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In pursuit of LEED for Homes Platinum Certification, rHOUSE contains the most innovative and progressive green building technologies:

• Advanced framing, requiring less lumber and providing additional insulation.
• All lumber is Forest Stewardship Council certified.
• Ground-source heat exchange (geo-thermal) for heating and cooling.
• Hybrid solar & tankless water heater.
• Water efficient fixtures and landscaping.
• Photo-voltaic solar power systems, such as roof- and ground- mounted, tracking and stationary, providing comparison data.
• Solar tubes for daylight harvesting.
• Systems monitoring, providing energy usage and generation information.
• Finishes will have high recycled content, be low- or no-VOC and meet high durability criteria.
• The future greenhouse will demonstrate passive heating principles and be used for testing hydroponic and earth-grown plants for use as alternative fuels as well as learning propagation techniques.
• The yard provides room for electric vehicle testing, a solar oven and other outdoor projects.
• The garage will house an electric vehicle that is being converted from an internal combustion engine by COHS students.
• At least 75% of construction waste was recycled.
• Future wind turbine electrical generation.