Las Vegas, NV – LivingHomes (www.livinghomes.net), a premier developer of modern, sustainably designed, prefabricated homes, is pleased to partner with BUILDER Magazine, the pre-eminent information resource for the home building industry, to unveil the BUILDER LivingHome at the 2009 International Builders’ Show from January 20-23, 2009. Factory-built and installed on the main floor of the Las Vegas Convention Center (at booth C5288), the two-story home is the first of a new line of moderately-priced prefabricated homes designed for infill venues by award-winning architecture firm KieranTimberlake for LivingHomes.

The BUILDER LivingHome combines efficient factory-built construction, lifestyle-driven architecture, and a commitment to sustainability to offer builders and developers a high quality, low environmental impact, architectural housing product that is time and cost-efficient to build in scale, demonstrating clearly that there is an alternative to traditional, on-site practices. For builders that see the advantage of accelerated and streamlined modular construction in their local communities, the pioneering developer will also be introducing the LivingHomes Builders Program to help make their homes available and accessible to more of the people who want them.

“There is a growing class of “cultural creatives” in the marketplace; people who value design, health and ecological sustainability in the products they buy,” explains Steve Glenn, LivingHomes CEO. “We’re focused on these consumers – and the builders and developers who want to reach them. Due to lifestyle choices and more challenging economics, we think more development will focus on infill venues. The new KieranTimberlake LivingHomes are especially designed for these venues, which require more creative, flexible cost- and time-effective building solutions.”

Warren Nesbitt, Executive Director for BUILDER magazine, adds, “This home is truly a blueprint for the industry. Builders and design professionals can’t help but see this as an innovative, yet practical and accessible solution.”

The LivingHomes Building System combines modules for kitchens, baths, and utility cores and “LivingPanels” that integrate mechanical ducting, electrical, and plumbing. With complexity and cost concentrated in particular panels and modules, this flexible building system allows for high-volume fabrication, assembly, and easier transportation.

FACTORY-BUILT, HYBRID CONSTRUCTION

For conventional (stick-built) builders who are constantly struggling to generate cash to pay for high construction interest in today’s economic environment, the allure of time- and cost-efficient prefabricated construction is hard to ignore. LivingHomes’ own brand of hybrid prefab streamlines the construction process, greatly reducing the use and waste of materials, delivering more durable, high-performance homes more quickly. Streamlining the production process and building in scale allows the developer to offer these housing products at a more moderate and accessible price point.

The LivingHomes Building System uses lightweight structural steel to form the basis of each module and engineered wood to frame them out. Some modules require a high degree of finish (such as kitchens and baths). Volume spaces are assembled with panels that are less expensive to ship. “The LBS is a completely new kind of building system that combines the advantages of both modular and panelized construction. This new hybrid system allows us to make our homes faster, with less cost, and a smaller ecological footprint,” says Glenn.

The four steel and wood modules that stack together to make the BUILDER LivingHome have been constructed off-site at Profile Structure’s factory. The modules will be transported to Las Vegas to be re-assembled and precision-placed by forklift on the convention center floor. Over the three-day installation, a third bedroom and carport comprised of LivingPanels will also be built.

Once a LivingHome is constructed, the hybrid building system adds another important new capability to homes – the ability to efficiently and cost-effectively adapt to people’s changing lifestyle and living needs. Additional panels and modules can be purchased, augmenting the size of the home as necessary.

LIFESTYLE-DRIVEN ARCHITECTURE

For the conscientious consumers who drive Priuses, buy Ikea furniture, and who shop at Whole Foods and Patagonia, LivingHomes offers a solution that reflects the same values they place on design, health and sustainability. The new KieranTimberlake line of LivingHomes targets this niche market, offering six “expandable” single-family residences and multi-family models. The single-family models range in size from a modest 1020 sf dwelling for a single person or young couple to a spacious 2,500 sf for the growing family. Multi-family “townhouse” models are offered in four floor plan variations each approximately 1,500 sf.

