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2006 New American Home Just One Room Deep
A blend of comfort and the picturesque with high-performance innovations, the 2006 New American Home has been designed for a young retiree or someone nearing retirement who will be able to enjoy seclusion on the shores of Lake Burden in southwest Orange County, Fla.
A big attraction at the annual International Builders' Show, the demonstration home displays state-of-the-art home building concepts, designs, techniques and materials. The home incorporates innovations that can be replicated — in whole or in part — in any climate.
Free shuttle buses will transport convention-goers to and from the home, which is located only minutes from the convention center in the Lake Burden at the Lakes of Windermere subdivision. (See schedule below.)
The home features an abundance of amenities, including a pool, hot tub, media room, game room, second-floor library, home office and a lakefront spa-room equipped with a massage table. Living spaces are flexible for a variety of uses.
The home also has an elevator and was designed to be almost 100% wheelchair accessible and to accommodate the needs of its owners as they become older.
Inspired by the location, WCI created a long, shallow design for the home, which is one of its unique characteristics. The 10,023-square-foot house under roof (7,367 square feet are air conditioned) is only one room deep in order to take full advantage of the breathtaking lake view.
The front elevation incorporates a variety of points of interest to guide the eye across the home, including a two-story tower with a spiral staircase inside.
With the implementation of the Florida Green Building Coalition's Green Home Designation Standard, the 2006 show home is the first certified “green” home to be built in The New American Home program since it began 23 years ago.
Some of the green features of the home include mulch made from recycled building materials, a HEPA filtration system for clean indoor air and an impressive roof gutter system that will collect rainwater and use it to irrigate the landscaping. The home’s design makes it ideal for cross ventilation when the air conditioning is turned off.
Through the use of innovative technology and design practices, the home will achieve nearly 40% whole house energy savings. To reach this level of energy efficiency, IBACOS provided assistance in designing the home’s systems and in choosing efficient technologies.
The home is conditioned by four high-efficiency heat pumps (SEER 15) in six controllable zones to maintain ideal temperatures. The units and all ductwork are located within the conditioned space of the home.
Three tankless, propane-fired water heaters help to minimize piping and reduce standby losses, and specially coated windows reduce cooling and heating loads.
These innovations are expected to result in a 61% reduction in energy usage for heating and cooling, and a 50% reduction for water heating compared to a comparably sized home in the hot and humid climate of central Florida.
For more information, e-mail Tucker Bernard at NAHB, or call him at 800-368-5242 x8519.
Tour Hours and Bus Schedule
Registered attendees at the 2006 International Builders’ Show can tour The New American Home during exhibit hours via free shuttle buses (ticket required) departing every half hour from the Orange County Convention Center. Shuttle bus tickets may be picked up at the TNAH booth, which is open during show hours and located in “Transportation Central” of the C Hall Lobby, West Building.
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Date |
Show Home Hours |
Depart Convention Center |
Depart Show Home |
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Wednesday, Jan. 11 |
9:30 a.m.-5:00 p.m. |
9:00 a.m.-3:30 p.m. |
10:30 a.m.-5:00 p.m. |
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Thursday, Jan. 12 |
9:30 a.m.-5:00 p.m. |
9:00 a.m.-3:30 p.m. |
10:30 a.m.-5:00 p.m. |
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Friday, Jan. 13 |
9:30 a.m.-5:00 p.m. |
9:00 a.m.-3:30 p.m. |
10:30 a.m.-5:00 p.m. |
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Saturday, Jan. 14 |
9:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. |
8:30-11:30 a.m. |
10:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. |
Photos by James F. Wilson
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