EcoLuxury homes are not new, particularly in a town such as Boulder, however this showcase home represents a leap forward in design and construction.
It starts with a 100-year perspective. Unlike most American homes that are designed to last only decades, every aspect of this house is built to 100-year standards.
Built through a partnership between Boulder-based Vireo LLC and WeberHaus GmbH & Co. KG, this home was manufactured in Germany to precise tolerances (1/2 inch over a 100-foot span) and then shipped to the U.S. Once it arrived on site, assembly took a matter of days as there was no additional fabrication required.
See video below for a time lapse:
One of the less obvious benefits of such a short on site build time is cost overruns on typical construction projects due to weather, coordinating large numbers of contractors, and delivery delays in supplies and materials are practically eliminated. Further, construction site waste is cut from an average of 17% to a claimed 2%.
As you might imagine, it has an array of solar photo-voltaic panels, a gray water recycling system and ultra efficient lighting and appliances. It’s also pressure tested to 3 atmospheres so the only air exchange (through an ultra-efficient heat exchanger) is for freshness. As such, it only requires about 18% of the energy of the average home.
To learn more about this unique home, visit the 2002 Alpine website for more information.
Many thanks to David Scott of Colorado Landmark Realtors.