Concept Home Moving Forward
In 2005, PATH is taking the Concept Home to the
next level. While the 2004 unveiling of the first Concept Home designs was met with great success, PATH knows that much more is needed.
The Concept Home represents a long-term, multipart initiative that combines forward-thinking technological innovations with consideration of the American family's needs and the American homebuilding industry's potential.
What if a high quality, affordable home could be built in 20 days? What if it:
- Accommodated your changing lifestyle?
- Adapted to technological advances?
- Was easy to repair and remodel?
- Looked like custom-built?
The home has components that can be implemented today -- ideas and technologies that can be adopted into current building practices. It also suggests some visionary components, challenging manufacturers and builders to translate ideas into reality.
Specific innovation areas in the first PATH Concept Home include: Space Plan Flexibility, Separated Home Systems; Organized Utilities; and Improved Production Methods. Future models will reflect evolving construction innovations and advanced technologies.
The Concept Home illustrates the advanced construction principles from PATH's whole house roadmap.
What's Next?
This year, PATH will move the Concept Home closer to a reality:
- First, PATH plans to develop different Concept Homes for different home markets throughout the country -- from urban infill multifamily housing to suburban single-family homes. The Concept Homes will be designed for different regional climates and household sizes.
- Second, these research "blueprints" and "specifications" -- developed using practical, market lenses -- will be made available to a variety of home technology manufacturers interested in developing specific products, processes, and--ultimately--homes that satisfy the Concept Home performance criteria.
- Third, PATH will be studying the institutional and regulatory barriers that prohibit Concept Home technologies from going to market, like financing, building code discrepancies, and quality certification.
- Finally, through the PATH Field Evaluations, PATH hopes to enlist some innovative builders who will take the Concept Home plans and specifications and work with the team of manufacturers and PATH technical assistance engineers and architects to finally build, market, and sell homes. But, PATH won't stop there! We hope to both monitor the homes' performance with the builders and manufacturers, and interview the homeowners to see how the Concept Home is working in their families.
What Is Your Vision of the Home of the Future?
Everyone has a different vision of what the perfect home is. Whether you are a builder, a contractor or a consumer, here's your chance to share your ideals with PATH. Take this
survey and let us know what you think.
Model on Display
An architectural model of the home was created to demonstrate these concepts. The model was recenty displayed with the PATH exhibit the 2005 International Builders' Show (January 13-16, Orlando, Florida). In 2004, the model was also displayed at the Digital Edge Expo (September 18-19, Washington, D.C.), NAHB Headquarters (September 20-October 1, Washington, D.C.), the Upper Great Plains Technology Expo (October 11-13, Fargo, North Dakota) and at JLC Live (October 29-30, Portland, Oregon).
The first PATH Concept Home model was created with support and assistance from DuPont and the Portland Cement Association.
Concept Home Media Coverage
PATH has launched a four-part series in Professional Builder magazine on implementing Concept Home strategies today. Read the first three articles, and watch for the final larticle on home factory production in February.
Davidsonville firm working on inner city home of the future, Annapolis Capitol, January 30, 2005.
From Fantasy to Reality, Professional Builder, January 2005 (Series - 3rd of 4 articles)
The New ABCs for HVAC, Professional Builder, November 2004 (Series - 2nd of 4)
The Flexible Home, Smart HomeOwner , November/December 2004
The Next Generation of Plumbing, Professional Builder, October 2004 (Series - 1st of 4)
PCA Pushing Aggregate, Rock Products , October 1, 2004
Futuristic Concept Home Stresses Flexibility, Chicago Tribune , August 22, 2004
PATH Partnership Unveils Concept Home With Moveable Walls, Building Online , August 4, 2004
PATH's Home of the Future, Professional Builder , August 2004
Dreaming Up a House That Can Evolve With Its Occupants, Washington Post , July 10, 2004
Industry Committee Preview Event
PATH's Industry Committee hosted a
reception to mark the unveiling of the Concept Home model on June 23, 2004 in Washington, D.C. The event was sponsored by
NUCONSTEEL,
CertainTeed Corporation,
North American Insulation Manufacturers Association (NAIMA), and
SEISCO/Microtherm, Inc.
Learn more about the Concept Home
Content updated on 2/25/2005