The BUILDER LivingHome is one of these models, KTLH 1.5, and it is the first fully constructed KieranTimberlake design. Essentially a series of simple, stylish, stacked boxes, the modern aesthetic offers open and flexible interiors and promotes passive solar and day lighting. The spacious 2,466 sf BUILDER LivingHome offers an open kitchen dining-living room arrangement and a spacious bonus room downstairs. A master suite, an additional bedroom and a bathroom are housed upstairs. A third bedroom and carport complete the home. “This modern style leverages the modular production process,” explains Glenn, “but also meets the lifestyle demands of today’s homebuyers.”

SUSTAINABILITY

As the developer of the nation’s first LEED Platinum home – the first LivingHome – and with over nine LivingHomes in development that are designed to achieve LEED Platinum, LivingHomes is one of the more determined builders of environmentally conscious homes. Designed and built according to NAHB Model Green Building Guidelines, USGBC’s LEED for Homes Platinum certification, and LivingHomes’ own Z6 sustainable building goals which aims to achieve as close to zero negative impact on health and environment, the BUILDER LivingHome integrates a wide variety of available and affordable building products to clearly demonstrate that it does not necessarily have to cost more to build sustainable homes. “More so than any other show home we’ve ever produced, this one showcases all the facets of environmental stewardship,” says Boyce Thompson, editorial director of BUILDER magazine.

The BUILDER LivingHome strives to achieve six key goals: Zero Water, Zero Energy, Zero Waste, Zero Emissions, Zero Carbon, and Zero Ignorance. From the recycled steel and timber-efficient engineered lumber (by iLevel) that make up the modules; to the automatic ventilation system (by Broan-NuTone), central vacuum system (by Beam), and mini-duct air distribution and ventilation systems (by Goodman and Hi-Velocity) that help improve indoor air quality; to the biocomposite wood siding (by Klip Biotechnologies), recycled glass tiles (by Crossville), blown-in insulation (by Owens Corning), high-performance windows with recycled frames (by Andersen), and water-saving features (by Kohler, Whirlpool, Uponor, and Rinnai); the BUILDER LivingHome is built to leave a minimal environmental footprint. “As with all LivingHomes, BUILDER LivingHome features an extremely comprehensive environmental program which dramatically reduces the water and energy the home requires for operation, as well as construction waste and indoor air pollution,” says Glenn.

Once it is placed on a permanent site, the home will generate and store power, much like a hybrid vehicle, and it will be eligible for certification from the national green building programs to whose high standards it has already been designed and built. BUILDER LivingHome will be on view at the International Builders’ Show from January 20 – 23 at Booth C5288. Following the 2009 International Builders’ Show, the model home will travel to Long Beach, CA for the Technology, Entertainment, and Design (TED) Conference (Feb. 3 – 7, 2009.)

PRICE/DELIVERY

The KieranTimberlake LivingHomes start at $185/square foot (sf) and can go to $250/sf or more in quantities of one, depending on options. This price does not include transport, install or foundation costs, which can add $50+/sf. Pricing can drop 10-15% based on quantities. The Builder LivingHome is filled with many upgrades and would likely cost $300/sf to build. These price points are extremely competitive to those you would expect to pay for architectural homes designed by top architects that include a comprehensive environmental program. In Los Angeles, these homes typically range from $300-400+/sf.

“In addition to price, we can deliver LivingHomes in half the time it would take a typical, site-based builder since we’re able to work on the home concurrent with site work,” said Glenn. “And LivingHomes are actually built to a higher level of quality, since the homes are subjected to wind and vibration stress during transport.”

