Product Spotlight:

Like a C6, Like a C6

Contributed By: ecofabulous

Ecofabulous knows pre-fab. After all, we design the Modern Living Showhouse every year at Dwell on Design… So we can tell you that it isn’t easy to make them as affordable as we’d all like. Enter the C6! The Living Homes C6, built by Cavco, is available in most states for $179,000 ($145/sf). The C6 can be fully constructed in less than two months and installed on-site in one day.

If that isn’t cool enough, the C6 was designed as part of a partnership with Make It Right, a nonprofit founded by Brad Pitt and renowned architect William McDonough to build 150 Cradle to Cradle inspired LEED Platinum homes in New Orleans’ Lower Ninth Ward, the neighborhood hardest hit by Hurricane Katrina. A portion of the proceeds from the sale of each C6 will help support the efforts of Make It Right.

“We’re excited to partner with LivingHomes to help make well-designed, sustainable houses more affordable and available in other parts of the country,” said Tom Darden, Make It Right’s Executive Director.

Want to see more? Create a Virtual LivingHome C6, with your choice of finishes and fixtures, at www.livinghomes.net. And a complete C6 will be on display at Dwell on Design in June in Los Angeles, if you want to get all old school bricks (ok, no bricks, but plenty of FSC certified wood) and mortar.

Design Features

The C6 was designed by LivingHomes staff, and was inspired by the remarkable modern homes built by developer Joe Eichler throughout California in the 50s and 60s. Like many Eichler Homes, the C6 is organized around a courtyard that is accessible through a variety of openings and features an open floor plan that is ideal for outdoor/indoor lifestyles. Its size, 1,232 square feet, is well below the national average of 2,380 sf for new homes (NAHB, 2011) but feels surprisingly spacious.

The 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom LivingHome includes:

• Cork floors, wood ceiling, natural wood millwork and wood siding.
• Multiple sliding glass doors accessing the backyard and courtyard.
• Floor-to-ceiling glass, clerestory windows, light tubes, and transom windows.
• Ample storage, particularly in the kitchen.
• Full feature lighting control system, accessible from an iPhone.

Environmental Features

The C6 is the first Energy Star® certified production home with a LEED Platinum level environmental program and Cradle to Cradle inspired products. It is also the first LivingHome to achieve most of LivingHomes’ Z6 Environmental Goals: Zero Energy, Zero Water, Zero Emissions, Zero Carbon, Zero Waste, and Zero Ignorance.

• Zero Energy: Energy efficient lighting and appliances, smart heating/AC control system to reduce power usage, photovoltaics for more than 100% of power needs.
• Zero Carbon/Waste: Recycled materials & Cradle to Cradle inspired materials. Carbon off-set included in purchase price to counter energy used to create the home.
• Zero Water: Low flow water fixtures. Grey water ready system.
• Zero Emissions: No VOC paint. Formaldehyde-free millwork.
• Zero Ignorance: Real time feedback on energy usage.