The term “high-tech homes” may bring to mind images of the Jetsons, but many builders believe residences equipped with automation and other gadgetry will soon be the new standard for houses.
The Greenwich House is an example of this new wave of residences - and it’s not only a smart house, but also a green and healthy one. Listed at $3.995 million, the home sits on .66 acres and has 5 bedrooms and 4.5 baths. It’s nestled among New England-style colonials in the New York City suburb of Greenwich, CT.
A standout that doesn’t stand out
But don't expect the new 4,802-square-foot house to stick out like a sore thumb. The space-age home, built from the ground up in 13 months, is a rustic-looking white house that builder, designer, and real estate agent Sabine Schoenberg describes as "modern barn living."
"I didn't want it to look like a California contemporary,” she explains. "I wanted it to fit into the Connecticut landscape, and at the same time have all the smart features."
A stone fireplace in the living room mimics the stone base of the house and rocky hillside in the backyard. The open floor plan spills all the way to the outside onto a large porch equipped with a TV and sound system.
Smartest house on the block
The house is equipped with futuristic technology, like an app-based home automation system by Crestron Pyng. It controls everything from lighting, window shades, temperature, security, and the entertainment system - right down to the music playing in each room.
A geothermal heating and cooling system works to keep the house at an even temperature without wracking up a gas or electric bills. Other innovative features include UV filters on the windows to prevent sunlight from heating up the house, and an exterior wrap that aids in reducing energy use and costs.
Breath of fresh air
High-tech features coexist with natural, organic elements like a floor sealant made from beeswax and natural oils that "make the house smell like flowers."
The "smell test" is an easy way to identify a healthy home, Schoenberg notes - if you smell chemicals, you know it's not good for you.
A Swiss fresh air system filters outside air and pumps it into the house. They are common in Europe and have been proven to increase productivity and help you sleep better, she says.
Schoenberg feels so strongly that "smart, healthy and green" is the way of the future that she is working on creating partnerships with builders and architects in Austin, Miami, and the West Coast to bring her design philosophy to more of the country.
Learn more about green home building trends.
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Related:
- Green Trends in Home Building
- Buying and Selling a High-Tech Home
- House of the Week: An Austin Estate that Tech Built
from Zillow Porchlight http://www.zillow.com/blog/greenwich-house-201318/
via Reveeo
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