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Style Magazine

Eco-Friendly Territory

Jul 31, 2008 05:00PM ● By Super Admin

If eco-responsibility is necessary for the future of a healthy earth, then it is only fitting that Folsom welcome the Home of the Future – an “ultra-efficient” residential bungalow constructed by local builder Robert Walter in partnership with SMUD. Their vision: a monthly energy bill of just $24. Considering that the average energy bill (a combination of heat and gas) is somewhere in the vicinity of $140 per month for residences built to new-home standards, and factoring in what most of us are paying at the pump, the relative smallness of a $24 bill represents welcome relief to the homeowners who will pay it, and for the planet they inhabit. The master plan for the 1,940 square feet Home of the Future is nothing short of eco-genius. According to a SMUD-issued news release, the home will feature “two-inch by six-inch framing to allow more room for advanced insulation,” as well as environmentally-friendly amenities, which includes solar electricity, solar hot water, LED lighting and factory framing; the latter of which will play an instrumental role in helping the home earn LEED platinum certification — the standard by which all other green structures are judged, and very difficult to achieve. Should the Home of the Future earn LEED certification, it will be one of only two California homes to hold the honor; the other is in southern California. The aforementioned release also states that the combination of impressive technical and SMUD’s financial incentives is what makes this home a model of green building, very clearly stating that, “The ‘Home of the Future’ is meant to demonstrate to the building community and the home-buying public that attractive and ultra-energy-efficient homes can be built and marketed at reasonable prices.” The Home of the Future – a product of rigorous and thoughtful teaming – is slated for completion this month. Folsom’s older residences will surround the Home, which, somewhat ironically, is just blocks removed from Old Town.


For more Green Tips, be sure to pick up this month's copy of Style-Folsom El Dorado Hills edition. Click on the "Get Your Copy" link on the bottom of this page for some of our newsstand locations. Or, to order a copy of this issue, please email Gloria Schroeder at [email protected], or call her at 916-988-9888 x116.