Photo Credit: Photography by Turnkey Visuals
What does the future of home building look like? For Houston-based Giga Construction, energy-independent residences built to prioritize health and efficiency are the next generation. One of their latest developments, Geo Home, aims to show homeowners and other builders what’s possible.
Geo is a single-story, net-positive energy home designed for health, safety and a sustainable, nature-inspired living experience. The project is the first design-build home in the Houston 610 loop to pair a Tesla® solar roof with battery backup for electrical grid independence. Every aspect of the five-bedroom, four-bathroom, 3,530-square-foot residence with a multi-generational flex space over the garage was thoughtfully constructed, prioritizing energy efficiency in their system and material selections.
The all-electric home has no natural gas line penetrations in the first-floor envelope and features high-quality spray foam insulation, double pane windows and doors, Led light fixtures, zero Voc paints and Energy Star® appliances. For sustainability and comfort, Geo leads the way with a high-performance heating and air conditioning system and energy generation capability.
Heat Pumps Paired with Solar
Geo is conditioned by our M-Series variable-capacity heat pumps paired with a fresh air ventilator and dehumidifier to ensure high indoor air quality. The 19+ SEER heat pump system provides the consistent comfort and energy efficiency Geo needs to fulfill the intended nature-inspired design. Using electricity generated by the 15.0 kW Tesla Solar Roof, the home and the variable-capacity heat pumps can operate off-grid using only battery power for approximately four days (and longer with a sunny forecast). This gives Geo sustainable, gas-free heating and highly efficient air conditioning year-round, even at night and on cloudy days.
The home demonstrates how to achieve efficiency and electrical grid independence without sacrificing comfort or modern amenities.
“What do we want the future neighborhoods to look like? Should they look like what they have been for the last hundred years? Stick built, asphalt, shingles standard homes – or should we take it to the next level?” says Garrett Stepanovich, president, Giga Construction. “To me, it’s pretty simple. It’s energy-independent homes that rely on solar and battery backup, built efficiently with mechanicals that are low power drawers. When I have grandchildren or great-grandchildren of my own, I want to see homes built for the future.”
To read more about Geo Home or learn about our all-climate heat pump systems, visit MitsubishiComfort.com.
