One alternative is the Cambria Natural Quartz Counter Tops and the DuPont Zodiac. They look a lot like granite but they look a little artificial to me and the whole allure of granite is that it’s a natural stone even with all the maintenance headaches. I think these products fall in line with Corian. They’re solid surfaces requiring little maintenance but missing the luxurious factor by looking artificial. Yup, Granite will see it’s demise like Corian has in recent years.

IceStone, on the other hand, is one cool alternative in my opinion. It’s made of recycled glass and concrete that provides an entirely different look. Best of all it’s friendly to the environment. Since it uses recycled materials, IceStone counter tops can be used toward getting LEED certification. It’s strong like granite, not as porous as marble, and heat resistant like stone. I like it.

Please, no more granite, maple cabinets, and stainless steel appliances. Granite’s like a hit song on the radio where it’s good the first few times you hear it, but gets annoying after hearing it a gazillion times.

At least you’ll never run out of hot water and doing some good for planet earth. It’s a wonderful luxury item to consider for new construction or remodeling projects, but it’s not cheap. It costs twice as much as a normal water heater but really within reach of most consumers if you gotta have it.

If price is no object or you’re getting sick of running out of hot water or waiting for it, then you gotta have it. All homes over a million dollars should have it and hopefully we’ll all have it eventually.

The 2008 International Builders Show is now underway at the Orlando Convention Center and will continue until the 16th. One of the homes that premieres at this event is the 2008 New American Home which is an embodiment of cutting edge design, innovative building materials, and the latest technologies in the building industry. The 6,725 square foot design by Dan Sater of Sater Design is located on the lake in the Waters Edge section of Lake Nona Country Club off Narcoossee Road. I’ve actually purchased a Sater Design plan myself and a big fan. Two Orlando companies contributed to this project. Robb & Stucky did the interior design and Robertson Homes did the construction.

The Gulf Coast facade graces the symmetrical H pattern plan that lends itself to generous outdoor living areas and takes advantage of the stunning lake views. Sater incorporated a lot of shared spaces in the plan and blurs the distinction between outdoor and indoor living. The upstairs theater in the design can also incorporates a game room feel with a pool table and the fireplace and wetbar make it more of a gathering space. French doors that lead to the balcony with outdoor kitchen makes it feel like it’s part of the room providing a more spacious appeal.

The master bedroom is located on the main level and Sater believes it to be a place for sleeping and privacy so he’s kept the shape of the room quite simple by making it just a square room. The adjacent master bath triggers multiple senses with a waterfall, jetted tub, coffee bar, and fireplace giving it a spa like appeal.

Green building is one of the key focuses on the property and makes the most efficient use of the 6,725 with solar and other high efficiency energy technologies. Aerated concrete blocks which achieve an R-8 insulation value without any insulation being added were used and with foam insulation achieves a R-20 value. The estimated electric bill is a mere $150 per month and uses 42% less energy than a comparable property without such energy saving technologies.

The 2008 New American Home is supposedly up for sale and can be had for just $4.8 million. Such a stiff price tag should ensure that this home stays on the market for quite some time. The 2007 New American Home is still up for sale at $4 million. Perhaps the market is telling us that green building is something we all desire but not willing to pay a premium for. Regardless, I love the innovations the building industry is making and just taking a look at such magnificent properties.

view image gallery: 2008 New American Home

download pdf: floorplan of first level
floorplan of second level

A world renowned builder out of South Florida who is continuing to build some of the largest spec homes in the world even in a down market named Frank McKinney also preaches this philosophy of going against the grain and bringing artistry into real estate. He’s been dubbed the “rock n roll developer” and he looks more like David Lee Roth from Van Halen than a famous builder but his book Make It Big is a wonderful read for any budding real estate entrepreneur and his blog provides great inspiration. I’ve even emailed him to get advice on my personal projects and he surprisingly responded quickly and with extremely helpful advice. Thanks again Frank. I sold and closed my spec house at the beach and trying to figure out when to start my next big project. Everyone must watch this episode of 20/20 below.

Trump & McKinney are a little too flamboyant for my taste and prefer a more subtle style like Harris Rosen or Warren Buffet but really respect them as real estate entrepreneurs. We can all learn a thing or two from these guys. They ROCK.

Donald Trump on The Billionaire Inside

Click here to view the embedded video.

Frank McKinney on 20/20

Part 1: About Frank

Click here to view the embedded video.

Part 2: Frank’s LEED Certified Green Mega Mansion “Aqua Liana”

Click here to view the embedded video.

The Zero House designed by Scott Specht and measuring 650 square feet is one environmentally friendly prefabricated home. Electricity is created from the solar panels on the roof that can run for a week when fully charged without any sunlight. Water comes from rain that’s collected on the roof which drains to a 2,700 gallon cistern. All of the trash and waste goes to the foundation where it is turned into compost that could be used for gardening. The foundation only touches the ground on four points so it will have minimal impact on the environment where ever it sits. On top of that, the floorplan has been designed to absorb plenty of natural lighting, the walls have been insulated for energy efficiency with an R-Value of 58, and the windows are triple glazed.

The Zero House can be installed in places that are unsuitable for current construction standards. It can be installed on a slope up to 35 degrees and in water up to 10 feet. It can also withstand winds up to 140 mph. Current estimates for production say that this home can be built for around $350,000.

