Lap of (Efficient) Luxury

R.E.A. Homes, which specializes in the construction of high-performance luxury homes, recently completed the design and construction of a house in Town and Country that a consultant says is one of few in the country that is so efficient for its size.

The home delivers virtually every luxury feature imaginable while maintaining the carbon footprint of a house a fraction of its size. It is 73 percent more efficient than houses being built to the International Energy code and up to 90 percent more efficient than many homes built in the St. Louis area.

The structure already has been awarded four "green" certifications, including Gold St. Louis Home Builders Association (HBA), Silver National HBA, Energy Star and EPA Indoor Air Plus. It is also expected to be awarded certification under the prestigious LEED For Homes program.

R.E.A. Homes, which was founded by owner Jeff Bogard in 2007, focuses on energy-efficient, high-performance luxury homes. "True luxury," says Bogard, "goes beyond beautiful finishes. It is also lower utility bills, comfortable interiors and good indoor air quality. What's behind the drywall is just as important as what's in front. The ultimate luxury home starts with properly engineered and installed HVAC systems and good insulation."

Bogard and his staff worked closely with the home owners to design a home that targeted high performance and luxury as twin goals. Every element of the house's design was evaluated before it was incorporated into the construction.

R.E.A. Homes worked with energy efficiency and sustainability consultant Home Green Home on the house's energy design, which includes an advanced insulation and ventilation system, a home automation system, locally sourced materials and walls built using optimization software to minimize waste.

Ground-source heat pumps comprised of 22 wells, each of which is 200 feet deep, heat and cool the house and a swimming pool as well as furnishing all of the home's hot water. Indoor air is filtered to hospital operating room standards and every room in the house is guaranteed to be within 1 degree of its set temperature.

"This is a remarkably efficient house, especially for its size," says Marc Bluestone, president of Home Green Home. "There aren't more than a handful of homes of that size in the whole country that are this efficient."

The design includes a unique rainwater harvesting system that will provide 200,000 gallons of rainwater per year, more than meeting the home's landscaping needs without ever needing to purchase water. Additionally, an array of solar panels provides a significant portion of the home's electric power needs.

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