Showcasing

the latest in innovative and emerging products and technologies that will

one day be common features of new homes built in this country, the New

American Home 2002 debuted at the National Association of Home Builders

(NAHB) International Builders' Show in Atlanta.

Sponsored annually

for building product manufacturers and suppliers) and Builder magazine,

the 19th New American Home is a 6,700 plus sq. ft., three-level home located

in the Vinings Estates neighborhood of Mableton approximately 20 minutes

from downtown Atlanta, the site of this year's show.

The one-of-a-kind

residence is valued at more than $1.3 million and is billed as a "casual

Southern Caribbean home," with architectural features inspired by

Georgia's country homes and Charleston's Caribbean estates and plantations.

The home is

laid out in a "series" design. The main house features an entrance

hall and rotunda, as well as a dining room. The main house is attached

to a guest cottage, which serves as the owner's spacious private suite.

The home features four bedrooms (with options for up to seven), five and

a half baths, two fireplaces, a carriage house, waterfall swimming pool

and hot tub, sunset terrace, an upstairs kids' loft, exercise room, recycling

center, gourmet kitchen, sauna and indoor/outdoor tea room.

Two ongoing

trends in the building industry are reflected in the home. First, the

New American Home meets the latest "visitability" standards

of a wheelchair, throughout the entire main-level living area. This special

flexibility adds to the home's value and hospitality.

Another emerging

trend is evident in the home's creators. This year marks the first in

the New American Home's history that women led the three major teams that

created the home. The architect who designed the project was Melanie Taylor,

based in New Haven, Connecticut; the builder was Michelle Horstemeyer

of John Wieland Homes and Neighborhoods, Inc. in Atlanta; and the interior

designer was Jillian Pritchard, MIRM, president of JP Limited, also in

Atlanta. Together, this all-female creative force represents an emerging

societal trend in the building industry in which women are increasingly

filling top-level managerial positions throughout the profession.

Focusing on

quality construction, durable materials, energy-efficient systems and

environmentally sensitive building practices, the team engineered a design

capable of earning certification as an Energy Star home and as an EarthCraft

house, meeting both U.S. Department of Energy standards for highly energy-efficient

design, and green building standards established by the Greater Atlanta

Home Builders Association and the Southface Energy Institute.

The home will

use 58 percent less energy for cooling than a home of comparable size

and boasts a Home Energy Rating System (HERS) level of 91.1. The builders

paid particular attention to air-tightness work done in the cathedral

ceiling, drainage and moisture controls and window flashing. Special energy-efficient

and environmentally sensitive features include:

Energy Recovery

Ventilator that tempers fresh outdoor air before delivery to the HVAC

system;

Superior Wall

System with overall R-value of 24, creating a thermal shell;

Two HVAC units

positioned in conditioned space rather than the attic;

Intricate

duct design layout, HVAC optimization and airtight design elements;

Electric car

charger in garage;

Home recycling

center.

Eddie Lusher,

who is with Jerry Ballard Homes, is president of the Home Builders Association

of Midwest Georgia, which serves a membership of approximately 485 builders

and associate members in Fayette, Coweta, Spalding, Heard and Meriwether

counties.

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