The poised white rectangle has the appeal of classic Modernism, but it is also a critical part of the sustainability story: The frame’s deep overhang helps shield the house’s main southern exposure from the region’s scorching sun.
Circular design and trusses that radiate from the center and distribute forces evenly are among the features that have allowed houses by Deltec Homes to stand up to powerful storms, the home builder says.
Cool-roof material choices have expanded from reflective paint to vinyl sheeting, light-colored gravel, and other roofing products designed to reflect 90 percent of sunlight.
The city has already awarded three vacant city-owned sites on streets lined with old-line two- and three-family homes in the Roxbury and Jamaica Plain neighborhoods to teams of developers and architects.