Page 50 - Green Builder Sept-Oct 2019 Issue

COURTESY OF EQUITERRA

Showing their smarts. The VISION House® project team leaned on technologies such as insulating concrete form (ICF) walls, structural insulated panels
(SIPs), high-performance windows and stone-coated steel roofing to get the job done.

a gallon, but it is key to the total cost story of environmental implications, the carbon and the biggest are climate change and
of this house.” footprint of the operating house would be severe weather,” he says. “The operations
And let’s not forget the dollar savings 25 percent of the carbon footprint of con- and maintenance point of view is peanuts
this represents. As designed, the house is ventional construction, and when you add in terms of challenges we will face 10 years
projected to operate using a quarter of aver- renewables, we can get to carbon neutrality from now.”
age energy demand of an equivalent home on this house.” McGee notes that while he and Herro were
built to contemporary standards while designing the VISION House , California
®
having no negative impact on comfort, BUILDING FOR THE UNKNOWN was having its first ballot over forest fires.
convenience, or quality of life. “Reducing According to McGee, the building industry The team decided that although the house is
75 percent of monthly operational cost of and home buyers need to think even bigger not located on the wildlife urban interface,
house is equivalent of adding $150,000 than first cost versus total cost. “When look- it would be smart to make the home as fire
value to the house,” says Herro. “In terms ing at long-term costs there are variables, proof as reasonable.

48 GREEN BUILDER September/October 2019 www.greenbuildermedia.com

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