LIVINGHOMES BUILDERS PROGRAM

In tandem with the unveiling of BUILDER LivingHome at the International Builders’ Show, LivingHomes is introducing a special builders program this year. With 12 LivingHomes slated for completion in 2009, including a 7-unit KieranTimberlake multi-family project in San Francisco with a leading national developer, and two homes already built in Southern California, the Santa Monica-based developer has successfully navigated the building process and is planning on sharing its experience and products with other builders. The LivingHomes Builders Program (LBS) is designed for builders and developers who want to offer LivingHomes in their communities. As part of LBS, builders are responsible for local site work, and LivingHomes delivers and, optionally, assembles its homes. The local builders then complete finish work and markets and sells the LivingHomes. LivingHomes provides marketing support and customer referrals. “We have received incredible interest in LivingHomes around the country,” said Steve Glenn. “By offering the LBS, we’re able to create partnerships that will make it easier for homebuyers who want our homes around the country, explains Glenn. “Our goal is to provide builders and developers with a viable, efficient, and profitable housing product that they can build in scale nationally and perhaps even internationally.”


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About the BUILDER LivingHome (www.builderlivinghome.com)
The BUILDER LivingHome is a modular, sustainable show home that is being unveiled at the 2009 International Builders' Show (Booth #C5288) in Las Vegas. Comprised of four modules, this 3 bedroom, 2.5 bath home showcases the best in innovative design, construction methods, and products.

About LivingHomes (www.livinghomes.net)
Founded by CEO Steve Glenn, LivingHomes is a premier developer of modern, prefab homes that combine world-class architecture with an unparalleled commitment to healthy and sustainable construction. LivingHomes are made in specially equipped factories that ensure unsurpassed quality, lower construction costs and waste, and as shorter construction schedule. LivingHomes offers two lines of single and multi-family designs, one created by Ray Kappe, FAIA, the founder of the Southern California Institute of Architecture and another by KieranTimberlake (see below). The first LivingHome, designed by Ray Kappe, was the first in the nation to achieve LEED Platinum and was the only home to win the AIA’s top sustainability award in 2007. LivingHomes are available in standard or customized configurations to the builders, developers, and individuals who want a more cost- and time-effective way to integrate homes that feature high design and low environmental impact into their projects.

About HanleyWood (www.hanleywood.com)
Hanley Wood, LLC, is the premier media and information company serving housing and construction. Through four operating divisions, the company produces award-winning magazines and websites, marquee trade shows and events, rich data and custom marketing solutions. The company is also North America’s leading publisher of home plans. Hanley Wood Business Media (Washington, D.C.) publishes 30 award-winning residential and commercial construction titles, including Builder, Remodeling, Custom Home, Concrete Construction, and Residential Architect. Hanley Wood Business Media also offers the construction industry’s foremost collection of web sites, including Builder Online, Remodeling Online, and ebuild, the comprehensive online guide to building products, as well as the largest collection of house plans online through eplans.com. Founded in 1976, Hanley Wood is one of the ten largest B-to-B media companies in the United States. Hanley Wood is owned by affiliates of JPMorgan Partners, which uses CCMP Capital Advisors to manage this investment.

About Profile Structures, Inc. (www.profilestructures.com)
Since January, 1965, Feser Construction Co., and subsequently Profile Structures, Inc, has become one of the leading manufacturers of modular, light commercial buildings. Located in Santa Fe Springs, California, this company has applied assembly line production techniques to the manufacture of permanent, fully equipped, code-approved structures for varied commercial use. Utilizing pre-engineered components, custom buildings are produced in a matter of weeks from the approval of plans to occupancy. By virtue of their modular construction, the buildings can be inexpensively relocated at a future date if needed.

About KieranTimberlake (www.kierantimberlake.com)
For over two decades, KieranTimberlake has designed beautifully crafted, thoughtfully made buildings which are holistically integrated to site, program and people. Established in Philadelphia in 1984, the firm has produced a diverse body of work for educational, cultural, civic, residential and corporate clients who have been drawn to the firm's environmentally ethical approach and its history of innovation. The design community has recognized the firm for its fusion of design research with architecture, bestowing over ninety design citations, including the 2008 Architecture Firm Award from the American Institute of Architects, the highest honor given to an architectural practice.