The Wired Home

Even though I try, I am not the smartest person when it comes to being green. I'll admit that sometimes I leave a light on when I'm not home or stay in the shower a bit too long. Luckily, if Wired magazine’s new prefab home is a foreshadowing of the future, being eco-conscious will be self-automated. Slated to be built over three days this week in the Crestwood Hills neighborhood of Los Angeles, the "high design, low impact" house is full of gadgets designed to conserve energy. Conceived by internationally-renowned architect Ray Kappe and constructed by LivingHomes, features are all discreetly placed and include thermal blinds, motorized windows, self-adjusting vents and a washing machine that uses sensors to gauge the dirt level in the water so washing ends as soon as items are clean. All gadgetry is kept in order by a dashboard loaded onto a home computer that allows residents to track real-time energy use making it easy for them to gauge just how green they are being. The house will be open next month to the public, so stop by if you're in the area. Criminals be forewarned though: a Panasonic camera verifies the identity of visitors by scanning their irises.