Simpatico Homes | Net Zero Prefabs

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As part of its effort to provide sustainable homes, Method Homes launched the Simpatico Series designed by Swatt Miers Architects. These California modular homes use an innovative module system and true net zero energy homes.

Simpatico aims to blend their homes with the landscape, allow for flexible living and address complicated issues that come with urban living.

The module design allows for quicker, more efficient and more environmentally-friendly construction.

A few options are available through Method Homes as part of their series of homes.

Swatt | Miers Architects

Swatt | Miers provides architecture, interior design, planning and facility programming services. The architecture firm is the result of the merging of two well-established San Francisco Bay firms: Swatt Architects and George Miers and Associates, Architects and Planners.

The goal of the firm is to produce homes that are both beautiful and sustainable.

Both Robert Swatt and George Miers have been in the business for more than 40 years.

The Simpatico Series Prefab Homes

The Simpatico series celebrates the great outdoors by bringing nature inside and maximizing the use of natural daylight. The homes in this series use a unique system of modules, and every home starts as a net-zero energy home. The solar voltaic system is included in the base price of every home.

The modular construction of Simpatico Homes is handled by Eco Offsite, Inc.

The base cost of a Simpatico home includes:

• Structural shell
• Windows/doors
• Interior and exterior finishes
• Plumbing rough-in and fixtures
• Flooring
• Electrical rough-in and light fixtures
• Washer/dryer
• Water heater
• All kitchen appliances
• Heating and cooling system

Simpatico Courtyard House

Modular Cost: $230,000-$625,000

The Courtyard House was designed as a kit with multiple parts customized to the client’s needs. Buyers can start out with the 3-module and 2-site-built-part home, or they can build their home incrementally as needed.

The home offers ample opportunity for indoor/outdoor living, and the site-built components allow buyers to have taller spaces if they wish. Buyers can also choose an upgraded version with more glazing and a wooden entry wall window.

There are five variations of this model:

Mod 1

• Mod 1: 1 bedroom; 1.5 bathrooms; 899 square feet;
• Mod 1 + Carport: 1 bedroom; 1.5 bathrooms; 899 square feet; open kitchen; laundry room; family room 2 car carport and storage
• Mod 1 + Carport + Mod 2: 1 bedroom; 2.5 bathrooms; 1 office; 1227 square feet; 2 car carport and storage
• Mod 1 + Carport + Mod 2 + Great Room: 1 bedroom; 2.5 bathrooms; 1 office; great room; 1912 square feet; 2 car carport and storage
• Mod 1 + Carport + Mod 2 + Great Room + Mod 3: 3 bedrooms; 4.5 bathrooms; 1 office; great room; 2753 square feet; 2 car carport and storage

All variations of the home have an open kitchen, laundry room and a family room.

Prices are provided for each individual module component:

• Mod 1: $230,000; 14’6” wide x 66’ long x 11’10” tall
• Carport: $50,000; 21’4” wide x 43’4” long x 10’6” tall
• Mod 2: $75,000; 12’6”wide x 26’3” long x 10’6” tall
• Great Room: $100,000; 14’6” wide x 24’6” long x 13’6” tall
• Mod 3: $170,000; 14’6” wide x 66’ long x 11’10” tall

The Courtyard Home allows for true flexibility in home design and the ability to expand your living space in the future with minimal cost and disturbance thanks to the modular design.

Simpatico 2-Story House

Modular Cost: $300,000-$850,000 (site costs are not included in this price)

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The 2-Story House is a Prototype Home that sits on a narrow lot in an urban neighborhood. The goal with this home was to show off the flexibility and the potential of the Simpatico module system.

The 2-Story House features a passive solar design that gives the home an eye-catching design while maximizing natural daylight. The modular home also provides a 360-degree panoramic view of the area from the roof deck.

A net zero energy home, the 2-Story House seeks an LEED Platinum rating, which is the highest available.

Some of the materials used in this prototype home include:

• Metal panels
• Concrete countertops
• Metal railings
• Bituminous roofing
• Thermoplastic membrane roofing
• Metal windows and metal-framed skylights
• Ceramic type
• Gypsum board

The beauty of the 2-Story House is that it offers a truly flexible design and can easily fit in complicated lots, including those narrow lots commonly found in urban areas. The 2-bedroom, 3-bath home has a great room, home office, an additional study/sleeping loft area, and a 2-car tandem garage. The home consists of six mods that provides up to 3,600 square feet of living space.

The three ground level modules are built in a factory, while the garage and sunken family room are built on-site. The roof of the home has room for solar panels, a roof deck and a stair tower module.

To achieve the net-zero energy design designation, the home features a 6.2 kw solar panel array, hydronic radiant heating, a rainwater catchment system and a living green roof. An electric heat pump combined with energy-efficient appliance and fixtures helps maximize energy conservation.

The home, designed to achieve the LEED Platinum for Homes rating, produces enough electricity that it sells energy back to the grid.

The 2-Story prototype house is located in Emeryville, California, and it is occupied by the founder of Simpatico Homes, Seth Krubiner.

Simpatico Homes cost approximately $150 per square foot, and they take about six months to complete.