2007 NextGen Home Experience™ Themes:

  

  

  

  

All around us industries are going "green." As organic foods take up more and more shelf space in grocery stores and hybrid cars begin to challenge SUVs for space on the roads, it’s obvious that Americans are experiencing a very visible growth in environmental consciousness.

Not coincidentally, this growth in consciousness is coinciding with another increase: population. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, by the year 2050 there will be 420 million people living in the United States, 140 million more than in the year 2000. More and more people, including homebuilders, are realizing that we need to tread lighter on the planet. In fact, a survey commissioned by the NAHB in early 2006 found that half of the organization’s members reported that they will be including green building practices in their home building projects by 2007.

It is clear that if a home is going to be "First to the Future," it has to be green, but in a way that is both economically friendly and subtle. The following are just a few examples of innovations awaiting visitors of the 2007 NextGen “First to the Future” Demonstration Home:

• One of the most eco-friendly composite decking materials on the market, made from 60% recycled wood fiber;
• Shutters made from 100% recyclable material and water based paints;
• Garage doors with full-depth CFC-free polyurethane insulation;
• Wraps that combine a highly permeable membrane with a low-e surface to both insulate a home, and protect it from mold, mildew and wood rot;
• Multiple applications of engineered wood;
• Solid surfaces that are beautiful and durable, as well as help home builders earn points toward LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification from the U.S. Green Building Council;
• 100% water-blown insulation that does not emit harmful gases in its cured form;
• Durable, zero-VOC, low-odor paint from one of the largest names in the paint industry;
• Piping that is not only corrosion resistant, but free of toxins and heavy metals.

All of these items (and many more) work together to create a home that reaches far beyond industry standards for building green, while individually, each serve as proof that going green can be both the right thing to do and easier than you might think.