This showcase model home sits in an eight-house infill neighborhood in Chevy Chase, Md., and blends well with the other new homes the company has built over the past few years as well as the surrounding established homes. Designed to let potential buyers see firsthand the latest green products, technologies, and building methods, the home is a fusion of Frank Lloyd Wright and Asian design styles.
Brad Beeson, director of marketing for the builder, Bethesda Bungalows, ticks off the certifications and relevant “scores” this house has garnered: “It’s LEED Platinum, NAHB Emerald, EPA Indoor AirPLUS, EPA Energy Star for Homes, and earned a 91 Walkscore.”
As important though, is that the house looks like a traditionally designed home, which is important to many consumers, who still equate a green home with a super-modern-looking structure.
The design and building team was able to create this timeless look by choosing sustainable products that offer a traditional look. The roof is Enviroshake, which is a wood-look, 95% recycled product. The siding is LP Smartside engineered wood, which resists fungal decay and termites. Finishing the look is Lifespan FSC-certified Radiata Pine and a garage door with 88% recycled content by Overhead Garage Door.
Beeson notes that while the design fits well with the neighborhood, the fact that it’s a hybrid of Bungalow and Asian styles makes it a one of a kind. “There’s a high level of craftsmanship in the interior, which you notice when you walk in. You don’t see a ‘green house,’ you see the detail.” Beeson attributes this to good design and very detailed specs that ensure everything from the screen walls to the built-in banquette in the kitchen were executed perfectly.
While the company is pleased with the certifications this home achieved, they believe they have been building houses of this quality before they ever attempted to get certified. “I think you could look at any of the houses in [the infill neighborhood] and they would have reached some level of certification as well.”
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