American Modular Systems (AMS) has started production on River Vine Vineyards, a new Gen7 Concept Home to be sited on a 50-acre working vineyard along the banks of the Mokelumne River Watershed in Lodi Wine Country.
Designed to achieve LEED Platinum certification, AMS claims River Vine will be one of most advanced, high-end prefabricated residences ever constructed — a state-of-the-art smart home that will take sustainable prefabricated design and construction to the next level.
The zero net energy building will integrate renewable energy systems, environmentally-friendly materials and leading-edge products in a home that is livable, functional and energy-independent, using both solar and geothermal technologies to produce as much energy as it consumes over the course of a year.
River Vine will be fully automated, using the latest smart home technology to provide greater convenience, as well as greater efficiency through goal-directed management of the home's renewable energy systems. All systems, appliances and electrical components will be networked for centralized control from a single touchpoint.
To build River Vine, AMS says it created a partnership of forward-thinking companies, whose products will be combined to make River Vine an "inspirational" building that paves the way for more sustainable building and living. River Vine Project Partners include AEP Span, ASC Steel Deck, Solatube, USG, Heliodyne, Tech Lighting, ELEMENT, Aquatherm, Crossville, Inc. and Ductmate Industries, with more companies expected to join the partnership as building progresses.
Designed as a concept home, River Vine gives AMS a way to bring market-ready ideas and progressive building practices together in an optimized environment that can be life-tested through everyday use, then replicated in future buildings.
Smart at sustainable home technologie are proliferating nationwide. Last year, Honda unveiled its net zero energy "Smart Home" on the UC Davis campus. The company said the building, which includes a charging facility for a Honda Fit EV and is intended to demonstrate Honda's vision for zero-carbon living and personal mobility, will on average generate more electricity from on-site renewable energy than it receives from the local utility.
Also last year, Velux America showcased Active House USA, a custom sustainable home in the St. Louis suburb of Webster Groves, MO that combines leading sustainability and high performance building practices from around the world. The prototype home defines the next generation of sustainable home building in the U.S., Velux claimed, combining expertise from leading sustainable building practices in the United States and from European Active House Alliance practices.
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Founder & Principal Consultant, Hower Impact
Mike Hower is the founder of Hower Impact — a boutique consultancy delivering best-in-class strategic communication advisory and support for corporate sustainability, ESG and climate tech.
Published Dec 3, 2015 8am EST / 5am PST / 1pm GMT / 2pm CET