Lady LUX

Calling all forward-thinking LUXies!

As a way to continue to inspire you with ‘green’ living, we’ve highlighted a few of the top eco-designs to encourage you to think eco-friendly and LUX this 2010.

One of our FAVs includes a more contemporary look and feel that was designed by Paul Raff Studo. Featured in the gallery above, Solar Cascade House was created to ‘think’ green for you! How LUX-tastic is that? Built with ‘automated shades, passive ventilation and surrounded outside with trees’ this house combines design with nature to create the ideal temperatures regardless of winter or summer conditions!

Looking for something that’s much more customizable as well as ‘mobile’? Check out this ‘i-house’ by Clayton Homes. It’s an eco-designed modern style manufactured home and was built with the environment in mind. With millions of manufactured homes sold each year, Clayton Homes knew it had to make a shift to offer a more eco-friendly alternative. Well, they’ve certainly been quite successful. Launched just last year, this home is ‘designed for a rainwater catchment system’ and has the option to add a solar PV system for alternative energy. Some of the other eco-features include bamboo flooring, low E efficient windows, recycled content for the decking and each room is made to be climate controlled to reduce energy waste. Expect retail price to start at $100,000.

Another ‘pre-fab’ home that could fool me is designed by Blue Sky Homes and is located in Yucca Valley. Due to it being mobile, this home can be shipped to fit any area! This eco-home is created with ‘natural light’ in mind and fits the desert atmosphere in style. Now this home is put together onsite and takes upwards of 8-10 weeks to complete the process. Though, all of the eco-accessories are included in the price at this time. The greenest elements include ‘bamboo, FSC-certified cabinetry, solar PV, solar hot water panels, grey water system, low-VOC paints, high-performance double-E windows and doors as well as Energy Star Appliances.’ Now this pre-fab does ring higher on the investment list, coming in at $275,000 with about $75,000 more of upgrades if you choose. Though, remember this would be on top of the actual land and site-specific items! So you’re looking at much more than that when it’s all said and done. Know they offer a variety of designs from 1,000 sq ft to 2,500 sq ft.

Last, but most definitely not least on the LUX-meter is a home referred to as ‘Solar Skin’ and was built by Team Germany. This eco-design is covered with a special silicon panel system that not only meets the solar requirements for the energy required for the home itself, it also has a surplus of 200% more electricity than needed. This means that a home such as this could help produce energy for the equivalent of two more homes! How ECO-LUX is that? Not to mention, the design features are quite appealing with plenty of room to entertain.

So LUX Nation, we hope you feel inspired to incorporate green elements into your lifestyle!

Green.Life.LUX.

Tagged in: solar power, green homes, solar cascade house, solar skin, pre-fab, energy-efficient windows, i-house,