Story

 Nestled in a hill overlooking a beautiful  Lake, and across the road from  Vineyards,  this modern concrete home is built for health, comfort, and efficiency; with materials chosen for durability. Exterior finishes of fiber-cement panels, corrugated metal, and cedar siding exude warmth and interest, hinting at the detail waiting inside. Inside, the polished concrete floors offer beauty and low maintenance; with custom cabinets, a built-in fireplace, floating shelves, and high ceilings contributing to the luxurious feel. Not to be outdone, the lake view is perfectly captured by a large expanse of glass to enjoy the glorious sunrises on the lake. The kitchen features a large island with seating, great views of the wooded backyard, and flows into the living and dining rooms to create a great space for entertaining. A fresh air system ensures a constant supply of healthy air, while the airtight construction keeps out allergens and discomfort. All electric design so the home is zero-energy ready, with no concerns overbreathing  combustion gasses. Guests will be surprised to learn the exterior walls are insulated concrete from foundation to roof, contributing to the comfort, security, and durability of the home; as well as heating and cooling costs 1/2 that of other homes! Make the trip to Fennville to see why we say: #detailsmatterThe home contains approximately 2,100 sq.ft. of living space, with a three stall garage, plus additional workshop space. Cost to build of $490,000, it was a Spring 2019 Parade home. This custom home was built for move-up homebuyers. Green Home of the Year description: This home is built on the belief that the greenest home is the one that doesn't need replacement for hundreds of years. Exterior finishes were chosen for low maintenance and durability. Polished concrete floors offer ultra-low maintenance, healthy indoor air quality, and a lower carbon footprint. These are poured over an innovating composite steel/concrete subfloor for fire safety. Fiberglass frame windows offer greater durability. Airtight construction, coupled with a Heat Recovery Ventilator (HRV) provide a controlled amount of fresh, filtered air, with little energy penalty; all while removing stale air an toxic off-gassing. This contributes to health, comfort, efficiency, and productivity; while maintaining an interior humidity level between 35%-55%, proven best for reducing infections and virus growth. Insulating Concrete Form (ICF) exterior walls from footing to truss offer the ultimate in energy savings, comfort, and durability; allowing the correct humidity levels without a concern for mold growth. Interior partition walls were framed with metal studs, bearing walls with LVL. Fire safety, straightness, and resource reduction were factors driving that choice. The latest in Variable Refrigerant Flow (VRF) modulating heat pumps utilizes the energy equivalent of a hair dryer to heat the home; while completely eliminating the potential for gas leaks and carbon monoxide in the home. It also filters out particles as small as cigarette smoke, the most harmful size to human lungs. A Heat Pump Water Heater (HPWH) provides domestic hot water at a fraction of the cost of electric water heaters, also completely elimination the potential for gas leaks and carbon monoxide in the home. Extensive efforts to isolate the garage air from the home to prevent noxious fumes from infiltrating the indoor environment. A wood-burning fireplace provides supplemental heat for the entire home, using trees cleared from the building site. Concrete countertops provide beauty and durability with no off-gassing. A variable vapor barrier/air barrier installed under the trusses, with a mechanical chase framed under that eliminates hundreds of penetrations and potential air leaks in the ceiling from electrical, plumbing, and interior walls. This allows drying at a controlled rate, while preventing air leakage. Driveway is built from recycled asphalt millings. 100% LED lighting throughout. Low-flow plumbing fixtures throughout. The home is designed around the views offered by the lot, as well as the large elevation change front to back; to utilize the lot nobody wanted to build on. Homeowners were provided with printed and electronic copies on the use and maintenance of all systems, as well as on-site education regarding the operation of energy efficiency and indoor air quality equipment and features. All metal and concrete waste was recycled, as well as most of the Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) foam used for forming the ICF walls.Parade Home of the Year description: A bold modern design was the dream of the homeowners; and was achieved by sticking with simple lines, minimal trim, floating vanities, low profile window frames, polished concrete floors, and blending industrial materials with wood elements on the exterior finishes. A lot of planning and detail goes into making a home appear that it has little detail; but a close inspection is sure to delight the discerning eye.