September 7, 2006

click image to view larger Image courtesy LivingHomes

An agenda is buried beneath the taut partitions and gleaming surfaces of a new prefab home designed by SCI-Arc founder Ray Kappe, FAIA. The model unit of LivingHomes prefab houses is the first residence to achieve a Platinum rating in the LEED for Homes pilot program. Only 20 commercial buildings have attained this highest rank in the U.S. Green Building Council program, which now comprises approximately 550 certified structures. 

The model was assembled on site in Santa Monica in April 2005. According to a representative of the Los Angeles–based company, it is 80 percent more energy efficient than a conventional residence of similar size, thanks to super-efficient Energy Star appliances, LED lighting, recycled-denim insulation, and other measures, and it was constructed with 75 percent less waste. Photovoltaics produce most of the home’s energy; the sun also powers water heating and radiant floors. Other green features include a rooftop garden (prefab customers may upgrade their purchases with an optional indoor garden), rainwater cistern, gray-water recycling system that diverts sink and shower water for irrigation, low-VOC paints and stains, and Forest Stewardship Council–certified wood for millwork, ceiling, siding, and framing. Even Kappe’s sleek, wood-clad design, with its modular construction and movable partitions, is meant to inspire homeowners to change their surroundings without resorting to more wasteful, all-out renovation. Average prices for a Kappe-series LivingHome, which began manufacture in November 2005, is $250 per square foot; production versions qualify for LEED Silver or better.

Leigh Batnick

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