The KB Home ProjeKt, on display Oct. 5-7 this week at the 2016 Greenbuild International Conference and Expo in Los Angeles, finds a green alternative for every product, building material, and appliance used in today's typical homes. Built through collaboration between one of the country's largest home builders and a number of forward-thinking organizations, the innovative show home is a testament to the future of green building.
An interplay of products and materials brings this high-intelligence, high-performance, green home to fruition. Below are some of the products featured in this year's project.
Emser Tile
With more than 4,500 interior and exterior tile selections of varying patterns, textures, and finishes, Esmer tiles can be utilized to create a full feature tile wall—an emerging trend in home design—that easily transitions from horizontal to vertical surfaces. emser.com
Owens Corning
The ProPink High Performance Attic System and the High-Performance Wall System, featuring the company’s blown-in wall system and extruded polystyrene insulation, deliver air sealing, moisture management, and acoustic solutions that improve the overall energy efficiency, durability, sustainability and comfort performance of the home. owenscorning.com
Whirlpool
The KitchenAid Architect Series II dishwasher includes the AquaSense recycling system, which uses 33% less water than KitchenAid dishwashers without AquaSense. AquaSense technology recycles water from the dishwasher’s final rinse by reusing it for the next load’s pre-rinse cycle. Fresh water is used to finish the cleaning cycle. whirlpool.com
LP Building Products
LP FlameBlock Fire-Rated OSB Sheathing is constructed with a non-combustible, fiberglass-reinforced pyrotite treatment to protect walls and roof decking from fires. It has a 15-minute thermal barrier protection and a 30-minute flame spread rating, is lightweight, affordable, and easy to install, which reduces labor and material costs for builders, according to the manufacturer. lpcorp.com
Cosentino
Dekton surfaces are universal—they can be applied as kitchen and bathroom countertops, or used for indoor and outdoor wall cladding, stairs, flooring, custom furniture, or even swimming pools. The material is resistant to scratches and stains, and has high heat, thaw, and UV resistance, which allows it to withstand the elements in any climate. dekton.com
Panasonic
Home security and air control are combined in the Home Health Link system for an all-in-one package that keeps homeowners both safe and healthy. The customizable system features built-in intelligence and automatic adaptability to manage moisture and ensure indoor air quality through a system of sensors that communicates with a Wi-Fi hub to detect and control moisture, temperature, and pollutants. business. us.panasonic.com/ventfans
Carrier
The Carrier Côr thermostat blends fresh outdoor air with conditioned indoor air to create an affordable, energy-saving home comfort system. Inverter technology powers a heating and cooling system that, when coupled with the company’s air purifier, captures and kills airborne pathogens such as bacteria, viruses, and mold. The energy-recovering ventilator removes stale air from the home while stopping valuable air from escaping. carrier.com
DuPont Building Science
Tyvek ThermaWrap takes air and water protection to a new level with a low-emissivity surface that adds an effective R-value to a wall system when used in conjunction with an airspace. It provides a breathable weather barrier and prevents the accumulation of water in the walls, thus reducing the chances of water damage and mold. dupont.com
Kohler
The Veil Intelligent toilet features a self-cleansing stainless steel bidet wand that uses a UV light and electrolyzed water system to ensure a more sanitized cleaning. An eco-friendly dual flush function uses 0.8 to 1.28 gallons per flush, which can save homeowners as much as 6,000 gallons of water annually compared with a standard 1.6-gallon toilet. kohler.com
