Photo courtesy of the MLS

Visionary builder tops the spec residential home building market with a high tech energy independent home.

Who would have imagined 30 years ago that there would be a market for homes that could dismantle intrusive drones, operate with a smartphone, and produce 100% of their own energy?

Meet futurist and home builder, Bob Lodwig. In 1986, Lodwig embarked on a mission to create high performance homes that were energy independent. When young Lodwig encountered “limitations and politics” of the ‘solar’ energy movement, he set out on his own to crack the code on energy independence in the residential market.

“Only when we have a “zero tolerance” for all carbon emissions are we then going to mitigate the effects of global warming, and help the Earth return to a balanced state.” 

Fast forward to 2016, to the environmental savvy era where organic, green, and sustainable options exist for everything from cotton to new home construction. But while the environmental movement has accomplished much since the 1980’s, most high tech and modern homes are still energy consumers.  A surprisingly few housing types are actually designed to produce their own energy.  One of those housing types is the Net Zero.

A Net Zero home uses a combination of alternative energy (solar or wind power) with gas and electricity to produce a net zero balance for the consumer of energy production and energy use. Very few spec home projects go beyond Net Zero. Lodwig’s home, which he affectionately refers to as the “Model S” exceeds Net Zero because it produces its own power and has the option of  functioning entirely off of the conventional energy grid. How?

Logwig’s disruptive “Model S” comes with the following features:

Tesla’s new PowerWall Battery system

Solar capacity up to 25 kW of solar panels that allows the home to become a net producer of energy.

Super insulation package that uses advanced 2×8 framing and a Prosecco Cat 5 Exterior Sealant (also used on the Bullitt Center).

If energy independence is not sexy enough, what else makes this home high-tech?

Lodwig wired the energy operations of the home to an app that can be used with a smartphone. This allows the home owner to control lights, control the door locks and even control or ‘program’ their favorite music over the home’s speaker system. The front door ring doorbell is also connected to a video surveillance that allows the owner to see and communicate with anyone at the front door, be it from the office or from on the beach thousands of miles away. Now that’s control.

Finally, the home is also wired to detect and dismantle any drone that comes within 500 feet of the home. Yes, drones aka flying robots.

Seattle’s first “Model S” home in Maple Leaf neighborhood, sold earlier this month for $1,365,000, a top value for the Maple Leaf neighborhood.

by Eva Otto & Susi Musi, Graphics by Wing Yu

For more information about creating your own energy independent, positive future, contact us at Infiniti RED.