A team of Philadelphia-based green building visionaries have joined efforts to build a LEED certified home for $100K. After experiencing frustration at the lack of available modern, green, affordable homes, developer Postgreen, Interface Studio Architects and building company Level 5 Construction have set out to construct a 1,000 sq ft home for $100 per sq foot, and get it LEED certified.
The100K House Project was started back in the fall of 2007 with two urban infill lots in East Kensington in Philadelphia. Their blog posts detail the process as they build out these homes, and include pictures, floorplans, LEED checklists, builder spec plans and even a construction budget. It’s a shame no one got the rights for a reality TV show for this, but the project team is diligently documenting the progress online.
As one intent of the 100K House Project is to get LEED certified, many green features will be incorporated into the project. Some of these features include, solar thermal hot water, rainwater collection, low-flow fixtures, radiant in floor heating, passive air conditioning, ERV and dehumidifier, efficient lighting, SIP construction, low VOC finishes, and drought tolerant landscaping that is 100% permeable.
These homes will be for sale once they break ground and the expected asking price will be around $200 – $250K. These houses are an attempt to meet the demand of average income consumers dreaming of a modern yet healthy and sustainable home. The team has placed a high priority on modern architectural design and cost effective green building. In order to build an affordable home, the focus is on providing the best building envelope and mechanical design rather than on high-end finishes.
+ Postgreen
+ Interface Studio Architects
+ Level 5 Construction
I’ll take one! The only problem right now with going green for most people is the up-front price.