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| Green modular PowerPod classrooms for music school in Vermont  Epoch Homes continues to lead the industry, building award winning, fully custom designed Green modular buildings for residential and light commercial markets across the Northeast of the U.S. Recently, architect John Rossi and partner Quincy Vale, owners of Powerhouse Enterprises, saw a need for a quick, green solution for a small office, weekend home, starter-house, or bachelor pad. They created the "PowerPod", a self contained modular green building with about 500 square feet of living space. "There are a lot of different views right now on what green means. We try to respond to what the customer wants and give as much guidance as we can," says Company CEO, Ela. He argues that this approach is more effective at introducing green building to the mainstream market than the practice of offering specific green home models or features. Many of the firms making green modular housing offer only a few models with several customizable options, he says, and "home-owners want more options than that." Units come stripped down or tricked-out for a more complete living experience, and the whole deal ships complete and can be installed in one day. Roof designs depend on location and use. Decks, bathrooms and kitchens come in a variety of configurations and options or you can do the interior build-out and finishing yourself. PowerPods feature options such as: • active solar array • remote building monitoring system • high efficiency lighting and water use • heavy insulation and airtight exterior • radiant floor heating • solar windows • rainwater collection scupper • optional composting septic and grey water technology The company recently signed on its first customer, The Yellow Barn Music School in Vermont, which will be using eight PowerPods for its practice rooms, located across the campus. PowerPod's solar butterfly roof can be fitted to generate electricity, and provide hot water. This configuration also allows windows to be placed up to ten feet high, bringing in lots of warm southern sun in wintertime. (Conversely, the roof's sizeable overhangs keep things cool in summer.) Other advantages: high ceilings without excessive volume, lovely northern light and a center trough that's ideal for rainwater collection. Finally, the butterfly's asymmetrical pitch makes the solar collection system almost invisible from ground level. write your comments about the article :: © 2009 Construction News :: home page |