The final Solar Decathlon 2009 team on our list: Team Puerto Rico.

Their house: Caribbean Affordable Solar House (CASH).

From the DOE site:

The Puerto Rico team designed its entry for maximum connection to the outdoors and to serve as a model for energy-efficient homes in the Caribbean.

Worth a look:

• site
• video (4:59)
• Facebook photos
• flickr photostream

The University of Louisiana calls their Solar Decathlon 2009 entry BeauSoleil, which means "sunshine" in Canjun French.

According to their site:

The house is designed to withstand hurricane-force winds and to be totally self-sufficient, which makes it especially ideal for coastal environments.

...

TEAM BeauSoleil are dedicated to turning this real-world, sustainable living solution into an affordable, working model that can be sold to the public.

Worth a look:

• photo gallery
• video gallery

Interesting to note: they are sharing updates on a Facebook page instead of a blog.

Here's another long-distance entry for the Solar Decathlon 2009: Team Spain's The Black and White House.

According to their site:

The major concept of the House is to be transportable and easy to build all over the world.

The prototype of The B&W House was therefore conceived as a modular plan made up of nine squares[.] For transport and assembly purposes, the house has been divided Into three mobile units.

Worth a look:

• blog
• news
• virtual visit
• assembly video (3:20)

Team Germany's Solar Decathlon 2009 entry is called surPLUShome.

According to their site:

One of the biggest problems for Team Germany is the building's transportation. For fast assembly on the National Mall the building is designed [to be] modularized, divided vertically and horizontally into four building modules. To secure the building during the transport, we supported the wooden structure with reusable steel profiles.

Worth a look:

• blog
• photo gallery
• webcam

Another Solar Decathlon 2009 team: University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

Their Meltwater House is constructed with 4 modular units. According to their site:

The powerful change-of-state involved in melting the glaciers of the Wisconsin Glaciation Period provided the model for the homes many multi-functional components that adapt to the changing needs of its inhabitants.

Another Solar Decathlon 2009 team from Canada: Team Ontario/BC.

They refer to themselves as "Team North" and include students from three schools:

• University of Waterloo in Ontario
• Ryerson University in Toronto, Ontario
• Simon Fraser University in Vancouver, British Columbia

According to their site:

Each component of the building is designed as an independently stable, shippable, and repairable or replaceable artifact

Worth a look:

• blog
• video gallery
• photo gallery

Team Missouri's entry in the Solar Decathlon 2009 is called Show-Me Solar.

The team is a partnership between students from University of Missouri-Columbia and the Missouri University of Science & Technology.

According to their site:

The modern style of the home is governed by a modular three-foot grid on which everything connects, leaving the design simple for construction and unifying the interior and exterior with crisp, elegant lines.

Their page on the DOE site further explains:

The Show-Me House consists of a single module that is 15 by 50 ft (4.6 by 15.3 m). It is capped by a hinged roof, which is roughly 14.5 ft ( 4.4 m) at its highest point. Structural insulated panels in both the roof and walls provide an impressive R-40 insulation value.

Worth a look:

• blog
• webcam (when it works...)

Here's a local entry to the Solar Decathlon 2009: Team Boston.

From their page on the DOE site:

Team Boston is composed of more than 150 students from Boston Architectural College (BAC) and Tufts University as well as a handful from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Harvard University Graduate School of Design, Northeastern University, and Massachusetts College of Art and Design.

The primary form of their Curio.House is an L-module. According to the Curio site:

This L-module adheres dimensionally to standard shipping requirements, and can be developed further into a factory-built, prefabricated seed to be easily shipped to any site.

Worth a look:

• video (2:08)
• photo gallery

Method Homes recently posted 10 pictures of a home setting on Lake Whatcom in Washington.

Team Alberta is "the first-ever all western Canadian team to be selected to compete in the prestigious international Solar Decathlon competition."

Their entry, SolAbode, is a collaborative effort between:

• University of Calgary
• SAIT Polytechnic
• Mount Royal College
• Alberta College of Art + Design.

According to a February newsletter:

Our house is designed to sit on a rolling rail system. This means we won't have to use a crane on the Washington Mall. Our modules (four in all) will be unloaded at one end of the rails, rolled to the next module and then prepped for connecting before being linked in place.

Worth a look:

• site
• blog
• photo gallery
• video gallery
• web cam

Interesting to note:

[SolAbode] will be showcased in Vancouver during the 2010 Olympic Winter Games.

Rice University's entry in the Solar Decathlon 2009 is the "Zero Energy Row House."

The design of the ZEROW HOUSE adopts the row-house typology, specific to the urban fabric of Houston's Third Ward community as a primary precedent. Our design addresses the small size and limited budget of typical row houses through replication, innovative use of current technologies, local materiality, and an understanding of life-cycle costs.

The total cost: $148,000.

Worth a look:

• blog
• photo gallery
• video gallery
• budget

Interesting to note:

Instead of building a house just for the competition, the team designed a home they could give back to the community. The team has already negotiated an agreement with Project Row Houses, a local community development organization, to give the ZEROW HOUSE a permanent home in Houston's Third Ward after the competition.

The San Francisco Chronicle reports that Michelle Kaufmann has sold the building rights to several of her MK Designs homes to Blu Homes.

Designs include:

• Glidehouse
• Breezehouse
• mkLotus
• mkSolaire

According to the article:

They have developed a proprietary unfolding modular technology that will enable cost savings to be made on Kaufmann designs at the shipping and on-site building stages. Elements that make up the homes such as wall panels are created with hinges so they can be compacted for transportation and unfolded on site. The MK Designs homes will have slightly different floor plans, proportions and elevations from the originals, although, Kaufmann said, the design principles should remain the same.

Blu Homes plans to market the homes nationwide.

Penn State's entry in the 2009 Solar Decathlon is called Natural Fusion.

Worth a look: their site and blog.

Their May 20, 2009 explains the house's name.

Interesting to note: According to a recent Treehugger post, Ed Begley, Jr. will be the guest of honor at their Bon Voyage party this weekend.

Next on the 2009 Solar Decathlon list: Ohio State University.

According to a post in February, Solar House 1 has:

three modules that will be transported separately to Washington, D.C.

and

each module was designed to be stucturally independent

Worth a look:

• site
• photo gallery
• video gallery

Interesting to note:

This house is "Ohio-centric," and uses local materials wherever possible, Whirlpool appliances (an Ohio manufacturer), and reclaimed barn wood on the façade to honor the agricultural heritage of the state.

Monday's Solar Decathlon 2009 entry comes from University of Minnesota.

The design of the ICON Solar House is based on the familiar gabled roof form of an American family home.

