North America birthed its first “active” house in St. Louis, Mo. in March of this year. What is an “active” home? Essentially, it incorporates a comprehensive green design on the interior and exterior of the dwelling and uses a variety of energy-efficient, environmentally friendly practices and guidelines, according to Time. The “active” design is built to produce and conserve energy, whereas the “passive” house focuses on the latter.
But is the active home affordable for the average homebuyer? Matt Blecher, principal of Verdatek Solutions LLC, a specialist in green building who managed the project, noted that it must be affordable if the marketplace is going to support it. The St. Louis home cost about $500,000 to build, more than double the average listing price of homes for sale in the same area. However, prospective buyers can rest assured that running an active house should cost considerably less than keeping a traditional property that requires external power and energy sources.
David and Thuy Smith, owners of the Webster Groves house, say that their new residence fits right into the older, more traditional neighborhood, reports the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Their active property has clapboard siding, a stone-trimmed foundation, and a wraparound porch with tapered Craftsman-style columns, proving that environmentally friendly housing can take both traditional and modern forms.
For pictures and more details of America’s first active home, check out the website, activehouseusa.com.