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By Melissa Dittmann Tracey
LAS VEGAS – “It’s bigger, greener, stronger and smarter than any that have come before”—touts iShow, the makers of the NextGen “First to the Future” demonstration home model, which is open for tours at the International Builder Show this week.
Each year, iShow produces a NextGen home that offers a glimpse at the latest technology and upgrades to homes – not to mention, wish lists of many home owners, from the morning kitchen in the master bedroom to technology that makes managing a home easier than ever before. This year iShow teamed with the U.S. Department of Energy to create a home that is 95 percent more energy efficienct than a standard home today.
“First to the Future” specs:
- 5,200 square feet
- 5 bedrooms, 6 bathrooms and a powder room
- 3-car garage
Some more characteristics of the “First to the Future” home:
- Countertops made from 550 pounds of 100 percent recycled glass, such as from traffic lights, used jars and bottles, and car windshields.
- Lighting that automatically adjusts to the amount of sunlight entering through the windows.
- Insulated concrete forms that make up the backbone of the home that are fire proof, sound proof, mold-resistant, and offer more insulation than wood-framed homes.
- Roofing made from 25 percent recycled steel.
- Windows and doors that were made to withstand natural disasters, such as earthquakes.
- Touch panels throughout the home to control lighting, sound, appliances, temperature and security.
- Recycled leather floor tiles and composite garage doors made from 100 percent recycled wood.