According to their site, the 800-square-foot home was broken down into 6 modules for the trip to Washington, D.C.

Worth a look:

• blog
• photos

West Coast Green 2009 will be returning to California in October.

At West Coast Green you’ll find over 300 exhibitors showcasing the latest in resource-efficiency among a stunning array of green and healthy building products. Over 100 experts and visionary leaders will be presenting their latest developments, insights, and inspiration at the expanding frontiers of the field. And over 14,000 attendees including the entire chain of professionals and decision-makers rarely reached by other conferences are expected.

Two things to note on the prefab front:

• Green Horizon Manufacturing will be showcasing their new SFH40 model.
• Michelle Kaufmann of MKD will be running a session on Friday called "Housing 2.0: Re-thinking the Prefab Model"

Next on our list of 2009 Solar Decathlon teams: The University of Kentucky.

According to the Solar Decathlon site:

The s.ky blue house embodies Kentucky's historic and indigenous breezeway house design and incorporates images from Kentucky on the exterior.

Worth a look:

• site
• photo gallery
• video (4:54)

Interesting to note:

The s.ky blue house is designed to exceed the U.S. Green Buildings Council's LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) for Homes Platinum standards

Another Solar Decathlon 2009 team: Iowa State University.

According to the project manager, Interlock House:

[is] a modular construction, with five different components of the house.

There will be three floor components, two of them having walls, one of them having pop-up walls on site...[it] will also have a top portion with two east and west roof modules and a center portion also assembled on site.

...

So we have the east and west parts [of] the house built ahead of time and the center part built on site with pre-cut and pre-fabricated materials.

Worth a look:

• Web site and blog
• Photo Gallery
• (live) webcam

Interesting to note:

Interlock House is designed specifically to appeal to seniors and meets all regulations for accessibility under the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act.

The Solar Decathlon 2009 is full of prefab, modular and component-based construction. Today's entry is from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

The Gable Home:

will ship in three major components: the main module, the roof cap and accessories.

...

The main module of the home will transport as a single, enclosed unit, measuring 15’-6” wide x 53’ long and 11’-10” tall.

Worth a look:

• Gable Home website and blog
• Video Gallery
• Image Gallery

Interesting to note: They partnered with Homeway Homes to manufacture the Gable Home.

Here is the Solar Decathlon 2009 entry from Cornell University.

The Silo House:

consists of three cylinder-shaped modules that interconnect

According to one of the students:

You're not going to see another house like this on the mall...This is our third competition, and we were tired of doing boxes. We decided to do a whole new take on modularity."

Interesting to note: "With more than 150 members, the Cornell team is the largest student-run project on campus -- a point of pride."

Their Silo House Web site is coming soon.

Next on the list: the University of Arizona is one of twenty teams competing in the Solar Decathlon 2009.

Their SEED[pod]:

can be manufactured as a self-contained module, easily customized for different tastes and climates, and shipped to any location where buyers want to "plant" it.

Follow progress via their blog.

Here's another U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon contestant building with prefab components.

The house will be on display next month at the National Mall in Washington, DC.

According to the Lumenhaus site:

The modular design means the whole house itself is also flexible. Multiple units can be connected or stacked with plug-in stairs and entryways to create two-, three- or four- bedroom houses to adapt to the owners’ changing life circumstances.

Worth a look:

• a video (9:41) documenting the process

• Team Virginia Tech's blog

• a Team News page on the Solar Decathlon site which aggregates all of the team blogs into one channel

Interesting to note: Virginia Tech is the only U.S. team to also compete in Solar Decathlon Europe in 2010.

Copeland Casati, founder of Green Modern Kits, recently posted that she would be holding an Open House at her casa ti Modern Net Zero Prefab.

The green building architect of the casa ti, David Day of David Day Design, will be available on site. Our fabulous contractor, Ron Bernaldo, will also be there so you can ask him [all] your building questions.

The Baltimore Sun recently featured a Habitat for Humanity project consisting of nine factory-built homes in Chesapeake, MD.

According to the article:

Factory-built houses aren't just quick to put up, they're cheaper than homes constructed on-site. Advocates for lower-income residents are realizing that, done right, there's nothing of the much-maligned trailer park about houses coming off today's assembly lines.

Interesting to note:

Habitat's modular-home buyers are getting the whole package, land and all, with no-interest loans from the organization. Including pricey site work but not the cost to buy the land, each house cost Habitat $120,000. When the group built homes from scratch last year in Southwest Baltimore, the construction and site work totaled nearly $160,000 per house.

They include a video (1:54) discussing the project.

The October 2009 issue of Dwell Magazine features a shipping container home in Houston, TX.

the corrugated steel of three containers—two 40-foot-long modules and one 20-foot-long unit—form the northern, southern, and western facades, with a glass wall to the east completing the perimeter

Another 40-foot container serves as a guest house and storage unit.

model: Cordell House

designer: Christopher Robertson of Robertson Design

manufacturer: Numen Development

size: 1,858 sf

br: 3

bath: 3

Here's some pricing info from Numen Development's site:

Our completed projects have ranged from $100/sq.ft. to $150/sq.ft

Dwell includes a slideshow of 23 pictures.

The September 2009 issue of Midwest Home Magazine featured a modular home in St. Paul, MN.

model: B-Line Medium 002

designer: Hive Modular

size: 2,010 sf

br: 3

bath: 3

According to the article:

A 240-ton crane showed up at 8:30 a.m., and a crew of 20 started work. The wood-framed, fiberglass insulated, Hardieplank modules—already dry-walled, wired for electric, and plumbed—were screwed together, patched, mudded, and…voila! By 1:30 p.m., the house was ready for finish work

Hat tip: Jetson Green on September 4, 2009.

LivingHomes founder and CEO Steve Glenn posted that he will be speaking next week in Seattle.

The Vermont Chapter of the American Institute of Architects is hosting a tour of modern houses this weekend throughout the state. The tour is part of a program which includes a lecture at the University of Vermont on September 10, 2009.

One of the 10 houses is a Plat House by LamiDesign (La Vardera Milano).

Preform Construction Ltd. is a new 20,000 sf factory in Surrey, British Columbia.

According to their site, they are:

A prefabrication service for architects, builders and homeowners.

They offer design and manufacturing services, with three options:

• Prefabrication of your design
• Custom Design and Prefabrication
• Choose from our Modular Units

They don't list available modular units, but do offer a gallery of 8 pictures.

Interesting to note:

[The] factory includes a full millwork shop with craftsmen able to provide everything from kitchens to furniture.

Hat tip: Jetson Green on August 28, 2009.

The Arizona Republic recently discussed the evolution of prefab homes.

