Modular/Pre-Fabricated/Off-Site Built Homes | $150-$200 per square foot

Modular homes today are a far cry from the trailer homes of old. While the process is the same – they are factory-built so costs are cut by streamlining the process down to an assembly line – they can be designed to be indistinguishable from a stick-built home.  In addition to highly-advanced techniques to maximize energy efficiency in the finished product, these homes often have a much lighter environmental impact because waste is reduced in the building process. And, because they are literally delivered to the job site in some finished state, there is very little construction waste, or the need to disturb soils extensively. One of the best features of an off-site built home is the time needed to “build” the home on-site – it’s cut nearly in half!

if you’re considering such a home, we recommend Boulder-based Solar Village Homes. Their off-site built homes start at about $150 PSF and are beautifully-designed and well-priced. Plus, your home would be manufactured locally, keeping materials, labor, and transportation all in Colorado! Check out the pre-designed models here, but keep in mind that they can take any design and have it produced in the factory to your exact specifications.

The popular magazine, Modular Today, is a great resource for this kind of building and can also give you a list of other manufacturers, pricing, and design ideas, too.

NREL’s Habitat for Humanity Home Model | $95 per square foot

In 2005 the National Renewable Energy Lab (NREL) successfully completed its first zero net energy Habitat for Humanity home in Wheat Ridge, Colorado.  The home continues to perform competitively to our high-end custom zero net energy homes! At $95 per square foot (PSF) for 1,200 SF (including a solar electric system!), it is a great example of what can be accomplished when budget is the primary driver.

NREL published a technical case study on the home that includes a detailed cost analysis. The case study contains many of the keys to low cost/high-efficiency building (how to weigh out the trade-offs for the best thermal, comfort and energy systems benefit).  More information can be found on the NREL website.

Low-Income Housing Models | $100 per square foot

There are architects out there that specialize in low-income housing building design that, by law, has to hover around the $100 per square foot range.  Try looking at some low-income housing developments to get ideas on how to cut costs without cutting luxury, and check out the architects who designed them.  They may be willing to sell you a set of prints to build your own home.  One example of a neighborhood like this is the Holiday Neighborhood in Boulder, Colorado.

Finally, if you’re serious about trying to build your home for around $100 per square foot, we highly recommend that you read the book entitled “The perfect $100,000 house” by Karrie Jacobs. The book is a chronicle of Jacobs’ 14,000 mile mile cross-country trip in search for the perfect $100,000 house.  It’s an adventure trying to find creative ways to cut costs to build your very own dream zero energy home, but the book proves that it can be done.  Have fun, and get in touch with us if you need help!

Next tour: August 18th, Noon – 1 PM

Learn more & sign up

Through the successful design and construction of several zero net energy (ZNE) energy homes, Ecofutures, Inc. has refined the methods, techniques and technologies necessary to achieve zero net energy. Ecofutures is now offering this set of skills and knowledge to new home builders, remodelers, developers, and community planners worldwide.  This new service falls under our carbon neutrality home consultancy.

Installing advanced energy efficiency, health, and comfort measures in single and multi-family homes can be complex and capital intensive. These projects demand vision, knowledge, and perseverance by key players and decision makers.

Ecofutures is available to serve as a knowledge base and an effective team leader for your greening project. By serving as an informed network hub, we connect your team with professionals in the field, making reaching your environmental & operational goals: easier, faster, less expensive, and net-carbon neutral.

Team Leadership

Ecofutures carbon neutrality consultancy is lead by Founder and CEO, Eric Doub, who has become a nationally sought-after advisor and thought leader. Mr. Doub is a graduate of Stanford University where he earned a combined degree in Civil Engineering / Economics / Political Science with an emphasis on ”Sustainable US Resource and Security Policies.”

In addition to founding Ecofutures in 1984 and building the city of Boulder’s first zero net energy home – also the first in the nation in a cold climate to be code-compliant with no gas or electric backup heating equipment - his contributions to the topic of  Zero Net Energy have included:

• Founding Member, Boulder Green Building Guild (BGBG), 2004
• Advisor, BuildSmart Program, Boulder County, Colorado
• Advisor, Green Points Program, City of Boulder’s Environmental Affairs
• Advisory Board Member, High-Performing Homes Retrofit Program, E-Star Colorado
• Co-author, RE-GREEN Guidelines, national green remodeling guidelines for U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC)
• Speaker, ACI/Affordable Comfort Conference, 2007 & 2008
• Speaker, ASID/Interiors08 Conference, 2008
• Speaker, USGBC International Conference, 2007 & 2008

Eric is successful in both his efforts to advance zero net energy into residential building and retrofitting, but also in business. Ecofutures volume has grown an average of 35% per year since 1993, to $3.2 million in 2004.

