This is the first Energy Star qual­i­fied home in British Colum­bia, accord­ing to builder Man­dala Homes.  The company’s been around since 2000, and this is their new, round show­case with pas­sive solar design, tuned win­dows, non-toxic fin­ishes, a cus­tom green­house, and all sorts of mate­ri­als that empha­size energy effi­ciency.  It’s owned by Man­dala Homes pres­i­dent Lars Chose and part­ner Rachel Ross.

The Chose-Ross Res­i­dence has 2,300 square feet, which includes three bed­rooms, two and a half bath­rooms, a work­shop, two out­door rooms, and a stor­age room.

Chose-Ross was fin­ished on the out­side with West­ern Red Cedar sid­ing and trim and fir post and beams, while the inte­rior is fin­ished with West­ern Red Cedar ceil­ings, cork floor­ing, ceramic tile, fir trim, Yolo and Natura no-VOC paints, and no-VOC fin­ishes from EcoCrete and Ver­mont Natural.

This green pre­fab con­serves energy with deep over­hangs, LEDs and CFLs, an HRV, thick walls (R34), an insu­lated roof (R66), fiberglass-insulated dual-pane win­dows, sky­lights, solar tubes, an ICF foun­da­tion, and Energy Star appliances.

Man­dala Homes sells a pre­fab shell for between $60 – $90 per square foot.  The shell, which can be shipped all over the world, includes the floor and roof sys­tems, exte­rior walls, win­dows and hard­ware, inte­rior cedar sid­ing, a cen­tral sky­light, and door pack­age, etc.  Site work, trans­porta­tion, and but­ton up work, etc, are the buyer’s responsibility.

writ­ten by Pre­ston, May 9 2012

[+] Visit Man­dala Homes for more about round, panel-frame houses.

Cred­its: Bran­don Knapp; Rachel Ross (#2 only).  

Visit Jet­son Green for more infor­ma­tion and inspi­ra­tion about Sus­tain­able Homes, Nat­ural Mate­ri­als and Green Technology