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The world of prefab and modular homes. |
April 2007
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| www.lot-ek.com |
Here's a recap of prefab coverage from blogs and beyond.
Ecogeek shares thoughts on a new SIP-based prefab out of British Columbia:
"Why design with SIPs? First, as an Architect, I like to see my designs carried out as precisely as possible. Many SIP factories have computer aided manufacturing rigs that cut the panels to within a 1/16", which is unheard of in construction. Second, SIPs are energy efficient, they have minimal air leakage and very high R-Values."Also, check out our post on SIPs.
In March, Treehugger posted some good photos of the home coming together.
Last week, Inhabitat's Prefab Friday took a look at LA-based 
Minarc's prefab offering:
"With their new M3 House they will be able to design and deliver an all inclusive package (minus the land and the foundation) that gives their clients a site specific house which also makes the most of the best qualities of factory built prefab...What's more incredible about M3 House is the limited amount of time spent on-site for final assembly. Once the foundation is complete, M3 House can have your 2,500sq foot home ready for furnishing in only 8-10 hours."This post also has an interesting series of comments about the "affordability" of prefab.
This week, Inhabitat highlighted a new container home from LOT-EK:
"The idea is simple: transform a single shipping container into a single dwelling unit that is complete in its flexibility, mobility, and scalability. Designed for the modern-day nomad, the MDU can easily be transported from one spot to the next, fully-loaded with all the live/work amenities you could ask for."
Preston Koerner of Jetson Green comments on the "greenness" of large homes, and discusses with others in the comments:
Preston: "two of the homes that were discussed in the article were very green by almost all green measures except that of size: one was 4,700+ sf and the other 6,000+ sf. I readily admit the superior green amenities and features of each home..."
Also on Jetson Green, a post about the prefab home built by Japan's Muji. They aren't available yet in the US, but they are nice to look at:
Commenter: "...there will always be people who want to build big ass houses, for one reason or another. Those...houses should be as green as possible..."
Preston: "There's a reason the green world has phrases like 'light footprint,' 'live smaller,' and 'zero impact.' This isn't my perspective on green, I think there's a lot of people out there that feel a 5,000+ sf home for a 2-3 person family is big.""My values and beliefs were partially created through my experience living in Japan. I like minimalist. I like clean, sharp lines. I like modern. I like small, but functional. I appreciate that a grain of rice means something, especially when times are tough. And this is why I'm excited to hear the news of Muji coming to America..."