Modular houses, usually built in 14-foot-wide sections and assembled at a home site, have evolved from mobile homes of questionable durability into better-built houses with many of the same finishes and features of standard production houses.

Companies mentioned in the article:

• Cavco Industries
• ZETA Communities

Also mentioned, two Arizona communities:

• Dolce Vita at Superstition Mountain in Apache Junction
• Tuscany Villas at Painted Mountain in Mesa

A followup from Friday's post: Shelter-Kit was recently featured on New England Cable News.

Here's the video (3:03).

We recently received an email from a company called Shelter-Kit in Tilton, NH.

According to their site:

Shelter-Kit® buildings include all of the materials required to construct a weather tight shell on your foundation: hardware, fasteners, framing, sheathing, floors, roofing, flashing, drip edge and trim.

All kits, except the Barn-House include a standard window & door package. All materials are hand selected, carefully cut to precise dimensions, labeled, and packaged in easily identifiable bundles that two people can carry.

Worth noting:

In the past 39 years, over 85% of our kits have been built by people with no prior building experience.

Shelter-Kit offers a variety of buildings and styles:

Model	Price	Size	BR	Assembly Time
Cape Style Barn-Houses	$26,345+	875-2,500 sf	1-5	10+ days
Green Homes	varies	875-2,500 sf	1-5	10+ days
Post & Beam Lofthouses	$17,185+	415-1,565 sf	2	~7 days
Unit One	$9,975+	144-1,500 sf	1	3-4 days

Also check out their kits for Barns, Garages & Workshops.

They are currently advertising:

Shorter lead times and special pricing are available for kits without major design modifications, for delivery by October 31, 2009.

Method Homes recently announced the launch of their new "umbrella company", Method Prefab:

Method Prefab is the parent company to all method divisions including Method Homes, featuring our proprietary home models, Method Factory, featuring custom prefab work for architects, developers, homeowners and other prefab companies, and Method Contracting, the site construction wing of Method Prefab.

For more information on each division, check out their individual pages on the new Method Prefab site:

• Method Homes
• Method Factory
• Method Contracting

Ray Kappe's WIRED LivingHome was recently featured on KNBC in LA as part of their "green is universal" series.

Here's the video (2:30).

Postgreen Homes recently announced their newest project in Philadelphia, built with SIPs.

We are building three new homes on E. Susquehanna Ave in East Kensington, just a few doors down from the original 100k Project.

They are calling these homes "The Skinny Project".

...named for the new model we will be debuting in this build. The Skinny, designed to fit on Philadelphia’s narrow lots, offers an extremely flexible, open floor plan.

model: Skinny

designer: Postgreen Homes

br: 2

bath: 1

price: starting at $250,000

available: yes

They also launched a home customization tool for the Skinny and three additional models:

Model	BR	Bath	Price
Family	2	1-2	starting at $260,000
Loft	1	1	starting at $250,000
Work	1	1	starting at $250,000

New World Home was recently featured on Eyewitness News 9 (WNCT-TV) in North Carolina as part of their "Make it Green" series.

Watch the video. (0:50)

This house made with SIPs was created as a model for "sustainable, affordable housing" in Atlanta, GA.

model: Slice House

designer: Studio ST Architects

size: 1,400 sf

From their model page (emphasis added):

Above the concrete base, the house is constructed of Structural Insulated Panels (SIP). These panels are pre-cut and pre-wired to match builder specifications and include the interior GWB finish wall, allowing the house to be constructed by three people in two days, generating significant savings in construction time and cost.

The SIPs are attached to one another and do not require additional stick framing. The structure acts as a shell, is typically 30% stronger than a comparable wood stud home, and allows greater design flexibility.

The budget for the project: $160,000.

Hat tip: "+ MOOD" on August 7, 2009.

While researching last week's post, we found this video (3:54) of the ZETA Communities V1 install.

Alchemy Architects recently posted links to pictures of their 19th and 20th weeHouse prefabs being set.

There are 32 pictures of each house:

• Nederland, CO
• Dundee, NY

Preferred Building Systems in Claremont, NH is offering tours of their factory this fall.

According to their site:

Preferred Building Systems is the manufacturer of affordable modular homes and luxury customized modular mansions, as well as multi-family homes and apartment units. Our systems built components include modular, panelized and prefabricated modules.

They currently deliver to: NH, VT, ME, MA, CT and RI.

Worth a look:

• home setting video (1:51)
• promotional video (0:30)
• picture gallery

Jetson Green recently covered a prefab display for the Palm Pre made from an iT House.

The 240 square-foot exhibit had to be built in twelve hours or less, and Taalman Koch was able to get that done using a stripped down version of the itHouse.

Designer Taalman Koch Architecture has a flickr page with 47 more pictures of the exhibit.

The Denver Post recently covered the Aria Denver project.

designer: Michelle Kaufmann Designs

developer: Urban Ventures

In addition to the new homes for the nuns, the company is developing about 17 acres it's buying from the sisters. The first phase of the project, which ultimately will include 270 residences, is expected to start construction by the end of the year.

...

They'll be priced from $250,000 to $500,000 and range in size from 960 square feet to 1,600 square feet.

An article in the July/August 2009 issue of The Atlantic mentions efficiency improvements in housing as a way to ease our reliance on carbon.

The problem:

slightly more than half of the energy consumed in the United States goes to buildings: 12 percent for constructing them, and 39 percent for heating, cooling, and lighting them

According to Marc Porat, "a serial entrepreneur in the 'built environment' sector" and Chairman of ZETA Communities:

“The easiest, fastest, most effective way to reduce energy demand is to hit buildings”

Porat’s Serious Materials makes high-efficiency windows and low-energy drywall; CalStar Cement uses fly ash to make low-carbon bricks and cement; Zeta Communities puts up town houses with minimal carbon footprints.

(From ZETA's site: "ZETA's core business is factory-built production of residential and non-residential structures.")

LivingHomes founder and CEO Steve Glenn posted that he will be leading a brown bag lunch talk at AIA's office in Portland, OR.

You’ll see what we do at LivingHomes to dramatically reduce our homes’ impact on water, air, material resources and power.

In July, The Neosho Daily News in Missouri featured a modular house put together by students in building trades classes at Crowder College.

[The] house was built modular style so it can be moved easily.

The only details we could find:

Interesting to note:

They held an open house and accepted "bids for the house with the winning bid subject to approval by the board of trustees."

Postgreen Homes is "a real estate development firm specializing in modern, green and affordable buildings in Philadelphia’s urban neighborhoods."

