Enertia Building Systems, Inc, a North Carolina based manufacturer of Geo-Solar homes has introduced a new model: Meridian 3248, the first of a series of homes in the Modern Style featuring their patented, renewable-prefab architectural concept.

Wake Forest, NC May 14, 2010 - The Modernist style has a reputation for poor energy efficiency- dating back to Frank Lloyd Wright's midwest examples. It is simply the un-avoidable result of large expanses of glass- overheating in summer, and hard to heat in Winter. Enertia® has overcome that by applying its unique double-shell technology to exploit the "glass problem" by using it in reverse, under the owner's control, to store heat in the structure of the living space.

Wide temperature swings, as were evident in Philip Johnson's Glass House, are eliminated by Enertia's energy-storing Yellow Pine construction which dampens the day-night differences.
The double shell design allows both natural-ventilation and air-conditioning- impossible in conventional houses, Modernist or not.

The Enertia Concept, developed in the late 1980's and refined for years, requires an attic- a feature absent in Modernist homes. Enertia solved the problem by designing in a pitched attic in the upper back corner of the upstairs bedroom closets. This completes the convection air-loops that are the hallmark of Enertia designs, and it is not visible from the outside or inside.

Enertia Homes get their energy efficiency from innovative techniques that are almost the polar opposite of conventional super-insulated, super-tight homes. First, the walls are solid- not the typical hollow siding/ fiberglass/ sheetrock construction. They are solid Gluelams, no less, the strongest and most renewable form of engineered wood. The energy is stored in the structure, not the air, so opening a door for a minute or so has little effect on the indoor temperature. In the winter air is heated by the expanse of glass, and flows by natural means, so no furnace or blower is needed. In the summer the living space is tempered by Geothermal conditions of the basement, and ventilation through the pitched attic.

Enertia specializes in houses that can stand alone without power or fuel. Much of their work is custom- taking advantage of "features" on the owners property: exposure, height, waterfalls, wind, and caves. Along the way they have developed a line of energy-engineered prefab home kits that can be adapted (and slightly altered) economically. Meridian 3248 is the first Modernist kit in that line, and the techniques developed for it can now be used in Custom homes as well. The official Introduction of the Meridian will take place Monday May 17 at the National Association of Homebuilders Green Building Conference at the Raleigh NC convention center. Introductory pricing will be available at the show for new Dealers who want to use the Meridian as their Model Home.