Blu Homes Unfolds Iconic Glidehouse on Washington's Vashon Island

WALTHAM, Mass. and SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., Oct. 18, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- On September 28, Blu Homes (www.bluhomes.com), a leading designer and manufacturer of beautiful, green, precision-built homes, unfolded a Glidehouse for the first time since unveiling the Company's updated, more spacious version of the iconic home last year. The two-bedroom, two-bath home, which is located on Vashon Island, Washington, is Energy Star-rated and LEED certifiable. The home also features a 16-foot detached Glidehouse Pod with an extra bedroom and bath.  

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This is the sixth Glidehouse built in Washington state and the second on Vashon Island, which, with its rugged landscape and multitude of organic farms and wineries, is a stunning location for the eco-conscious Glidehouse. Overall, the Glidehouse is a great fit for the Pacific Northwest's climate and culture.

"We first fell in love with the Glidehouse after seeing it in the pages of Sunset. With its 60-foot 'wall of glass,' 14 foot-high ceilings, and abundant clerestory windows we knew this was a house that would allow us to take full advantage of the spectacular views from our lot," said Rich Mintz, who with his wife Diana, is the owner of the new Glidehouse on Vashon Island. "We've waited to build on our land for 30 years, so we wanted our new home to be perfect. In addition to showcasing our breathtaking views, we love the way the home lets in the light and cool breezes, saving on energy costs as well as creating an uplifting living environment."

Ami McElroy, who has lived in her Seattle-area Glidehouse for the last six years continued, "Even when I'm inside my Glidehouse, I feel like I'm connected to nature.  The floor-to-ceiling windows work in harmony with the clerestory windows on the back wall to balance the natural light inside.  Even on the grayest Seattle day—and there are plenty of those—it's light and bright in my house."

Making a Great Home Even Better

The new Glidehouse is constructed with Blu's proprietary steel framing, making the home extraordinarily durable, which is particularly important in challenging coastal and marine climates. The steel framing also results in more spacious, light-filled floor plans that are almost 30% wider with 20% higher ceilings than the original. The Glidehouse, like all of Blu's homes, is now available nationwide and is durable enough to comfortably handle a wide range of challenging weather conditions—from the snow loads of the Rockies and seismic activity on the San Andreas Fault to high winds of the Coasts. Blu's proprietary building science technology allows its homes to be finished completely and to precision quality in its weather-controlled factory by trained, well-tooled craftsman. The homes are then folded for quick and cost-effective setting on-site.

"We plan to live in this home for the rest of our lives, so we wanted something strong that requires minimal maintenance. The steel framing and engineering behind the construction of the Glidehouse is remarkable for its durability and precision," said Mintz, who served in the Air Force and then as an engineering manager for Boeing. "Given my engineering background, the cutting-edge technology used in the building and unfolding of our Glidehouse was of great importance to me. That technology also made the building process so much faster than it would have been with an average home, which was a huge draw for us."

Customers like Mintz begin the Blu homebuilding process by customizing their own homes for free online and in 3-D with Blu's proprietary Configurator™, which allows users to style, visualize and spend time in their own Blu Home. After selecting from a wide variety of designs, floor plans, interior design 'palettes' and appliance packages, homebuyers are able to visualize their new home in real time—all from the comfort of their home or office. Blu then builds each home with precision tooling and trained craftsman in its climate-controlled factory to meet the highest quality construction standards.

After leaving the factory, Blu's homes are installed on-site in one day and completed in just two weeks by Blu's teams of craftsmen. This speed and convenience is a result of Blu's proprietary building science technology, which allows its homes to be folded for quick and cost-effective setting on site. All of this is done at a pre-agreed, fixed cost.

All Blu finishes, fittings, appliances and systems are selected by Blu designers for their leading environmental performance, resulting in healthy and beautiful living spaces and high indoor air quality. Blu homes offer at least 50% energy savings over comparably sized existing homes and include high-end features like luxurious radiant floor heating, Energy Star appliances, low-flow fixtures, an energy recovery ventilation system, sustainably forested flooring, healthy Greenguard finishes for indoor air quality and a roof with a 50-year life.

For more information on Blu Homes go to www.bluhomes.com, follow us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/bluhomes) and Twitter (@BluHomes), or email us at [email protected].

About Blu Homes

Blu Homes, Inc. is a Massachusetts- and California-based builder of green, architect-designed, and precision-built homes. Blu has built a variety of residential and institutional eco-friendly home designs for families and organizations across the U.S., from New York to the Colorado Mountains and the California Coast. Blu's proprietary steel framing and building technology allows Blu to build homes that are as strong as they are beautiful and then fold them for quick and cost-effective setting across the continental U.S. and Canada. For more information on Blu Homes, contact [email protected], or visit www.bluhomes.com.

SOURCE Blu Homes