According to their site:

projects include single and multi-family residential units as well as mixed-use and commercial buildings for both purchase and lease

Their first project was a loft townhouse built with SIPs.

model: 100k House

developer: Postgreen Homes

designer: Interface Studio Architects LLC

builder: Manor Hill Contracting

size: 1,150 sf

br: 2

bath: 1

available: yes

From the 100k House Project Summary page:

It was conceived as an attempt to prove that green construction can be affordable if properly designed and executed. The project name came from the target construction cost (labor and materials only) for the smaller of the two homes.

Interesting to note: The 2 unit building (includes the 100k House and the 120k House) has a projected sales price of $200,000 - $250,000.

Worth a look:

• flickr collection of photos, renderings and plans
• video tour (3:03)
• 100k House blog

The Marketplace Morning Report from American Public Media recently discussed the future of green prefab.

Featured: Marmol Radziner and Blu Homes.

According to co-founder of Blu Homes, Maura McCarthy:

the recession isn't killing prefab, it's finally making it cost competitive

Listen to the podcast (2:31).

The February 2009 issue of Dwell Magazine featured a modular home in Lost River, Virginia.

model: Lost River Modern

designer: Resolution 4 Architecture

manufacturer: Simplex Homes

size: 1,900 sf

br: 3

bath: 2

Worth a look: slideshow of 7 pictures.

Note: The house was built in 2007 - 2008. The owners tracked the entire process via their blog: A PreFab Project. Check out our related posts for more information.

Hat tip: Apartment Therapy on August 7, 2009.

The casa ti prototype by Green Modern Kits has been covered in the news recently, according to a post by Copeland Casati:

• NBC12 in Richmond, Virginia on August 4, 2009 includes a video (2:03)

• C-ville Abode in Charlottesville mentions the house in their Green Scene section dated August 4-10, 2009

A month ago, The Saratogian featured this 3-unit modular home in Saratoga Springs, NY.

According to owner, Helena Frost:

This is totally custom made in the factory...It really helped cut down on the cost, about $40 less per square foot.

See our earlier post for more details.

This two story house in Upland, California is being constructed out of five recycled shipping containers from AAA Containers & Equipment Sales.

designer: Claremont Environmental Design Group

builder: Oasis Design & Construction

br: 4

bath: 3.5

The owner, Avani Zaidi, has been tracking the entire process via her blog. She has posted quite a bit of information, including a time line (with prices) and architectural diagrams of the house.

Worth a look:

• 1st floor installation pictures
• 2nd floor installation video (7:45)
• framing video (3:05)
• framing pictures

Hat tip: container-life on July 14, 2009.

Michelle Kaufmann and the developers of AriaDenver will be participating in a forum next week in Denver, Colorado.

According to a recent post on Michelle Kaufmann's blog, they will

discuss sustainable design, building and living as well as modular construction and the Casa Chiara and AriaDenver projects.

Michelle noted:

There will also be a viewing of the [Casa Chiara] modules being set on site earlier that day from noon - 2pm

The Los Angeles Times recently covered a prefab house being built by students from Santa Clara University and California College of the Arts.

According to a video (5:48) on their site, the house is constructed from 3 modules arranged in a u-shape.

Refract House will be on display this October at the National Mall in Washington, DC as part of the U.S. Department of Energy's Solar Decathlon.

The Solar Decathlon joins 20 college and university teams in a competition to design, build, and operate the most attractive and energy-efficient solar-powered house.

For more info on the project, see:

• documentary (6:54)
• blog

The New York Times recently featured a ranch retreat that we covered in April.

Cinco Camp is unlike most other shipping-container structures in that the boxes have been left intact, rather than being cut, contorted and connected. The containers and the bar-grate steel decking that runs between them have the same rusty patina as West Texas cattle guards and barbed-wire fences. Hovering above the house and shielding it from the sun are the five slanted, shed-like covers held aloft by I-beams.

model: Cinco Camp

designer: Mark Wellen of Rhotenberry Wellen Architects

size: 800 sf (5 containers)

br: 2

bath: 1

price: ~$200,000

method: containers

Worth a look: slideshow containing 11 pictures.

Interesting note: The owner, Roger Black, "was the art director at Rolling Stone in the 1970s, and at The New York Times and Newsweek in the 1980s, is now a publications consultant and a partner of Font Bureau Inc."

Hat tip: Apartment Therapy New York on July 16, 2009.

Marmol Radziner Prefab recently announced that Haven Custom Homes will manufacture their Skyline series of homes.

Todd Jerry, COO of Marmol Radziner Prefab:

We are excited to have found Haven Custom Homes and to partner with them on this exciting venture. The firm's commitment to the highest standards of green construction is impressive.

Jerry Smalley, CEO and president of Haven Custom Homes:

Haven is honored to partner with Marmol Radziner...We're excited to be able to bring their award-winning designs to the East Coast.

On his blog, Lloyd Alter recently announced that he is selling his Sustain miniHome prototype.

It is a design classic, and the only one ever built. The miniHome Solo is solar and wind powered, a complete off-grid, self-sustaining year round machine for living.

model: miniHome SOLO

designer: Andy Thomson of Altius Architecture

manufacturer: Sustain Design Studio

size: 350 sf

br: 1

bath: 1

price: $100,000

available: yes

See the post for 3 interior photos and contact information.

For those who don't recognize the name: Lloyd writes for Treehugger, sharing some of his prefab expertise.

Lloyd Alter has been an architect ... [a] developer of award-winning condos and townhouses, inventor, and builder of prefab housing with Canada's Royal Homes. He .... is an Associate Professor at Ryerson University teaching sustainable design.

Alchemy Architects recently posted the real estate listing of a weeHouse in Siren, WI. This model has been on display since May 2009, according to an earlier entry.

Note:

shipping and set to be paid by buyer (approximately $7/mi from Siren, WI + $1000. 'set' fees)

Worth a look: the listing includes 7 more pictures.

LivingHomes recently posted new fabrication photos of their WIRED LivingHome as well as a video (6:00 min.) of their Builder LivingHome.

Michelle Kaufmann recently posted 3 pictures of the Casa Chiara modules en route to the AriaDenver site.

Last week, she posted 15 pictures of construction in the factory and site work.

Clayton Homes recently announced a partnership with Empire Construction "to create a new e-living concept for multi-family dwellings."

According to Kevin Clayton, President and CEO of Clayton Homes:

Not only will the units be built utilizing the green benefits of modular construction and have energy-efficient features inside of them, but there will also be a recycling program on property, which completes the e-living concept.

The six unit modular building will be built in West Knoxville, Tennessee.

Five of the units will be occupied by families, with one unit remaining vacant to be used as a model home.

They estimate the project will be completed by December 2009.

Hat tip: Instapundit on July 28, 2009.

