New Prefabricated Homes are Affordable and Environmentally Sustainable-

Michelle Kaufmann, a leading green architect and designer, has recently unveiled her newest line of prefab sustainable homes. The line consists of three models, the Ridge0™, the Vista0™ and the Contours0™, which range in size between 422 and 2643 square feet. The Contours0™ and the Vista0™ have interior and exterior rooms which were designed with the utmost efficiency in mind, emphasizing natural ventilation and lighting through large windows, glass doors and skylights. The Ridge0™ uses the Passivhaus basic principles of sustainable design — with good levels of insulation, an air-tight building envelope, passive preheating of fresh air to minimize need for heating and cooling, southern orientation with shading, efficient windows and frames, as well as energy star appliances and lighting. Not to mention, the homes employ energy generating solar power systems, gray water systems which recover and filter used water for use in toilets or garden irrigation, and rainwater harvesting systems. Kaufmann’s Zero Series also use green materials and products, and conform to standards of LEED certification. They can even be customized to incorporate other green home certification program standards, such as the NAHB Green Building Standard, Build it Green, or any local green rating program. The new prefab Zero Series homes are made available exclusively through Studio 101 Designs and built by Blazer Industries. Prices start at $66,500.