Want a sneak peek at the homes of the future?
That's what Manmohan Mahal sought to build when he started his company SIDCO Homes, a design and construction group that constructs fire-resistant, renewable energy residences, ABC7 reported.
The one Mahal just finished is a doozy. He calls it "the Tesla of homes," and from top to bottom, you can see why. It's centered on sustainability and eco-conscious choices that will save homeowners money, too.
Located in Palo Alto, its price tag isn't cheap — it's listed for $3.7 million — but it's flush with unique features and integrations you don't find in typical Bay Area homes.
For starters, SIDCO's patented magnesium oxide paneling encases the structure and makes it fire-resistant, a major investment given the increase in dangerous wildfires.
Other features are focused on conservation and clean energy, such as the inner supports being steel and not lumber. Meanwhile, all the water from the showers and laundry machine is routed into a tank, filtered outside, and reused for irrigating plants in the backyard through sprinklers, per ABC7.
According to the outlet, there is not a single gas pipe or gas-powered appliance in the place. Instead, the home's energy comes from rooftop Tesla solar tiles. The electricity generated is then stored in Tesla Powerwalls, which can run the induction stovetop, heat and AC, and an electric vehicle charger.
Any additional energy the home needs can still be drawn from city power. However, it can operate independently from the grid for up to one week by tapping its battery backup system.
These features — solar electricity, battery storage, water reusability, and EV capacity — were areas of focus from the initial blueprints to the final product.
That means energy savings are baked into the home, too. No one who lives there will have to worry about a crazy gas or water bill. Any electricity they don't use isn't wasted; it's just saved for later. Plus, by drawing on fewer polluting energy sources, the home minimizes its overall impact on the environment.
"People are still valuing homes that are larger so there's big value in the consumption that's happening and this home is really about conservation," Simran Mahal, Manmohan's daughter, told ABC7.
It's clear that these well-planned green designs aren't just interesting thought experiments.
Can you imagine a whole block lined with homes like this one?
"The technology exists," Mahal told ABC7. "We can build these homes today."
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