In the mail from Hayden Lindley (President): ClearSpace Modular Homes, Inc. recently launched a line of prefab homes. Delivery is only available in Texas right now.

According to their site:

We offer affordable, high-quality modern prefab housing that is sustainably focused and inspired by mid-century modern architectural design.

Model	Size	BR	Bath
The Casita	432 sf	studio	1
ShedSpace	1,203 sf	3	2
DualSpace	1,330 sf	3	2
CenterSpace	1,524 sf	3	2

Two additional models are planned: CabinSpace and CornerSpace.

The pricing for base modules is listed as $110-$115 sf, but they estimate a building cost of $130-145 sf for one of their stock designs.

ClearSpace is hoping to start their first project soon and will post progress via their blog.

The houses are designed by Mark Meyer of designSTUDIO. He blogged about The Casita in March.

Inhabitat recently covered a prefab concrete house in Ecuador which was completed in 2006.

model: Pentimento House

designer: Jose Maria Sáez and David Barragán

An elegant and contemporary version of the Lincoln Log House, architects...purposefully stacked prefabricated concrete pieces so that spaces were left in-between, allowing air to flow through the home while still maintaining a feeling of separation between indoors and outdoors.

Check out the post for 12 more pictures.

Past coverage: designboom on November 23, 2007 and ArchDaily on May 14, 2008.

LamiDesign (La Vardera Milano) recently posted pictures of a Plat House in Texas built by one of their customers.

Check out the post for 16 more pictures.

The Valdosta Daily Times in Georgia recently covered an open house at Affinity Building Systems, LLC.

The company manufactures modular homes that are green, affordable and of a high-quality, and have over 24 designs to choose from.

On display:

model: The Cairo

designer: Affinity Building Systems, LLC

size: 2,522 sf

br: 3

bath: 2

price: $148,379

According to the article:

once the different components of the house were built in the factory, it took about two-and-a-half hours to put them together on the desired spot. Then, for about two weeks the builders finished the walls, laid down the carpets, mounted the garage doors, finished the roofs, and did some final cosmetic work

Yesterday, LaMi Design (La Vardera Milano) introduced ibu-revolution with a long post that goes into some of the history of container-based prefab.

According to the new page on their site:

ibu_revolution is a system for building dwellings from ISO standard shipping containers. It is a scalable manufacturer/dealer/sales force friendly system that yields the maximum product diversity from the smallest part set. It leverages the portability and strength of the ISO units and overcomes the limited width of the modules. This is the way to build dwellings with shipping containers.

An earlier post specifies:

[It's] not a house design - [it's] a platform for making house designs.

Watch the promotional video (2:08) and follow progress via twitter.

Popular Science recently featured a project using a new type of prefab panel frame by kama Energy Efficient Building Systems.

These aren't your conventional structural insulating panels. Instead of foam and strand board, Kama...custom-makes the rigid panels out of light-gauge metal studs and a special type of expanded polystyrene called Neopor that's non-toxic, fully recyclable and blended with graphite to lock out heat, moisture and mold.

According to John B. Carnett, the Popular Science staff photographer who is building the house:

They cost me about 5 percent less than a stick frame would have, but they're 60 percent more energy-efficient and can cut heating and cooling bills in half.

The price listed in his specs for the prefab panel box installation is $7.04 per sf.

Carnett claims to be "the first in the U.S to incorporate Kama's new panels."

House details:

Follow progress via his blog.

Hat tip: Jetson Green on July 21, 2009.

Sunset Magazine recently featured the construction of an LVM kit home by Rocio Romero in Tucson, Arizona.

For $22,050, the LVM kit included plans and the exterior shell and walls of the house, along with siding and a list of suggested finishes from Lowe’s and Ikea.

The article includes a slideshow of the 12 week building process.

Hat tip: re-nest on July 16, 2009.

Steve Glenn, CEO of LivingHomes recently posted a video tour (3:31) of their first completed project, a Ray Kappe LivingHome.

Also worth a look: The company has its own channel on YouTube.

All American Homes recently kicked off The Living Zero Home Tour in conjunction with the U.S. Department of Energy.

• Traveling home features interactive and educational displays designed to be informative and fun
• Purpose is to showcase energy efficient, commercially available products to hundreds of thousands of consumers

The tour began in Chicago on July 1, 2009. It will travel to 15 locations (PDF) through the end of November.

The company has a page describing some of the benefits of systems-built (modular) housing:

Each custom-built home is made ... in a controlled environment. Your home is protected from weather and vandalism during the construction process. It arrives to your site about 70 to 85% complete, and in most cases is set on its permanent foundation and locked the same day.

... controlled construction saves time and money. Systems-built home construction allows you to plan, predict and control costs through better scheduling and more accurate planning.

While researching the company, we noticed Yankee Barn Homes is offering a pre-designed home shell package at a 20% discount.

model: Shingled Cottage

designer: Yankee Barn Homes

size: ~1,500 sf

br: 2

bath: 2.5

price: $121,500

notes: call 1-800-258-9786 for more details.

The sale ends July 31, 2009.

Alchemy Architects recently posted the real estate listing of a weeHouse in the Northwoods of Minnesota.

Worth a look: the listing includes 16 more pictures.

LABhaus has officially launched their new line of modular houses called ecoVilla.

ecoVilla homes are designed first and foremost with the environment in mind. Not only do ecoVillas qualify as Energy Star homes and offer substantial LEED points, ecoVilla homes make the most of their immediate environments with vast expanses of glass and direct garden access from all major living areas.

They offer 3 models:

Model	Price	Size	BR	Bath
eV16	$269,900 - $294,900	1,996 sf	3	2.5
eV39	$349,900 - $374,900	2,982 sf	4	2.5
eV46	$599,900 - $649,900	4,551 sf	5	4.5

Yankee Barn Homes in New Hampshire designs and builds custom post & beam homes nationwide using prefabricated elements.

We ... construct the wood framed True Wall, and True Roof panels, along with specialty millwork, in the protected, controlled environment of our workshop. We build everything that is practical in our shop, then pack the Yankee Barn for shipment to the site.

The Yankee Barn is raised on site and enclosed usually in twelve to seventeen days depending on the project size.

...

Our prefabricated approach to building allows our customers to design and build a custom home with all the latest energy efficient options and still manage to save money by shortening the construction time on their site.

More about the company:

• virtual tours
• photos
• NH Chronicle video (5:51)
• 100's of plans
• model home information

Worth a look: Why they use True Panels instead of SIPs.

On their blog, LionForce Building Systems recently announced their receipt of a 2009 Green Building Award from the city of San Antonio, TX. Their T-2 ecoLiving prototype won Best Green Custom Home under 2,200 sf.

