Residential homebuilders Meritage and Hanley Wood set out to rethink the way homes are built. Here’s a look at the result.
Over the course of a year, Meritage partnered with Hanley Wood—a renowned thought leader in homebuilding—and a host of experts in building science, energy management, architecture and more, to build a home that exhibits a new building and living standard for families both today and in the future. This “reNEWable Living Home” is a safer, more comfortable, healthier home that promotes more family connectivity, integrates technology seamlessly and challenges the very materials and processes used in conventional construction.
Live with More Savings
Beyond energy-efficient features, and even new UV-reflecting roof tiles, the reNEWable Living Home contains enough renewable energy sources to meet a Net Zero Energy standard, meaning it produces all or most of the energy it consumes. Unlike conventional homes that have daily peaks and valleys due to changing weather and occupant demands, this home combines technologies to store energy and eliminate the normal erratic energy consumption that currently requires utilities to build trillions of dollars in infrastructure. Carried forward, this design could potentially change the energy consumption and supply needs of the world.
Live with Better Health
The reNEWable Living Home proactively helps to manage the health of the indoor air quality through features like its progressive ventilation and drywall. The Aprilaire power ventilator reads the season and climate affecting the outside air and modifies its ventilation to clean, dehumidify and improve the interior air quality while the CertainTeed drywall breaks down formaldehyde, turning it into an inert compound.
Live with Real Comfort
The reNEWable Living Home features innovations in building techniques like the HercuWall® system, a redesigned floor that includes insulated footers and an insulated layer between the ground and the internal surface, and advanced HVAC design, resulting in a home that can keep the interior quieter and provide a consistently cozy temperature and humidity level regardless of weather conditions.
Live with Peace of Mind
In addition to the peace of mind that comes with living in a better, safer, healthier environment, this home is designed with smart features that accommodate and respond to occupants, connecting them to their home like never before. It includes Wi-Fi® enabled devices to adjust temperatures and lighting, open, close, and lock doors, enhance personal security, tell you how long to cook that frozen pizza or simply play your favorite song. The devices work through a smart device or they can be voice enabled to respond to commands.
Live with Thoughtful Design
Your home is where you raise your family, celebrate holidays and recuperate after a hectic day. The design of something that significant starts with its inhabitants feeling safe in a familiar and purposeful environment. Behind the walls, disaster resistant construction and materials demonstrate the strength and durability of the structure. Inside, modern yet cozy finishes surround the occupants while the multi-generational floorplan—featuring independent living quarters flowing into open communal spaces—anticipates the needs of today’s families, enhances individual dignity and enables connection.
