4,500 Square Feet of Energy Efficiency 

When it comes to home sustainability, size certainly does matter. Larger homes not only require more materials for construction, but they will also usually require more energy to heat, cool, and power. Despite these challenges, large homes will certainly continue to be built across the country, so making those homes as sustainable and energy-efficient as possible is a priority for many builders and developers.

The SmartLux home is a 4,507 square foot structure located just west of downtown Houston. The four-bedroom, four-and-a-half-bath home shows off an impressive Home Energy Rating System (HERS) score of 39. HERS, according to the US Department of Energy, “is an analysis of a home's projected energy efficiency compared to the efficiency of a 'reference home' that meets the requirements of the latest residential energy code, known as the International Energy Conservation Code (IECC).” The scale is 1 to 100, where the reference home is 100. The lower the score, the more efficient the home: each 1-point decrease in the HERS score equates to a 1% reduction in energy consumption compared to the HERS reference home—which means the SmartLux home is 61% more energy efficient than that same home would be if it were just built to code.

While the typical monthly energy bill for a 4,500 square foot home in the climate of Houston would most likely be thousands of dollars, the Department of Energy estimates that the SmartLux home will only average $125 monthly energy bills. This represents around $1,800 of annual savings or up to $77,000 in savings over a 30-year mortgage compared to typical homes.

Tri-Generation Energy System

The SmartLux can generate such impressive energy efficiency due to its unique, micro tri-generation system. This innovative system advances over the more traditional micro-combined heat and power (MCHP) systems by incorporating cooling capabilities. This was essential because Houston homeowners rely so heavily on air conditioning to keep homes comfortable. Specifically, the tri-generation system comprises a 23 horsepower, natural gas-fired generator located outside the home. This main source of energy for the home is 85 percent efficient and can generate up to 6 kilowatts (kW) of energy to meet the home's peak energy demand.