The New American Home in the Lake Burden at the Lakes of Windermere subdivision located off Winter Garden-Vineland Rd. was built by Hannigan Homes in 2006 and encourages a design philosophy that makes homes more friendly with the environment. Although beautiful, grand, and stunning, it’s kinda ironic that it boasts 7,367 square feet of living space, an infinity edge pool, and 4 car garage. It’s currently available for purchase at a mere $4,000,000 and furnishings by Saxon Clark are sold separately. So much for the conservation aspect for the environment and the pocket book.

The architecture for this home is a unique combination of British Colonial Caribbean and Mediterranean Revival. An elevator was added to make everything in this home wheelchair accessible. Expansive outdoor living areas include vanishing edge pool with 2 islands, gas heated spa, 2 fireplaces, 2 covered loggias with hidden motorized screens & 2 outdoor cooking centers blur distinction between outdoor and indoor living. The enormous service bar, 2 dishwashers, gas range, dumb waiter, Kohler pot filler & wine cooler creates a kitchen that will delight the most demanding of chefs. The master suite features a morning coffee center, Kohler Chromatherapy tub & steam shower, custom master closet all overlooking a stunning terrace outfitted with a dramatic waterfall. There’s also a theater, game room & home office with 2nd floor library.

Other notable features include Bose audio sound system, security cameras, 11 televisions, automated lighting control system, elevator, 3 gas fireplaces, central vacuum, 3 laundry rooms. By the lake there’s a boat dock with hoists for boats and jet skis.

Green features in this home include abundant natural light and ventilation, thickened insulated exterior walls to mediate temperature differentials, and welcoming outdoor living spaces to foster a close relationship with the natural world.

Other green construction features include: universally accessible design to minimize future renovations, insulated concrete form walls, sprayed Icynene expanding foam roof insulation, sustainable interior doors and trim, high efficiency “Storm Force” doors and windows, high SEER air conditioning system, central dehumidification, HEPA filtration for clean indoor air, tankless “instant” hot water heater, integrated pest management, integrated towel bars/grab bars in bathrooms, water efficient landscape species and design, rainwater harvesting from roof gutter system, and garden mulch made from recycled construction materials.

Another home is being built in SW Orlando to demonstrate green building techniques that will be completed in 2008 and featured at the International Builder’s Convention called the Green Vision House.

There’s also a great blog that encourages going green in Orlando that’s worth checking out called Green Orlando.

download floorplan: New American Home Floorplan

Click here to view the embedded video.

Panasonic has decided to go beyond building consumer electronics and is now building a house to be completed by 2010 called Eco and UD House. A major feature of the house is achieving a Factor 5 energy efficiency without sacrificing quality of living through the use of technology. Panasonic is addressing the issue of global warming head on.

The Panasonic house reduces carbon dioxide emissions by 60% compared to an ordinary home. It uses a fuel-cell co-generation system, which reduces energy use in a household by 20%, solar power generation, and home energy management system that reduces energy use by approximately 10% .

Heat insulation has long been a problem with energy efficiency in homes and this home has solved the problem by utilizing exterior wall heat insulation and heat-insulated doors and windows. With the success of Panasonic’s hydrofluorocarbon-free refrigerator and ever-popular tilted-drum washer and dryer, which clean with significantly less amount of water, every other electronic appliance in the house is energy efficient. Of course, Panasonic had to fill every room in the house with latest and greatest of plasma televisions, retinal scanners, and all the available technology for automation of lighting, window treatments, and music.

Here are some videos of Panasonic’s Ecolife House:

• Cnet
• LuxeTV

In the words of one of my favorite bands, Dubtribe, “Carbon monoxide, acid rain, such greed and selfishness destroy our precious skies, our mother earth. I want my planet back. This planet is mine. This planet is ours. We’ve got to work together.” Today is blog action day for the environment. Having grown up fishing and surfing in Florida, I have a deep appreciation for the environment and its conservation. So I must put up one hell of a post for this day.

I’m proud to announce that the 2008 Green Builder Vision House will be built and showcased in SW Orlando, my favorite place on the planet. The SW Orlando Green Builder Vision House will be built on a gated waterfront site somewhere along the shores of Lake Apopka and unveiled during the International Builder’s Show on February 13, 2008. It is ironic that they build this home on a polluted lake. On the other hand, there are great initiatives to clean up this lake and its in keeping with the theme of bettering the environment.

Homes in the series are built to demonstrate the benefits of sustainable design, construction, and product selection. Designs that work in one climate may be inappropriate for another. So the purpose of the series is to showcase a range of styles, technologies, and products that will work in different regions.

This Green Vision Home will be a 4,900 square foot high end custom home to be built by Westmont Homes to demonstrate that green homes can be glamorous and durable enough to withstand the rigors of being in an active hurricane zone. Water conservation will be one of the key factors in the design since the booming population in Central Florida has created concerns with the aquifer.

The primary source of drinking water for Florida comes from the aquifer and it has been a concern for quite some time. A wonderful explanation of the process of replenishment for the aquifer entitled “Journey of Water“ can be found at the Florida Department of Environmen site. I also found a great post “Protecting the Florida Aquifer” on the Green Homes blog.

Other design features include: structurally insulated panels, non-vented semi conditioned attic space, minimal number of windows facing east or west, optimized air conditioning system with dehumidifiers, storm water run off management, low-e double pane windows, maximum use of recycled materials, innovative foundation and house wrap materials, and an interior design that promotes healthy living.

The Vision Homes Series demonstrates how to be more in harmony with the environment. This planet ours. We’ve got to work together.