We found some model information in a Social Media Release dated June 25, 2009:

model: T-2

designer: LionForce Building Systems

size: 1,230 sf

br: 3

bath: 2

Pictures of the ecoLiving T-2 home can be found on the company's flickr page.

Hat tip: Jetson Green on June 25, 2009.

Last month, the San Francisco Chronicle featured factory-built homes by ZETA Communities. ZETA stands for "Zero Energy Technology and Architecture".

Zeta hopes to capture the market for multifamily townhomes, lofts and apartments that are affordably priced and complement environmentally conscious smart growth

...

a two-bedroom live-work townhome would be sold to developers for approximately $258,000 per unit, including shipping, installation and mechanical systems and appliances

The Chronicle's blog previously covered ZETA's demonstration home in Oakland.

Interesting to note:

[ZETA] is not intending to do business directly with homeowners. Rather its business model is based on marketing itself to architects and developers by taking existing building plans and figuring out how to build them in modular pieces.

Inhabitat recently covered the setting of a hybrid house in Hollywood Hills, California. The post includes 8 installation photos.

model: Hollywood Hybrid

designer: Marmol Radziner Prefab

size: 2,576 sf

br: 3

bath: 3.5

Called a “hybrid” because the house combines prefab with site-built construction, the ground floor of the home includes two large rooms that are built into the foundation of the house. Besides that, the house is entirely comprised of prefabricated modules on the upper two stories.

Inhabitat referenced an LA Times post which mentions price:

$725,000 for module fabrication, delivery and setting; $140,000 for design fees; and $50,000 for engineering .... The cost of the land, site construction (foundation, utilities, plumbing) and permits were not disclosed.

New World Home produces "a line of new homes based upon historically inspired designs" called A New Old Green Modular™ (NOGM).

The homes combine a very traditional look with a modern approach:

... constructed with environmentally sanctioned products and practices, and are factory-built in a state-of-the-art, highly efficient manufacturing facility.

... can be produced, transported, erected and finished in 60-90 days from the time the production process is initiated.

Prices range from approximately $115-$180/sf.

They offer 7 models:

Model	Size	BR	Bath
Walden Cottage	471 sf	1	1
Emerson	1,749 sf	3	2.5
Carson	1,775 sf	3	2.5
Carver	2,267 sf	3	2.5
Carson w/Addition	2,319 sf	4	2.5
Buckminster	2,332 sf	3	2.5
Chadwick	2,573 sf	3	2.5

Check out their promotional video (1:47).

Hat tip: Jetson Green on July 1, 2009.

LivingHomes recently posted renderings of a Ray Kappe modular home. The multifamily house will be built in Los Altos, CA.

Size: 3,864 sf with 3 units:

• two: 3 BR, 3 bath
• one: 1 BR, 1 bath

More details from the comments section:

One unit will be owner-occupied, one will be low-income, and one will be a standard rental.

Worth a look: their new Tour/Gallery page with virtual tours, videos and photos.

David Ballinger, founder of MetroShed, recently emailed us about his latest project: a prefab houseboat.

From the press release (PDF):

The MetroShip represents 7 years of boat design and planning to utilize unique materials for a houseboat application. I wanted to incorporate the manufacturing efficiencies of our pre-fab buildings (MetroShed) into a luxury aluminum hull houseboat product.

.... most houseboats have lots of windows to let light in – but the result is a very poor looking design. We use transulent thermal aluminum walls....

Some highlights:

• 48ft x 12ft
• modern New York City loft style interior
• The furniture is all ‘green’ – using recycled frames and remnant fabrics made by sister company, MetroSofa.

Check out the MetroShip website for more information.

LABhaus recently announced a new product line designed for restrictive inner city lots.

The inFill line will offer homes ranging from approximately 1,124 sq ft to 3,108 sq ft and turn-key MSRP pricing ranging [from] $149,900 to $379,900.

They offered a preview of one model:

model: iF22

designer: LABhaus

size: 1,682 sf

br: 3

bath: 2.5

price: $239,900-$263,400

available: yes

Check out the post for more images.

Keiser Homes manufactures custom modular homes in Maine, for delivery there and in New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island.

From their site:

Inside an 80,000 square foot facility, we use a system developed to control every step of the building process.

...

Because Keiser Homes is a wholesaler that sells through builders, we cannot give out pricing. We can however, tell you that our pricing is comparable to stick built homes.

They offer a wide variety of models ranging from 840 - 3,120 sf with 1-4 bedrooms. (Follow the above link for a complete list.)

Also, check out:

• slideshow of their Castle Brook model
• pictures of a house setting
• list of builders

On her blog, Michelle Kaufmann shared pictures of a project designed by MKD prior to closing.

project: AriaDenver

model: Casa Chiara

designer: Michelle Kaufmann Designs

manufacturer: Urban Ventures LLC

See the post for more pictures.

Marmol Radziner Prefab recently debuted their new Skyline Series at Dwell on Design. The homes are part of the Dwell Homes Collection.

The Skyline Series is a mix and match system of four floor plans that create six unique homes designed for typical urban lots. Available in a range of configurations for one and two story homes. The Skyline series offers high end modern design, eliminates custom design fees and offers the benefits of prefab construction.

Model	Price	Size	BR	Bath
Skyline 1.2	$550,000 - $750,000	1,318 sf	2	1
Skyline 1.3	$600,000 - $800,000	1,562 sf	3	2
Skyline 2.3	$750,000 - $950,000	1,925 sf	3	2
Skyline 2.4	$800,000 - $1M	2,170 sf	4	3
Skyline 2.5	$800,000 - $1M	2,542 sf	5	3
Skyline 2.6	$850,000 - $1,050,000	2,785 sf	6	4

Hat tip: Inhabitat on June 29, 2009.

While researching yesterday's post about Modular 3, we noticed more prefab projects by Studio 804 at the University of Kansas School of Architecture and Urban Planning. Students in the program have used prefab since 2004.

In an effort to work as expeditiously as possible, we employ methods of prefabrication, building in modular units in Lawrence and shipping the final product to its final destination. This process limits construction waste, requires unique design solutions, and most importantly, allows students to continue to live in Lawrence throughout the process.

Interesting to note:

All aspects of the building process, with the exception of the licensed trades (electric, plumbing, and heating/air conditioning), are carried out by the students over the course of a single semester. This includes everything from initial design to finished construction and documentation.

Model	Size	BR	Bath	modules	Year
Modular 1	1,200 sf	2	1	5	2004
Modular 2	1,200 sf	2	1	6	2005
Modular 3	1,200 sf	2	1	6	2006
Modular 4	1,500 sf	2	1	7	2007

Check out the projects page on their site and click through each for more pictures.

