Utah House
Utah State University, with funding by CSREES, built the Utah House in 2002. The house was built as part of the Homes Across America program, which serves to share information amongst builders, architects, and building associations on sustainable construction practices, innovations, and resource efficient features. The house was funded through the Healthy Homes Initiative, a partnership between CSREES and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
The purpose of the Utah House is to create an educational facility that would demonstrate a new way to build a home and create a landscape that promotes the principles of sustainability, energy and water efficiency, a healthy indoor environment, universal design principles, and promote economic development using local and state building products.
The two-bedroom, 2,500 square foot house was built in Farmington, UT and has 40 resource-efficient features, including solar and geothermal energy sources.
Homes that demand a tremendous amount of resources, including raw materials, water and energy, pose a pollution risk to surface water, air quality and produce tons of debris. In areas experiencing significant population growth, construction is just part of the landscape. Homes that are resource efficient conserve natural resources, reduce pollution and waste, provide a healthy environment for the occupant, and reduce costs associated with maintenance, repair and utilities. Resource efficiency is achieved through high-performance design, resource efficient products, and the application of best management practices during construction.
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