Meet with a New Resource-Saving Prefab Style

Meet with a New Resource-Saving Prefab Style

A 772-square-foot home may not seem impressive until you hear its list of features. Renewable and recycled materials, rainwater collection, two outside greenhouses, solar panels and a graywater reuse system are part of the Paradigm prefab design, which made its debut on November 14, 2012, in the Greenbuild International Conference and Expo in San Francisco.

Designed and built by Method Homes and Bogue Trondowski Architects, the design is a prototype for a brand new series of modular homes that show how houses can be comfortable, and how sustainability can become a part of residential design.

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On display outside San Francisco’s Moscone Center, the Paradigm symbolizes much of what the U.S. Green Building Council’s Greenbuild event stands for: bringing together technology and sustainability.

Alex Amend Photography

The structure’s main living area does not have any divisions, but for the bath and a mechanical space, for a spacious feel. Floor-to-ceiling sliding glass doors connect the house.

Glass doors: Western Window Systems

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The modest inner footprint cuts down on the price of electricity and building materials. Compact, flexible furniture from Resource Furniture — including this freestanding wall bed and sofa strategy — help make the most of the square footage. This area, for example, doubles as a lounge space …

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… and sleeping space.

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A console table expands to seat 12. The kitchen uses renewable bamboo hardwood floors, zero-VOC paints, low-VOC finishes, Energy Star appliances and LED lighting.

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A modular wall socket near the dining table keeps dining essentials within reach when leaving the floor free.

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A mini office folds up into a unit less than 14 inches deep. The ottoman shown here pulls apart and converts into five seats — exactly like the seats around the dining table.

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The bathroom connects to the home’s graywater system.

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All the water in the home comes from a rainwater collection and filtration system out. A hybrid heating and heating and hot water heater put it to the right temperature when minimizing energy usage.

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Composite decking, also siding manufactured from reclaimed Forest Stewardship Council–accredited western red cedar and Cor-Ten steel, makes for a low-maintenance exterior. 2 greenhouses with natural plants give fresh produce.

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A cut Cor-Ten wing supports the solar panels on the roof and modulates the heat entering the home. The steel reflects light throughout the summer to keep the home cool and absorbs heat in winter.

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Paradigm is designed with the aims of net-zero water, net-zero energy and LEED Platinum certification. Available as modules or as turnkey options, three versions vary from 656 to 1,868 square feet, with prices from $160,000 to $420,000. This particular home, such as decor, is $249,000.

More: What’s Up With Prefab?

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