We missed this article last fall. Natural Home Magazine featured a prefab home designed and built by students in the Studio 804 program at the University of Kansas School of Architecture and Urban Planning.

model: Modular3

designer: Studio 804

size: 1,200 sf

br: 2

bath: 1

price: $153,000

built in six modular units in nearby Lawrence, Kansas, where the Studio 804 program is based, then trucked 40 miles to Kansas City and assembled

The students designed and built the home over the course of five months.

Check out the photo gallery and video (3:07).

Hat tip: Low Impact Living Blog on June 22, 2009.

Not mentioned in the article or post: the house was built back in 2006.

Epoch Homes issued a press release back in May announcing their new Eco Collection.

According to CEO John Ela:

Our design goal was to expand upon our custom designed homes by offering some value engineered green homes that are lower cost to purchase and operate, while still offering a healthy lifestyle and resource efficiency.

Worth noting:

Epoch became the first modular home manufacturer in the nation to be certified under the Modular Green Approved program now offered by the NAHB Research Center

They are offering 10 models:

Model	Size	BR	Bath
Ecomod Butterfly	768 sf	1-2	1
Ecomod Gabled	768 sf	1-2	1
Ecomod Tiered	768 sf	1-2	1
Ecowood Ranch	1,344 sf	3	2
Ecowald Ranch	1,400 sf	3	2
Ecoberg Cape	1,610 sf	2	1.5
Ecovale Cape	1,860 sf	2-3	2
Ecobrook Colonial	2,016 sf	3	2.5
Ecoleaf Colonial	2,352 sf	3-4	2.5
Ecoplex Duplex	2,464 sf	4	4

A FlatPak designed by architect Charlie Lazor has just come on the market in California.

model: Wolfback Ridge FlatPak

designer: Lazor Office

size: 4,200 sf

br: 5

bath: 4.5

price: $3,650,000

available: yes

See more pictures via the real estate listing and interactive brochure.

Hat tip: Contemporist on June 23, 2009.

The upcoming issue of Dwell Magazine will feature a hybrid home by Christopher Campbell Architecture.

The wedgelike shape of the house, the red prefabricated steel frame glimpsed between the slats of two-by-eight-foot pine siding, and the roll-up firehouse doors on the seaward facade all owe a debt to the working buildings of Maine.

...

The metal frame and wood panels that line the interior were constructed in a barn on the mainland then shipped out by barge. Work crews took lobster boats out to the island each day; the spiral staircase from the main room to the master bedroom was fabricated in a Maine shop; and the granite in the foundation is from Mosquito Mountain near Bucksport. The doors are from Bristol and the builder, Scott Pearson, whom Campbell frequently praises to the skies, is a homegrown Mainer.

View their slideshow.

We received an email from LivingHomes with a link to their useful overview page. Here are their summaries with links to our updated model pages:

• Ray Kappe LivingHomes: LivingHomes by Ray Kappe are the epitome of warm, modern, sustainable living. Each RK LivingHome features floor-to-ceiling glass windows and doors to create a superior indoor/outdoor environment.

• KieranTimberlake LivingHomes: Our most affordable LivingHomes, the KT line are designed to fit on small, urban lots. The use of decking and light corridors provide outdoor space and natural, indoor light even in the most dense of urban environments. Rooms and entire floors can be added as your living needs change.

Nelse Design + Build constructed their first house using SIPs for the walls and roof:

model: Green Cubed

size: 2,667 sf

br: 4

bath: 2.5

From their Green Cubed website:

The core idea of this project is relatively basic; develop a home design and building system for urban infill lots (in this case, Seattle) that is modular enough to maximize design and construction efficiencies, adaptable enough to respond to each unique site and occupant, and sustainable enough to provide a healthy, environmentally friendly, and energy efficient home for generations of urban dwellers.

A slide show is also available on the site.

Hat tip: Jetson Green on June 18, 2009.

FKDA Architects designs and builds micro-homes in the UK.

They currently offer two models they call "sheds":

According to their site:

The shed could be entirely prefabricated in a factory and delivered to site

...

Alternatively, the components can be delivered and the shed assembled on site, with each being small and light enough for one or two people to manhandle, eliminating the need for a crane.

...

The total process typically takes around 18 weeks.

They are also working on a Zero Carbon modular house they are calling eco-home. We will post more information when it becomes available.

Hat tip: Inhabitat on June 16, 2009 via Design Boom on June 15, 2009.

IC Green designs and builds "modern and sustainable pre-fab dwellings made from converted oversea shipping containers".

They currently offer 6 models:

Model	Size	BR	Bath
320	320 sf	0	1
480	480 sf	0	1
800	800 sf	1	1
1280	1,280 sf	2	2
1600	1,600 sf	3	2
2400	2,400 sf	3-4	2

Check out their construction photos.

Dwell on Design 2009 will be held in Los Angeles, CA at the end of this month.

Dwell Outdoor will cover over 15,000 sf of exhibit space and includes:

• miniHome by Sustain Design Studio
• Reclaimed Space
• IC Green
• Modern Shed
• Lindal Cedar Homes
• Marmol Radziner Prefab

(see complete list of Dwell Outdoor exhibitors)

Of interest to Prefabcosm readers:

Leo Marmol, FAIA, Principal of Marmol Radziner Prefab will be holding a Design Innovation Seminar on Saturday, June 27, 2009 from 3:30pm - 4:00pm.

Los Angeles Times recently featured mini prefab structures, including a photo gallery.

Companies mentioned:

• Modern Cabana
• kitHaus
• Modern-Shed

Hat tip: materialicious on June 15, 2009.

On Monday The New York Times featured a residential project in Germany by architect Daniel Libeskind.

The house is designed as three interlocking structures and most of the elements will be manufactured in a factory.

model: The Villa

designer: Daniel Libeskind

builder: proportion GmbH

size: 515 m² (5,543 sf)

br: 4

bath: 4

price: €2,000,000 - €3,000,000 ($2,800,000 - $4,200,000)

available: yes

Interesting to note: Daniel Libeskind designed "the Jewish Museum Berlin and the master plan for the reconstruction of the World Trade Center site in New York".

“I did everything in reverse in my career,” he said. “Most people start with small projects and go on to design a museum. I started with a museum.”

But he says residential design is “the more interesting part of architecture.”

“Too often we celebrate great civic institutions,” Mr. Libeskind continued, “but actually architecture is how people live and how well they live.”

Read the entire article for more.

Hat tip: Jetson Green on June 15, 2009.

Alchemy Architects recently mentioned that weeHouse is covered in the inflight magazine for Continental Airlines this month.

