Party Walls

High-quality design, engineering, and construction; the guiding principles used to assemble a team of building experts tasked with creating a demonstration project embodying cutting edge sustainability. Led by the New Hampshire-based builder Unity Homes and the Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute, a hand-selected team of product manufacturers and technical consultants have collaborated to develop the 2015 Greenbuild Unity Home. As the green building certification specialists, SWA’s Maureen Mahle and Karla Butterfield are managing the planning, design, construction, inspection, and testing of the modular home according to LEED BD+C Homes v4 Platinum, ENERGY STAR^® v3, and EPA’s WaterSense and Indoor AirPlus certification program requirements. For last year’s conference, SWA provided similar services to verify the 2014 Greenbuild Living Home.

Pictured above, the 2015 Greenbuild Unity Home is a 1,620 square-foot modular unit, featuring a modern, light-filled open-plan aesthetic and is one of four customizable platforms being made available for sale to the public by Unity Homes. Also known as the Zum home, plans originated in part from a collaboration with MIT’s Open Source Building Alliance, which focused on providing cost-effective energy efficiency and extending the flexibility and useful lifespan of buildings.

Constructed at Unity’s production facilities in Walpole, New Hampshire, pods containing the kitchens, bathrooms, laundry room and mechanical systems have been laid out, assembled and prepared for shipment, including cabinets, appliances, fixtures and finishes, placing the most costly square footage within the controlled environment of Unity’s shop and labor force. The rest of the home, including floors, walls, and roof are being built and shipped as complete panels with framing, sheathing, subflooring, wiring, insulation, windows/doors, and interior and exterior finishes in place. A typical on-site assembly of the shell takes one to three days. The 2015 Greenbuild Unity Home will arrive six days prior to opening of Greenbuild for the crew to enclose, finish and furnish the show home. Following the conference conclusion, the home will be permanently relocated to a rural site in New Hampshire.

In-person tours will be available to Greenbuild attendees at booth #2741 on the floor of the Expo beginning Wednesday, November 18th from 10:30 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. and Thursday, November 19th from 10:00 a.m.– 6:00 p.m.

Stop by SWA’s booth (#3114) to speak to an efficiency expert, or attend one of the three SWA led education sessions.