Solar Arrays and Good Insulation Make These Prefab Residences Net-Zero—Even in Cold Climates

Welcome to Prefab Profiles, an ongoing series of interviews with people transforming how we build houses. From prefab tiny houses and modular cabin kits to entire homes ready to ship, their projects represent some of the best ideas in the industry. Do you know a prefab brand that should be on our radar? Get in touch!

In 2008, the small town of Rockport, Maine, had a local celebrity: a net-zero home called the BrightBuilt Barn. The property was named the most innovative home project of the year by the U.S. Green Building Council, later became the subject of a documentary, and seemed to exemplify a future where homes could be high-tech without feeling cold. The barn was super insulated and had solar panels that made it off-grid capable, but it blended in with every other home in the area.

That net-zero, LEED-platinum property would mark the beginning of BrightBuilt Home, a prefab company that takes the ethos of the Barn and applies it to 20 different models. "BrightBuilt is a mission-based company," says Jessica Richards, the company’s head of marketing and operations. "Our goal is not only to offer well-designed, climate-responsible homes using off-site construction methods, but to disrupt the residential design and construction industry. We want to build more net-zero, climate resilient homes for more people." Here, Richards shares more about how BrightBuilt Home is trying to defy industry—and homeowner—expectations.

What qualities make your prefab stand apart from the rest?

We design high-performance, net-zero, modular residences. We advocate for using existing modular manufacturing infrastructure to deliver high-performance homes to the market.

What does your base model cost and what does that pricing include?

We have 20 base model designs that range from 420 to 2,700 square feet. Typical costs range from $450 to $600 per square foot, which includes, for example, site work, outbuildings, and garages. We consider these to be turnkey costs because it captures the true amount of everything to build a move-in ready structure, from earthwork and foundation to doorknobs and hardware.