On some distant day in the future, dinner will make itself as the result of some technological wonder, the dog will be able to go on its own 5:30 a.m. walk, and we’ll never have to fill up the car again because it will run on happy thoughts.
Well, someday may not be too far off, at least in terms of never having to pay for gas again. Coupeville builder Ted Clifton of Clifton View Homes is now building houses so sustainable that they are actually producing enough energy to power an electric car.
“I call it the Prius of homes,” Clifton said.
So far, he’s built two such houses; a park ranger residence in Painted Hills, Ore., and another in Ballard. The Oregon residence, a one bedroom of about 1,000 square feet, provides enough energy to power a car for about 1,500 miles a month, and the Ballard home, three bedrooms at 1,900 square feet, has been designed to power a car 8,800 miles annually.
Clifton is working on building a third such home in Coupeville. And if successful, it could become the true king of green. Clifton is hoping to build a home that puts out enough juice to power an electric car for 18,700 miles a year, though the energy output is contingent on just how much the owner wants to invest.
The homes are built to be so energy efficient that they are capable of supplying all their own power needs. The owner can opt to install additional solar panels to power vehicles. Prices range from about $175,000 to about $240,000.
The power-producing homes recently earned Clifton the National Association of Home Builders Green Building Award for Concept and Research. He won it two years ago for a home he built in Coupeville, which makes him the only builder ever to win it twice.
Clifton has been in the contracting business for 35 years but it was only since 2000 that he began to focus heavily on sustainable building. While he made the shift largely for personal beliefs, it proved to be a smart business move as well.
“I’m just fortunate that Washington has a strong niche market for green building,” Clifton said.
He helped start the green building program for the Skagit/Island Counties Building Association and has worked on advancing his own skills ever since. Just this year, he became the first builder on the West Coast and one of only 16 in the country to earn the title of Master Certified Green Professional through the National Association of Home Builders.
Acquiring the designation is no small feat, requiring a series of classes and tests, and demonstrated experience in the field constructing and certifying green homes. It also qualifies him to begin instructing other contractors to earn their owner certifications.
