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The world of prefab and modular homes. |
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| cnet.com |
Last week, CNET posted a photo gallery of a modular home with solar electric, solar hot water and other green features:
A key design element of this green building is its metal roof, which on first thought may not seem energy-efficient. After all, metal absorbs heat, and air conditioners consume a lot of electricity.
But PowerHouse's metal roof serves two specific purposes: heating the house in the cold season and generating electricity. Builders run plastic water tubes under the roof. The water is heated by the sun and distributed through the house to supply hot water and warm the house. The house also has solar electric panels to generate electricity during the day....
The company expects the two-unit project, begun in late June, to be done by the end of August."
"Power Pod Can Reduce Energy Costs Up to 80%. And that's pretty incredible"
Treehugger is a fan:
"The modular green prefab biz is full of difficult choices and tradeoffs. The Powerhouse people appear to have thought about them carefully here. Small, green, just drop it in place, what could be better?"
