GreenDoor Builders is committed to bridging the gap between green and affordable housing. The company recently unveiled the first home in its Carbon Friendly Affordable Home series, ABC 13 WHAM reported.
Led by Anthony Ottaviani, GreenDoor Builders designs homes for first-time buyers and middle-income families with affordability and environmental responsibility in mind.
In the village area of East Rochester, New York, instead of large lots available for development, there are small, often oddly shaped lots.
Other developers rejected the offer to build on a 40-by-90-foot lot along Garfield Avenue, but Ottaviani saw an opportunity, according to the Rochester Business Journal. He and GreenDoor Builders built their first modular, eco-friendly home on the property.
The home fills the space that once housed a shed and offers modern amenities and a modern aesthetic. The home's 1,300 square feet includes three bedrooms, two bathrooms, a basement and a garage.
“It shows that we can build a great house in a small space and still have a spacious living environment,” Ottaviani told the Rochester Business Journal. “No traditional builder would have done that. There would have been no way to make money.”
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The cost of this modular home is approximately $295,000, not including the land. A traditional home of similar size could cost an estimated $375,000. While the home is more affordable, it also offers great benefits for the home buyer and the environment.
Designed for energy efficiency, the home features two inches of closed-cell spray foam insulation in the walls, R-49 ceiling insulation, and R-value triple-pane windows – all of which allow homeowners to lower utility bills.
There is no natural gas connection – this home is completely electric. A cold climate heat pump also contributes to energy efficiency and keeps the home at a comfortable temperature.
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Because the homes are prefabricated in a factory in Pennsylvania, they can be shipped and assembled quickly.
“The joke is, you went to work and there was a basement, and you came home from work and there was a house,” Ottaviani said, according to the Rochester Business Journal. “We can potentially have a house in about three weeks.”
GreenDoor Builders offers customers four models to choose from, ranging in size from 1,100 to 1,425 square feet. Home buyers can also choose from different floor plans, features and finishes to personalize each home.
The house reduces pollution in several ways. Effective insulation reduces power requirements; a shortage of natural gas reduces the consumption of dirty fuels; and indoor production creates less waste and pollution.
In addition to offering customized, affordable and eco-friendly homes, the company plans to offer augmented reality as part of the buying process in the near future.
In the Rochester Business Journal, Ottaviani said, “These homes show that no matter the location, you can significantly reduce your carbon footprint while still enjoying the comfort and style of a traditionally built home.”
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