A unique home still under construction on Fish Factory Road in Oak Island serves as a learning laboratory and exhibit space for local builders Bryan McGowin and Christopher Yerkes, who designed the unique, ultra- energy-efficient dwelling.

Built using structural insulated panels rather than conventional framing, with a ductless air-conditioning unit inside, no volatile chemicals and a unique air intake system that takes air to a sunroom that can serve as an indoor garden, the 3,000 square-foot house is definitely out of the ordinary.

But with its expected $40 per month energy bill and aging-in-place built-in features, McGowin expects it to set the standard for future building, particularly in retirement areas such as Brunswick County.

Structural insulated panels consist of a core of foam plastic insulation sandwiched between two sheets of oriented-strand plywood, resulting in sturdy, energy efficient buildings with energy bills some 60 percent lower than standard frame homes.

McGowin has been building green homes in Brunswick County since 2007, but his collaboration with Yerkes is a new, “whole-house, whole-system approach,” he said.

“Bryan and I are both interested in the same things: Practical green and energy-efficient building,” Yerkes said.

Now, the two are putting together a business plan to create kits for builders looking to build energy-efficient, green houses at various prices.

“It’s like a chassis to serve as the basis of houses at a wide variety of price points,” Yerkes explained. “If a builder or someone wants to come in and add marble floors or carpet the whole thing, that’s his choice. That affects the price he charges buyers. We’re focused heavily on design and type of construction.”

They are now in the process of putting together a full, three-dimensional model for the builders, in addition to a list of materials, basic design principles and options for increasing or decreasing square footage.

McGowin has been interested in practical environmentalism throughout his career. He studied environmental land-use planning and policy management in college and began working as an environmental planner in New York.

He later realized he could make more practical strides in environmentalism as a builder. Building homes in the Hamptons of New York, however, soon became cost-prohibitive. Homebuyers there weren’t interested in decreasing their environmental footprints, considering the amount of money they paid for the land, he said.

A lifelong visitor to Southeastern North Carolina, McGowin jumped at the chance when a friend asked him to help design houses for Lennon Hills, an environmentally-friendly golf course community in the Supply area.

Since then, he’s been building houses with Hall and Wright Construction, and recently began a partnership with Yerkes, a 20-year resident of Brunswick County.

Like McGowin, Yerkes has been interested in green construction for many years.

“I started out as an engineer for Johnson Controls. During the first oil embargo, my job was helping companies that had been wasteful cut back on energy use. I realized there are a lot of benefits to this—cleaning up the environment and saving money.
“Bryan and I both had the same attitude about building, so we decided to team up,” he said.

“We looked for a place and this became available. Eventually, we decided to take this concept to the next level: We call it workingman’s green.”

Because of its large lot and waterfront location, the Fish Factory Road house is listed at more than $500,000, but McGowin is quick to point out that on other lots, the cost is less, about $85 per square foot.

The listing agent for the home, Hailey Knecht of Intracoastal Realty Corporation, is sold on the green home idea and spends most of her time spreading the word.

“I’m very excited about it. I’ve been meeting with homeowners’ associations about the concept. Everybody I’ve met says, ‘If I’m going to build a house, I’d do that.’”

Especially interesting to potential buyers, Knecht said, is the attached atrium, where it’s possible to grow enough vegetables and fruit to feed a family of four for an entire year. The atrium is connected to the air intake system, bringing air from the bathrooms into the room for natural filtration.

According to Robert Privott, director of codes and construction for the N.C. Homebuilders Association, the latest state residential codes list structurally insulated panels as a viable construction method, rather than an “alternate method.”

Privott said he has seen some interest in building using structurally insulated panels and other green methods, but “as far as an exodus from conventional frame, I don’t really see that.”

“The difficulty now is builders are experiencing problems in securing financing in building any type of housing, as is the general public,” he said.

“Most of your green construction is in custom homes. That segment of the population is educated on green practices. The builders and homeowners try to incorporate energy-efficient options into the plans.”

Privott said the future of green building depends on the availability of financing and consumer demand.

Donna Girardot, executive officer of the Wilmington-Cape Fear Homebuilders Association, agreed. She noted the National Association of Homebuilders recognized the area as having built more green units than any other association in the country two years ago, but the recession has stifled demand.

“There was a great demand in this area,” Girardot said. “With the recession, people are looking more at cost. They’re buying green, but they’re looking at amortizing their investment much quicker. They’re looking at energy-saving appliances and how to save energy as far as heating and cooling.”

With its $1 per day energy costs, houses like those McGowin and Yerkes designed are specifically aimed at that demographic, they said.

And Knecht uses that fact to pitch the concept to potential homebuyers.

“Your energy bills don’t build equity,” Knecht said. “You might as well spend your money on your house, which does benefit your   pocketbook.”