Homes of the future require maximum efficiency and minimal energy use. That stringent demand cannot be met using outdated techniques hundreds of years old or building out in the weather with scores of workers for a year or longer. An exceptional, complex product requires minute tolerances and precision controlled factory conditions.

We have to rethink the way we design, build and live in our homes.

Myth 1

Luxury and sustainability don’t mix. To be eco-friendly you have to suffer and sacrifice. Conventional wisdom has told us that in order to be good to the earth we must compromise, living in homes that are small, simple, rustic, oddly-designed, and sacrificing precious amenities that enhance our lifestyle.

Myth 2

Current construction techniques are fine and we can tweak them into the 21st century. We’ve been told that another layer of glass in windows, caulking, weather-stripping, thicker insulation, solar hot water and other minor adaptations can make tired, inefficient construction techniques magically become ‘green’.

Myth 3

You can’t really measure the impact a house has on the environment. Most of the ‘green washing’ that is happening today in the US construction industry is done by well-meaning people who have unfortunately accepted loose standards and vague terminology. But there is a better way to verify results.

So, what is the truth?

Conventional wisdom says that there are not enough resources to go around, and in order to be kind to the planet we all have to suffer and sacrifice. Conventionally speaking, that may be true, but the EcoLuxury Revolution is all about breaking the mold by combining efficiency with high performance and exceptional elegance.

Vireo successfully brings luxury into the green equation. Our homes represent a completely controlled environment that allows size without compromising efficiency. Sustainable, organic materials and precision processes break the rules that force scarcity and simplicity upon us. That is why we say, you can save the world by living in luxury.

Debunking the Myths 1

Luxury and sustainability DO mix. You can save the world by living in luxury! The EcoLuxury Revolution is really about breaking the mold by combining efficiency with high performance and exceptional elegance. We’re proving that style, spaciousness and high-performance are possible in an earth-friendly house. You can feel good about your living space and about your relationship with the planet.

Debunking the Myths 2

To solve 21st century problems, we need 21st century solutions. The average US home is designed for a 20 year life span and will then need to be remodeled or rebuilt. Vireo homes are built to 100 year standards – a 500% higher performance. Our homes by design, construction and use require approximately 1/5 the energy of the average home, and are carbon neutral or even carbon positive.

Debunking the Myths 3

There’s no excuse for misleading people. We offer 3rd party verification for every claim. At Vireo, we give very specific definitions to all of our terms and there is 3rd party verification of the performance of our homes. Everything we claim has been independently certified – from factory systems designed by Porsche, to efficient construction processes, to how our houses use energy and perform over time.

Our first project in the US, this extraordinary, contemporary home in Boulder, Colorado is positioned on a hillside capturing spectacular views of the Flatirons, Boulder’s landmark. The home is equipped with state of the art solar photo-voltaic panels, and doesn’t stint on luxurious appoinments. An elevator from the garage entrance ascends to the main level where you will enjoy the beauty and amenities of a modern european-inspired kitchen and a stunning dining room and living area. 2002 Alpine is as eco-friendly as a home can be, but has all the bells and whistles including a fully outfitted theater room, master sitting area with bar, and a roof top terrace to enjoy the great outdoors.

An iconic residence… 2002 Alpine is the US prototype home of the future.

Being different by definition means breaking from convention. And 2002 Alpine is a stunningly beautiful residence with elegant appointments and extraordinary attention to detail! The f irst American-designed, urban, hyper-eco-luxury home in America, this 4,300 sq. ft. masterpiece will be completely finished in less than 3 months, and paves the way for a revolution in how we design, build and enjoy our living spaces.

• Projected energy use for 2002 Alpine is 18% the average energy use of a typical U.S. home.
• An average home built in the U.S. today has 17% waste. Vireo homes have less than 2% waste on average.
• The first Colorado private home pressure tested to 100 psi – the key to energy efficiency.
• 4,300 sq. ft. home built in 4 days, assembled in 9 days, and crafted to last 100 years.
• Revolutionary CAD-CAM system delivers unrivaled precision in home (±½ inch over 100 ft. span).

The latest 5th generation German WeberHaus home construction matches your unique architectural design with high-quality aerospace CAD/CAM construction, sustainable natural materials in the hands of certified master-craftsmen to produce arguably the Greenest homes in the world. These homes marry the best possible technology, materials and craftsmanship producing verifiably a moral home for centuries of living in harmony with Nature, adding value and saving money – not at one step, but at every step. This Green performance is measurable – from start to finish – for a home built for generations, as aesthetically beautiful and delightful to live within as it is morally in harmony with Nature without. Here, Green is the best, fastest, strongest, healthiest, natural, moral and money saving way to build on earth.

Objective Green Advantages

Four verifiable ways measuring Green value:

1. Empirical, scientific advantages inside and out delivering measurable savings of time, health, money, energy and materials;

2. Subjective emotional advantages from living within aesthetically beautiful spaces flooded with natural light and materials delighting the senses – supporting greater productivity and harmony;

3. More healthful living where natural organic materials grown and harvested sustainably provide a living environment free of those common building materials known to produce harmful gases aggravating asthma, allergies and other ills;

4. Increased ethical living by knowingly not sacrificing the future – of your own future great grandchildren – of the earth’s resources and other living creatures – by rising above the common selfishness of the modern consumptive lifestyle.

