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Prefabulous + Almost Off the Grid: Your Path to Building an Energy Independent Home

By Sheri Koones

If you’ve always liked the idea of living in an sustainable, energy-efficient home but were concerned that a green house might end up being less attractive, less user-friendly, less comfortable – and definitely more expensive – than other homes, think again. Prefabulous + Almost off the Grid: Your Guide to an Energy Independent Home, Sheri Koones’ third book on prefab housing, presents a spectrum of real-life examples of energy-efficient, sustainable homes that range in size, style, location, and cost. Whether your dream is a one-bedroom, ultra-modern, self-sustaining home in the desert, or a four-bedroom, traditional, energy-efficient home in a northern climatePrefabulous + Almost off the Grid presents houses that fit both profiles and many others in between.

In her introduction, Koones, an expert on eco-home construction and proponent of prefab housing, outlines the virtues of living in a sustainable home, as well as the value of building one. As energy costs continue to rise, and stricter building codes reflect higher standards, buyers are realizing that there are two price tags to consider – the initial building cost, and the subsequent costs of running and maintaining a home. Koones informs us that building an energy-saving home not only reduces the running costs, it also adds value, which is reflected in today’s real estate market.

Although I recently completed refitting a 1890s brick townhouse using green systems and materials, I was unaware the evolution of prefab building construction. In my mind, prefab has always had the connotation of low cost, but also low quality – think of the trailers and ‘double-wides’ that dot rural America or the ‘temporary’ homes built in the UK after the bomb damage of the Second World War. Koones’ describes the transformation of the home-building industry. Instead of transporting workers, materials and equipment to a job site where weather and logistics create huge inefficiencies, prefab architectural components are increasingly constructed inside a factory, where quality control is precise, work schedules can be maintained, and materials maximized before being assembled onsite in a short period of time with local labour.  This not only results in better-made homes with less impact on the environment, but also creates more stable jobs, which helps attract young people to the home-building professions.

Happily, these new methods of prefab construction present endless creative possibilities for imaginative architects and homeowners, as exemplified in the 32 prefab houses featured in this book. The houses profiled range from energy efficient to energy neutral, with many falling into the ‘almost off the grid’ category, requiring minimal energy from the public utility.

The houses are well chosen in that there is something for everyone in terms of size, layout, location and aesthetics. Many of the designs borrow from the lexicon of American architectural styles, from ‘saltbox’ to mid-century modern. The text explains the important decisions involved in each house, such as how the location was selected, the architect and builder found, and the challenges presented by each individual situation. I was very pleased to see that architects’ plans are included, so that the reader can more easily understand the size and layout of each house. The book’s many colour photos include both interior and exterior shots of each house as well as some images showing the onsite assembly.

Prefabulous + Almost off the Gridis loaded with information that is, thankfully, sprinkled throughout in short, digestible sidebars explaining the value of various systems (radiant heat, manifold plumbing, mini-duct air distribution), construction methods (structural insulated panels, insulated concrete foundations and walls), materials (solar shingles, LED lighting, insulated engineered wood) and terms (R-value, energy efficiency, LEED certification). This information is important, as the long-term benefits of energy efficiencies can be well worth the initial investment, but may necessitate tradeoffs. Koones keeps her eye on the bottom line, offering a variety of inexpensive options.

Today, there are many green building options to choose from, but understanding all the variables can be hard work.  Prefabulous + Almost off the Grid: Your Path to Building an Energy-Efficient Home combines the eye candy of a coffee table book with the information of an important and useful reference. It’s a book to browse, to read, and to be inspired by.  I would recommend it to anyone considering building or renovating a house – as well as those with an interest in architecture, the environment, and home design.

Prefabulous + Almost Off the Grid: Your Path to Building an Energy Independent Home  by Sheri Koonesis published by Abrams, 2013. 240 pp. Fully illustrated in colour. ISBN 978-1-4197-0325-6