The 2009 LEED Awards for Homes were announced and my favorite of the bunch is the BrightBuilt Barn Prototype.

If you aren’t aware LEED is an awards system based on points for effective, efficient, and innovative eco-friendly design. We’re talking more than just low VOC paint and low flow water faucets, it’s the design reference system to turn to for building the best when it comes to respect for the environment. Officially LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. For more on this system, how it works, and why it is important check out the USGBC site at http://www.usgbc.org/DisplayPage.aspx?CMSPageID=1988  

Back to the BrightBuilt Barn, it is attractive, clean and simple in design therefore it seems possible to incorporate some of the eco-responsible construction techniques into a home that is comfortable to live in. Most importantly it uses some the of most interesting and new ideas and technology in environmental design such as the following:

Super Insulation = No Furnace – The most efficient and best insulation is used in the outer walls of the structure. The R-Value of the insulation is R-40.  The R-value is a measure of a material’s resistance to heat flow and in most of our homes if we have high quality insulation it measures, at best, R-19.  Of course combined with excellent high efficiency windows the combination of the two means the home does not need a furnace. Amazing!

200-Year Design– We’ve all said, “They just don’t build them like they used to.” Well, now “they” do and you can. I live in a home that is 100 years old; while it needs TLC I still appreciate its design and solid structure that has withstood all these years therefore the inclusion of designing with longevity in mind is something I relate to and is truly important.  The BrighBuilt Barn is designed and built in such a way that it its lifespan is measured in centuries, not decades. Essentially this means that it is designed to last indefinitely due to the quality and durability of the materials used. It also keeps the inner workings (the systems) untangled which gives greater flexibility and can be easily modified and adapted to over the years. (i.e. you won’t have to deconstruct everything to make it even more efficient with new technology in the future). My favorite concept!

Off-site Fabrication– The home is built in a controlled environment that reduces construction waste to a level that is simply unheard of in traditional on-site construction. Using computer-aided fabrication of the home in a workshop or warehouse reduces waste because it is a controlled environment. When a home is built on-site unpredictable weather and a construction site that can at times be unorganized due to all the sub-contractors working at the same time there is a greater chanced for a large amount of waste. Waste produced in on-site construction is typically about 50% in materials. Essentially, you could build half of a house the same size with the amount of waste produced in on-site construction. Off-site fabrication using the BrightBuilt method produced only 10% in material waste.

Other methods that leant to their 2009 LEED – Innovative Project Award include the fact that it Wears a Mood Ring, it is a Sun Worshipper, and it used “State of the Shelf” Design. Sound crazy? Improbable? Well, it isn’t and it is the way of the future if we want to be responsible and leave a living, breathing, beautiful earth to future generations. Referencing and using building techniques found in the BrightBuilt Barn prototype would mean we could even leave our home for future generations to enjoy…something we used to do.

There is plenty about the construction and design of  the BrightBuilt Barn that is so intriguing and I encourage you to go direct to their site to learn more. All the facts, figures, and references to the construction methods mentioned in this posting are discussed in more detail at http://www.brightbuiltbarn.com