Ecofutures is here to help guide the construction and retrofitting of buildings that are as green and zero net energy as occupants want them to be.  In short, we are here to help you build for the 21st century.

Learn more about the consulting services we offer

On January 20^th, we received some wonderful news from our stellar on-site Project Manager, Jeremy Mercier:

“All inspections passed with flying colors today.  The inspector had said it was one of the most well-built homes he had ever seen and that it should be a model for future homes in Grand County.  He was blown away with our wall assemblies and said that if this was code, we (our country) wouldn’t be in the trouble we’re in.”

All framing has been completed, and insulation, radiant tubing, and concrete floors are underway.  By the end of February, drywall will be complete, and the home should be ready to live in by August.

The home was brilliantly designed by Bryan Bowen of BBA.

To view our Flickr gallery of this home under construction, please click here.

To see all the technical details of the home, please click here.

Download Profile (PDF)

The Hainlines’ custom home, overseen by expert on-site Project Manager, Jim Pendergast, is due to be completed in August and is projected to achieve a HERS 9 rating.  The Hainlines came to Ecofutures at the onset, relying on our expertise to provide them with the best integrated design team possible, and thus only 5% of the overall construction budget had to be allocated to achieve Boulder County’s BuildSmart-mandated HERS 10 or better.   That 5% included building envelope upgrades such as walls with interior thermal breaks, closed cell spray-in-place foam, and double dry wall, as well as high-performance windows, and a large sun space 3 feet deep that acts as a solar air collector for space heating. Solar thermal and solar electric renewable energy systems were also included in that 5%.

Currently, Jim is having his crew finish up exterior framing and roofing, as well as start on paint and stucco.  Throughout the interior, the HVAC and electrical phases are beginning and the glass for the innovative sunspace was just installed.

To view our Flickr gallery of this home under construction, please click here.

To see all the technical details of the home, please click here.

The first ZNE remodel – or Deep Energy Retrofit – project in Boulder, Colorado was designed with the overarching goal of creating a home capable of producing enough energy to satisfy domestic needs, power a future electric car, and still have a net-negative annual energy balance.  Challenged again with a building site with relatively low passive solar gain, the mechanical systems engineers had to design a building that could “charge” up during sunny days by solar hot water-heated radiant floor systems, and could “coast” through cloudy cold-snap days without needing more energy.

With the addition of a 6.02-kW solar array installed by Namaste Solar Electric, the home is expected to achieve 120-130% of it’s net-zero energy goal within the first year with a net excess greater than 1,500 kWh.

What our clients think: Coming soon!

This home was featured on the 2007 Boulder County Tour of Solar & Green Homes and was gracefully designed by Andy Johnson of DAJ Design.

CLICK TO EXPAND AND READ MORE BELOW:

Key Details

Renewable Energy Systems

Advanced Energy & Comfort Systems

Building Envelope

Interactive Features

Want to see how the home is performing right this minute? Check out its live Web Energy Logger (WEL) installed by Sunnyside Solar Colorado.

Ready to learn more about us? Read about our whole-systems approach to building and why we should be your choice for a new or retrofitted zero net energy home. Don’t take our word for it, though. Check out what our clients have to say about us.

Project profile coming soon.

Profile description coming soon.

We built Solar Harvest, our award-winning flagship home, in 2005 to prove that sustainable, high-performance construction is not only possible but the most viable way to future-proof your home against rising energy costs. As a zero net energy (ZNE) home designed with an integrated whole-systems approach, Solar Harvest consistently produces more energy than it consumes.

Most importantly, Solar Harvest is home to Ecofutures’ founder Eric Doub’s family of four that will benefit for decades to come from its durability, beauty, comfort, and clean air.

Solar Harvest has been reviewed more than 40 times in journals and papers around the world, including the New York Times, Investors Business Daily, and the Washington Post, as well as by HGTV and Discovery Science Channel. Additionally, the home and Ecofutures have won numerous awards for our efforts to advance building methods and materials to new and greener levels.

Over 3,000 visitors have toured Solar Harvest, and you are welcome to visit as well! Put your name on the list for an invitation to our next group tour here.

CLICK TO EXPAND AND READ MORE BELOW:

Key Details

Renewable Energy Systems

Advanced Energy & Comfort Systems

Green and Healthy Materials

Brochures & Technical Documents

Live Systems Monitoring & Performance Verification

Interactive Features

ZNE Features Comparison Chart

Ready to learn more about us? Read about our whole-systems approach to building and why we should be your choice for a new or retrofitted zero net energy home. Don’t take our word for it, though. Check out what our clients have to say about us.

Profile description coming soon.