We looked around and found the link:

CNN.com recently highlighted a house by SG Blocks in Charleston, South Carolina.

According to the slideshow:

This 1,280-square-foot house looks like the rest on the block, but it's made from four shipping containers.

Also watch the video (1:35) previously run on CNN.

GOOD Magazine recently highlighted the design company Project FROG. They are creating modular units as alternatives to the trailers now in use at public schools in California.

According to Adam Tibbs, president of Project Frog:

[My] goal is to replace all of California’s portable classrooms with green buildings by 2015.

There are currently around 85,000 trailers throughout the state.

Unlike trailers, FROG classrooms are made from prefabricated modular units, and can be arranged in different sizes and shapes to fit each school’s needs.

Read the entire article for more details.

Tiny House Blog recently covered a company in Saugerties, NY that sells prefab and modular structures made by Amish craftsmen. See the post for information sent in by the owner, Dave Ortlieb.

Structures by The Barn Raiser include:

• storage sheds and barns
• 1-and 2-car garages
• 2-story buildings
• gazebos
• horse barns

From the FAQ area on their website:

buildings are pre-fabricated and they come completely assembled, except for the double-wide, 2-story & 2-car garage which arrive in 2 halves

Delivery of the structures averages 4 weeks.

See their price list and view their photo gallery.

Hat tip: materialicious on June 10, 2009.

Sunset Magazine debuted the Modern Cottage Idea House by Modern Cabana at their recent 2009 Celebration Weekend.

Created by Casper Mork-Ulnes, award-winning architect and creative director at Modern Cabana, the Modern Cottage offers an elegant solution for expanding family space in a cost-conscious, fun and sustainable way.

From the slideshow:

Built in panels offsite and assembled in a couple of days at Sunset, the cottages are designed to create more living space that's both eco-friendly and affordable

The cottage will remain on display for an Open House.

Hat tip: Jetson Green on June 4, 2009.

ArchDaily recently covered a project by XTEN Architecture. The new structure is an art gallery which was added to a private residence in Los Angeles.

A structural system of lightweight braced frames was developed. They were factory built and assembled by crane in one day.

See the post for more details and pictures.

Matthew Grace Architecture in Australia now offers four resPOD prefab homes.

According to their site, resPOD is:

an extremely cost effective modular form of flexible living that enables every homeowner to be environmentally responsible and sustainable whilst maintaining a high level of quality and detail.

All models are constructed from steel shipping containers.

Model	Size	BR	Bath	Stories
A-Type	291 sf (27 m²)	1	1	1
B-Type	603 sf (56 m²)	2	1	1
C-Type	1,120 sf (104 m²)	3	1	2
D-Type	1,668 sf (155 m²)	4	2	3

(We were unable to find pricing information.)

Hat tip: Inhabitat on May 25, 2009.

On their blog, LamiDesign (La Vardera Milano) recently shared pictures of an EcoSteel Plat House in Massachusetts.

Check out the post for more pictures.

Simpatico Homes will begin building their first prefabricated home in Emeryville, CA this summer.

model: Simpatico prototype

designer: Swatt Architects

size: 2,083 sf

br: 3

bath: 3

Follow their progress via twitter and/or their blog.

Hat tip: Jetson Green on June 2, 2009.

Modular Dwellings, led by Edgar Blazona, creates "mobile, modern and affordable buildings."

Model	Size	BR	Bath
MD 42	42 sf	1	0
MD 100	100 sf	1	0
MD 120	120 sf	1	0
MD 144	144 sf	1	0
MD 280	280 sf	1	1

(We were not able to find pricing information on their site.)

Hat tip: Coming Unmoored on May 22, 2009.

West Virginia Public Broadcasting recently featured brothers John and Charley Garlow and their company, Eco Structures LLC.

Watch the video (13:48) or read the entire transcript.

See our earlier post for more details about the company.

Haven Custom Homes recently issued a press release to announce the completion of a modular home in the Whisper Mountain community just outside of Asheville, NC.

model: Whisper Creek Cabin

designer: Allison Ramsey Architects

manufacturer: Haven Custom Homes

The home is one of four being offered within the 2009 Southern Living Choose Your Home Giveaway presented by MyHomeIdeas.com. (The contest ends on June 30, 2009.)

The contest website includes:

• pictures
• video (3:09)
• virtual tour
• floorplans

According to the press release, the house is open to the public for tours:

Builder Magazine recently highlighted 6 prefab houses that could change the future of home building:

• ma Modular by KRDB
• Unity Collection by Bensonwood
• Simple Cottage Sampler by Russell Versaci Architecture and Haven Homes
• BrightBuilt Barn by Kaplan Thompson Architects and Bensonwood
• IKEA.SmartCarHouse by BSB Design
• HOM Escape in Style by KAA Design Group

[Y]ou’d think that with [traditional home] prices falling as fast as a brick that prefab housing would be a non-factor, but just the opposite appears to be true. In fact, prefab may play an even bigger role in the housing industry from here on, architects and builders say.

Read the entire article for more information.

Viridis Homes in the UK offers 4 modular models:

Model	Price	Size	BR	Bath
Bungalow	$132,867 (£83,203)	898 sf (83.38 m²)	2	1
Terraced	$79,845 - $95,814 (£50,000 - £60,000)	905 sf (84.11 m²)	2	2
Semi-Detached	$130,472 (£81,703)	905 sf (84.11 m²)	2	2
Detached House	$133,181 (£83,400)	905 sf (84.11 m²)	2	2

According to their site:

Our homes are manufactured under factory controlled conditions and are delivered complete with all internal and external finishes, ready for assembly. Unlike other modular buildings, our homes can be transported and installed without the need for expensive cranes. Once the homes have arrived onsite, they are assembled and connected to services quickly and easily within 48 hours by our own team of specialists.

Hat tip: Manchester Confidential Property on May 6, 2009.

Yesterday, The LA times reported that Michelle Kaufmann Designs is closing.

Green prefab architecture firm Michelle Kaufmann Designs is calling it quits, a victim of the credit crisis and broader woes in the economy. In a letter sent over Memorial Day weekend, Kaufmann told clients the firm would close by the end of this week. She confirmed the news in a phone interview Tuesday afternoon.

...

Kaufmann sold the factory last year and in November trimmed the size of her Oakland office to 17. She thought those moves would help see the firm through the recession. But two factories MKD worked with have gone out of business since then, and clients and potential clients have found it almost impossible to get financing.

"Being a small company without significant reserves, that was more head wind than we could bear," she said.

According to the article, she will continue working as a consultant. We wish her luck in her future endeavors.

There's more details in the article, and we expect additional discussion across the industry.

Hat tip: Jetson Green on May 26, 2009.