Green isn’t an empty colorless boast. Independent, 3rd-party verification of each and every Green performance claim is available. These Green home advantages are measured in lifetimes – yours, your family’s, your neighbor’s, and the rest of the world outside your home. These homes produce healthy environments – inside and out – delivering value measured to anyone willing to take the time to look and see. This is a Return-On-Investment that saves money, time, health, energy, materials and something more valuable – the future.

Sustaining a healthy thriving earth isn’t an impossible utopian dream but a choice. Standing on the shoulders of centuries of advancement, today a 21st Century home is available using best practices to deliver the best possible shelter for those who can’t afford anything less.

Green is a simple color, meaning the best, most valuable, without apology, waste or excuse.

Periscope Marketing, Inc., David Peri
All rights reserved, used by permission

Do your EcoLuxury homes help to minimize waste?

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Luxury and ‘green’ just don’t mix!

Peruse the FAQs sheet attached for answers to all your most pressing questions about 2002 Alpine.  And if you’re curious about something we didn’t cover – just contact us!

The modern world runs on energy. Energy is converted from one form or another, but it is never created or destroyed. Most of the world’s main energy sources are based on the consumption of non-renewable resources such as petroleum, coal, natural gas, and uranium.

While still a small segment of the energy supply, renewable sources such as wind power and solar power are growing rapidly in market share. America’s energy problems will only be solved by a national transition to renewable energy. Solar energy is a mature technology with the potential to play a large part of the solution. With current technology, solar energy can supply much of the electricity that our country needs. The benefits of solar are clear:

Clean. Really clean, as in zero emissions. In the US, emissions from electricity generation are the single largest contributor to global warming, as well as toxic to human health and the environment.

Reliable. With no moving parts, solar panels need little maintenance and come with 25-year warranties standard.

Homegrown. The fuel is delivered every day, to every corner of the globe, free of charge, until the end of time. Energy independence is a critical priority for our country.

Our solar partner at 2002 Alpine is Lighthouse Solar. Get to know them online at www.lighthousesolar.com!

Conventional wisdom says that there are not enough resources to go around, and only suffering and sacrifice will minimize human impact on the planet. Conventionally speaking that may be true, but the EcoLuxury Revolution and our prototype project, 2002 Alpine in Boulder, challenge our assumptions by creating new standards of efficiency and energy use with exceptional elegance and livability. Vireo successfully brings luxury into the green equation. Our homes represent a completely controlled environment allowing appropriate size without wasteful inefficiency.

Ask any other builder if they pressure test their house to 100 pounds per square inch of pressure. Ask them how long they can hold that pressure. Our answer is the difference. Once you have a precision-engineered, impenetrable envelope for a house that can be pressurized to 3 atmospheres, everything changes. Suddenly you don’t have to heat and cool the great outdoors. The only air exchange required is for freshness. Our sustainable, organic materials keep you from being poisoned by a tight house, and our precision processes break the rules that force scarcity and simplicity upon us.

Join the Revolution. You can save the world by living in luxury.

…sustainable practices are now synonymous with new construction and many renovations.  It’s become so commonplace, major hotel companies are offering LEED-certified new construction prototypes and guests are beginning to expect hoteliers will be good environmental stewards. But even with as much progress as the lodging industry has made during the past few years, there will always be visionaries who keep trying to push the boundaries of what’s possible.

To them, LEED is just the price of entry into true sustainability. These folks are pushing ideas and concepts that turn buildings into building blocks for a better future…structures that enhance the environment, not tax it.

It’s great to see kindred spirits who believe that luxury and sustainability can coexist…and that certification is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to truly high-performance construction.  To truly further sustainability, a building must push the very boundaries of terms like “green” and “eco-friendly” that have become so weighed down by arbitrary standards and green washing.  And that’s what we’ve tried to do at 2002 Alpine…with extraordinary results.

Forty years after the first Earth Day, the world is in greater peril than ever. While climate change is the greatest challenge of our time, it also presents the greatest opportunity – an unprecedented opportunity to build a healthy, prosperous, clean energy economy now and for the future.

Earth Day 2010 can be a turning point to advance climate policy, energy efficiency, renewable energy and green jobs. Earth Day Network is galvanizing millions who make personal commitments to sustainability. Earth Day 2010 is a pivotal opportunity for individuals, corporations and governments to join together and create a global green economy. We hope you will join the more than one billion people in 190 countries that are taking action for Earth Day.

As the world’s human population grows, so does our footprint. We must find ways of living and growing in harmony with nature, and with the earth’s finite resources. Action is needed to promote green building, organic agriculture and responsible environmental practices.

2002 Alpine truly is living proof that a home can be beautiful, functional and sustainable!  Take the time to learn more today…