Recently, a friend asked if I knew of any beautifully designed, ecologically conscious prefab homes. To be honest, I was completely stumped by the question. Like many people, I had a poorly conceived notion of what prefab housing can be. Think of prefab and what comes to mind? Cardboard like walls, mass produced chemically saturated building materials, forms devoid of personal character and quality sacrificed for quantity. While many prefab houses fit that description, there is a growing movement to develop affordable homes with style and conscience. Enter the new prefab, an elegant answer to the challenging market we live in.

Michelle Kaufman, designer of the Glidehouse as well as the Breezehouse (a joint venture with Sunset Magazine) is a pioneer in bringing affordable ecological design to the masses. What sets these two homes apart? The off site construction creates very little waste, takes less time and has a lower environmental impact on the home site. Both the Breezehouse and Glidehouse are built using sustainable materials including bamboo flooring, galvalume metal roof, on demand hot water, bio-radiant heating, and non toxic paints. Style and substance, good work Michelle!

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