2007 NextGen Home Experience™ Themes:

  

  

  

  

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, Americans saved approximately $12 billion on their energy bills in 2005 thanks to programs like ENERGY STAR. True to its name, the NextGen "First to the Future" home is racing ahead of this booming market, uncovering the future of energy efficiency in homebuilding.

This year’s home includes more than 15 technologies chosen specifically by PATH (Partnership for the Advancement of Technology in Housing) to showcase in the home because they are pioneers in their field.

For instance, cars aren’t the only "hybrid" items on the market. Visitors to the home will witness an HVAC "smart system," that switches automatically from gas to electricity depending on the outdoor temperature in order to maximize operating efficiency. And as prices for gas and electricity rise and fall, homeowners can choose for themselves which source to use to heat their home.

Complementing this "smart system" is an insulation system that acts as both a thermal insulator and air barrier – saving homeowners up to 50 percent in monthly energy costs.

But don’t just read about these innovations, see them for yourself on the "hidden assets" tour on the second floor of the "First to the Future" home. While the first floor features a finished home, complete with furnishings, the second floor gives builders a rare look behind the walls, exposing the inner workings and wonders of these technologies.