Van Metre, in partnership with Joseph Wheeler, professor of architecture at Virginia Tech School of Architecture and Design, debuts POWERhaus, homes in which the modules are factory built in the builder's facility in Winchester, Va.
Sustainability has recently become a major factor that homebuyers consider, says Wheeler. [Modular construction gives] the builder control of a hundred percent of the job" especially since 95% of the modular home's pieces are created in the factory. Not only is this more efficient than traditional home building, but it also prevents waste as it allows Van Metre builders to order materials down to the exact dimension in bulk.
Kevin Rabil, Executive Vice President of Van Metre, noted, "We're trying to optimize [POWERhaus] for the end user and make sure that the home performs better." POWERhaus will appeal to eco-conscious home buyers who value energy efficiency and will be delighted to find out that modular homes are often more affordable.
While each room or "module" is being constructed in the factory, cutting-edge technology is installed as well, including clean-energy mini-splits (ductless units for heating and cooling), bathrooms, lighting, electric car-charging capabilities, home-energy control system that tracks energy consumption, and an induction cooking system that magnetically transfers heat directly from the stovetop to the pot limiting the amount of heat escaping.