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The Home of the Future ... Today

The New American Home

For more than three decades the National Association of Home Builders has sponsored The New American Home (TNAH), a house that showcases the latest technology in home construction, sustainability, materials, and energy efficiency. While previous versions of TNAH were unique custom-built houses, The New American Home 2015 shows a building that’s intended for mass production. The architects envision a sustainable community centered around affordable homes like this. Of course, “affordable” is a relative term. (More on that later.) For now, let’s take a look at some of the technology in The New American Home 2015.

Keeping It Cool

As Homer Simpson once said, “In this house we obey the laws of thermodynamics!” Good engineers not only obey the laws of physics (as if we had a choice, right?) but also use those laws to our advantage. The New American Home exemplifies those engineering techniques in many places, inside and out.

Energy efficiency boils down to two main themes: heating/cooling and electrical efficiency. A tight building envelope is essential to maintaining comfortable indoor temperatures with minimal energy loss. In TNAH, open cell spray foam insulation is used to provide an airtight thermal barrier on exterior walls (R-20) and in the attic (R-38). Contrary to popular belief, a properly insulated attic does not need ventilation, and TNAH demonstrates that by having an unventilated attic sealed with spray foam insulation. This helps the home stay cool under the hot Nevada sun. The building is so airtight that it requires mechanical ventilation (fans) in order to maintain a healthy number of air changes per hour. To minimize heat gain through the ventilation system, exterior air ducts include heat exchangers.

The New American Home includes plenty of glass, providing impressive views from every point in the house. Exterior glass doors and windows are low-e, argon filled panes with a solar heat gain coefficient (SHGC) of 0.17, which means that only 17% of the solar heat that hits the glass makes it into the house. (A similar house located in the northern US would want windows with a SHGC of 0.70 or more, to take advantage of passive solar heating.) Large overhangs prevent direct sunlight from reaching the walls and windows during peak sun hours, and the light colored exterior and Energy Star rated roof also help the house keep its cool. Here is designer Tyler Jones describing the building envelope:

Even with passive cooling techniques, a home in the southwest desert probably needs air-conditioning, so TNAH includes a pair of 18 SEER heat pumps, each with energy-efficient variable speed compressors. A variable speed compressor uses an AC motor with a variable speed drive, which can result in 30% reduction in electricity costs compared to a compressor with a fixed speed drive.

A Healthy Environment

All materials in The New American Home conform to Greenguard Gold Certified standards, which limits the volatile organic chemicals (VOCs) and other indoor pollutants. Greenguard Gold is California’s standard for schools and healthcare facilities. The ventilation system removes mold, mildew, dust, and allergens through its ultraviolet light air treatment system. The home qualifies for US EPA Indoor airPlus status.

Building Automation System

Energy performance is maximized through an automation system that controls lights, motorized blinds, and HVAC. And being a luxury home, TNAH’s automation system also puts the home theater and security systems at the homeowner’s fingertips. A touch panel is located inside the home’s entrance and a smartphone/tablet app gives the user remote control capabilities from anywhere. The control system includes presets like “away,” which arms the security system and sets the HVAC and lights to energy-saving mode, all with one button press. Custom modes can be programmed as well. Here’s a “behind-the-scenes” picture of the house’s home theater system:

Electrical System

The house features high-efficiency Energy Star appliances, and all lighting consists of LEDs or fluorescent bulbs. This not only cuts electrical usage, it also reduces the amount of heat that’s produced by lighting. And because newer “smart” LEDs can vary their hue as well as intensity, it gives the residents more control over lighting effects.

In addition to using electricity efficiently, the New American Home also generates its own electricity through a 15 kW rooftop photovoltaic array that satisfies more than 80% of the home’s electrical needs.

How Affordable Is it?

Make no mistake - this is a 6000 square foot luxury house, complete with a home theater, high-end cabinets and countertops, outdoor entertainment center, and more. Those amenities, not the energy-efficient features, are responsible for most of its $750,000 price tag. While The New American Home is significantly out of my reach, it is in the same price range as its comparable-sized neighbors in Henderson NV, just outside of Las Vegas.

All told, TNAH’s energy-efficient design should save the homeowner almost $5000/year in energy costs. Most of that technology - Energy Star appliances, low-e windows, spray foam insulation, high SEER heat pumps, and LED lighting - is affordable (even for a family living on a college professor’s salary), especially in the context of a long-term investment. Thankfully, you don’t have to spend $750k to have an energy-efficient house. But if you have that kind of money, The New American Home 2015 looks like a pretty cool place to live. If you’re in the Las Vegas area between January 20-22, you can attend the International Builders’ Show and tour TNAH. If not, here’s a brief video tour:

The Home of the Future ... Today

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  • United States
  • TNAH