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Student-Built Dream Home Features Environmentally Friendly Design

About 70 students in carpentry, electricity, plumbing and pipefitting, heating and air conditioning and masonry participated in the home’s design and construction, a process that began during last year’s spring semester. Ground was broken in September on a lot in Carlisle Township owned by the builders association.

“A special effort was made to ensure that the home was designed with green building concepts,” said Jean Sexton, executive officer of the association. “That means the home is built to be energy-efficient and environmentally friendly.”

Although local builders had previously featured high efficiency geothermal heating and cooling systems in model homes on the tour, this is the first parade home that was designed from a Built Green checklist of sustainable technologies, products and practices.

Materials with recycled content were incorporated wherever possible, and the home used “hearty plank” siding made of recycled cement and fast-growing bamboo for some of the flooring. The home meets the Environmental Protection Agency’s Energy Star program requirements, making it 30% more efficient than a home meeting the Ohio Model Energy Code.

“One important result of the partnership efforts of the Dream Home is the education of not only students, but local builders, suppliers and the general public about new construction techniques and materials and how the buildings in which we live and work affect the environment around us,” said Sexton.

The project was conceived by association member Calvin Smith, the owner of Calvin Smith Builders, Inc. Other participating organizations were the Lorain County Metro Parks, the Lorain County Chamber of Commerce and the Lorain County Commissioners.

The home is open for one final weekend, May 22-23, from noon to 5 p.m. For more information, click here.

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