The "New American Home" for 2009 debuted last week at the International Builders Symposium in Las Vegas. The 9,000 sq. ft. home features the most recent developments in energy efficiency.
"Las Vegas builder Blue Heron and architect Danielian Associates collaborated with interior designer Robb & Stucky Interiors to create a home that is elegant, functional, and efficient, and green – the home scored at the gold level under the NAHB National Green Building Program.
"The New American Home has been a leader in green building for years, but this latest edition is built to be the most energy-efficient home in the history of this series," said Bill Nolan, chairman of The New American Home Task Force. "Builders, architects, engineers–anybody with an interest in housing construction will be fascinated by the natural gas-powered heating and cooling system, the photovoltaic cells and the solar water heating. Even the insulation in this home is exciting.
"The whole package of energy-efficiency products work together to make this a near-zero-energy home," said Nolan, who runs The Nolan Group, a housing industry consulting firm in Altamonte Springs, Fla."
FULL STORY: The New American Home
Las Vegas Uses ‘Mini-Roundabout’ for Traffic Calming
Roundabouts, commonly used in other countries, are starting to catch on in U.S. cities. They can improve traffic flow and bring efficiency benefits.
Las Vegas Golf Course to Become Over 1,000 Units of Affordable Housing
The project is part of an initiative to build affordable housing on shuttered golf courses.
Brightline West Moves Forward With Finalized Federal Funding
The high-speed rail line will connect Southern California and Las Vegas via a two-hour trip along Interstate 15.
San Diego to Rescind Multi-Unit ADU Rule
The city wants to close a loophole that allowed developers to build apartment buildings on single-family lots as ADUs.
HUD Announces Plan to Build Housing on Public Lands
The agency will identify federally owned parcels appropriate for housing development and streamline the regulatory process to lease or transfer land to housing authorities and nonprofit developers.
Has President Trump Met His Match?
Doug Ford, the no-nonsense premier of Canada's most populous province, Ontario, is taking on Trump where it hurts — making American energy more expensive.
California Bill Aims to Boost TOD
A bill proposed by Sen. Scott Wiener would exempt transit agencies from zoning rules near ‘high-quality’ transit stops and allow denser transit-oriented development.
Report: One-Fifth of Seattle Households Are Car-Free
According to one local writer, the city’s low rate of car ownership should encourage officials to support public transit and reduce parking minimums.
California Lawmakers Move to Protect Waterways
Anticipating that the Trump EPA will reinstate a 2017 policy that excluded seasonal wetlands and waterways from environmental protections.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Strategic Economics Inc
Resource Assistance for Rural Environments
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
City of Piedmont, CA
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service