Construction is completed on a cutting edge “green” home. It’s aptly named the “Home of the Future” and it is located in the Sacramento suburb of Folsom, California. The home was built through a partnership between the local municipal electric provider the Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD), National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and local builder RJ Walter Homes. The home features the very latest energy efficiency innovations to deliver very low energy bills and leave a very small carbon footprint.

Backed by technical advice and financial incentives from SMUD, this Home of the Future is meant to demonstrate to the building community and the home-buying public that attractive and ultra- energy-efficient homes can be built and marketed at reasonable prices.

The 1,940-square-foot bungalow features:

• 2 inch by 6 inch framing to allow more room for advanced insulation.
• solar electricity and solar hot water.
• LED lighting.
• very tight and conditioned attic space and walls.
• advanced water based air conditioner.

Another feature is a home automation system that monitors home energy use, solar energy production, and water use and remotely controls the home’s lights, thermostat, and window blinds. The home’s framing was premade at a local factory instead of being built on site, which eliminated a lot of hammering and sawing and debris typical of new home construction. This approach to the construction could help the home obtain LEED Platinum certification, which means the home meets rigorous criteria in terms of low energy and water consumption, the use of environmentally preferred materials and being located and built in a socially and environmentally responsible way. It would be only the third home in California to earn LEED Platinum status.

Monthly combined electric and gas bills are estimated to total less than $24 a month compared with $140 for a home built to current new-home standards, according to NREL, SMUD’s technical assistance partner. The house is built so tightly that it will be easy to heat or cool no matter what the outside temperature.

The new bungalow is built among older homes just a few blocks from historic old town Folsom. Construction began in April as crews poured the foundation for the home and a separate garage, which will include a 740-square-foot guest quarters in its upper level. The home was completed in September and the builder expects the home to be listed at $679,000.

SMUD has been a national leader in developing energy-efficient new homes and in deploying solar technology for more than 20 years. SMUD has also helped customers install and own PV systems on existing homes. SMUD began partnering with homebuilders to build energy-efficient homes with solar electric systems in 2001 and has since partnered on more than 4,000 solar-powered homes in the SMUD territory.

As the nation’s sixth largest publicly owned utility, SMUD has been providing low-cost, reliable electricity for more than 60 years to Sacramento County (and a small portion of Placer County). SMUD is a recognized industry leader and award winner for its innovative energy efficiency programs, renewable power technologies, and for its sustainable solutions for a healthier environment.