular & Associates Inc.
June 7th, 2021