Century 21 realtors Megan Hill and Laurie Culp had their weekly open house in Ankeny, Iowa, for the green home built last year by Eco-Logic Homes.

In attendance for the unveiling of their newest solar car, Hyperion, was the ISU PrISUm Team. The team said this was the first-ever road test for this model as Hyperion breezed up and down SW College Street in the summer heat at a conservative 35 mph.

PrISUm’s solar car was not alone at the showing, however; a Chevy Volt, a Toyota Camry and two Toyota Prius kept Hyperion company for the green display. The combination of green appliances, vehicles and home presented a promising image for the future.

Once inside, Eco-Logic Homes’ commitment to the environment was instantly clear. Eco-Logic Homes, the building company responsible for the home at 1714 SW College St., Ankeny, builds homes in all three levels of green.

This particular home is the third level of green: a zero impact building, built, maintained and eventually deconstructed in eco-friendly ways. This includes the use of environmentally safe building techniques and materials, followed by continuous energy preservation during the building’s lifetime and finally the reuse of the materials gained during its deconstruction at the end of its lifespan.

“This was not designed to be a solar house,” Culp said. “It’s a stock design.” The builder, Joel Clutts, modified the original design to conserve energy and reduce use. After consulting with East Coast builders, the walls were thickened, along with the windows, now triple-pane.

The solar-panel rig cost around $25,000 and produces between 500 and 600 KW on a monthly basis, shy of the average non-green household’s typical monthly usage of 800 KW. With an estimated need equal to the energy produced, the home sells excess energy back to Mid-America Energy for credits towards months when energy is drawn from the grid.

The design goes beyond the use of more efficient building materials. Smaller bedrooms reduce the energy needed to heat and cool them, while promoting the use of the common areas and family interaction.

Culp said they wanted residents to get outside and interact as a community. With Ankeny’s Cascade Aquatic Center less than a five-minute walk away and Dean Park across the street, summer fun won’t be hard to come by.

“We’re going for a farmhouse feel,” Culp said, pointing out the panel-style doors and the reused beams from a local barn. The house certainly had the farm character down, and while the bedrooms were no bigger than needed, the living area and kitchen left little to be wanted.

While a solar car may not be a plausible option in the near future, the green commitments of companies like Eco-Logic Homes, Century 21, Bosch, Toyota and Chevy are helping to make more environmentally-conscious living a viable choice for families across the nation.