A homeowner-centric approach to homebuilding focused on long-term durability and comfort provides the foundation for VISION House SHAWOOD.
For more than two decades, Green Builder Media has collaborated with architects, builders, homebuyers, product manufacturers and industry experts on VISION House demonstration projects. While the homes themselves vary by location, size and style, every participant in these projects shares a commitment to sustainability, to improving the way homes are built and the way people live in them.
In recent months, Green Builder Media has introduced the concept of Value Per Square Foot, a metric that focuses on the true value and cost of homeownership rather than the upfront cost to build and buy a house. Sekisui House, a global, forward-thinking builder, is embarking on VISION House SHAWOOD with Green Builder Media to showcase the company’s consistent commitment to sustainability and core values, including their guiding philosophy “love of humanity.” This VISION House project will include three of Sekisui House’s SHAWOOD communities: SHAWOOD at The Orchards in Las Vegas, SHAWOOD at Ellis in the Bay Area and SHAWOOD at Deerlake Ranch in Chatsworth, Calif. to be completed in 2026 and 2027.
The synergies between the seven pillars of Green Builder Media’s Value Per Square Foot concept and the philosophy that infuses Sekisui House and their SHAWOOD brand immediately became apparent when the organizations began discussing their collaboration.
“Both Green Builder’s VISION House and SHAWOOD are demonstrating many of the same core principles: high-performance, all-electric, solar-enabled, resilient homes designed for
long-term value,” says Roger Gannon, chief operating officer of SHAWOOD for Sekisui House. A guiding philosophy for Sekisui House is Keinen bika, the concept of creating a home that grows more beautiful over time.
“To me, beauty isn’t just about aesthetics, it’s about performance, durability, resilience and livability,” Gannon says. “Our focus is on delivering value over time in terms of sustainability and cost of operations, but also flexibility for the people who live in each house we build.”
Value Per Square Foot Pillars and VISION House SHAWOOD
Together, the seven core pillars of Value Per Square Foot align with the priorities of homebuyers in every generation. Green Builder Media’s COGNITION Smart Data found that long-term value and operating costs are more important than upfront costs for buyers today, with 50% of consumer respondents reporting that the most useful metric is the total monthly and full cost of homeownership, and 27% saying they would find a value per square foot measure including operating costs useful.
The Value Per Square Foot pillars include:
- Energy. VISION House projects and SHAWOOD communities demonstrate the value of homes with all-electric designs, energy efficiency, solar integration and, often, battery-enabled resilience, all of which provide a more comfortable home and lower monthly costs. “In SHAWOOD communities, this is embedded through our Zero Energy approach, where homes are designed to produce as much energy as they consume annually under typical conditions,” Gannon says. “The homes reduce financial stress and increase day-to-day confidence.”
- Resilience. Resilience to climate issues, which can be accomplished with climate-responsive design that focuses on safety, durability and energy independence, is no longer a luxury. Resilience is part of an affordability strategy to protect homeowner equity, lower insurance risk and keep families safe. VISION House projects typically include backup power, storage and grid interactive capabilities. “SHAWOOD homes are designed with durable structural systems, high-quality materials and optional resilience packages that support continued operation during outages,” Gannon says. “Resilience is about more than one specific event or season; it’s the concept that your home continues to take care of you even when conditions are unpredictable. Resilience provides long-term financial protection and investment for homeowners.”
- Health and Wellness. Clear air, natural light, safe materials and good design contribute to better mental and physical health. Those features also add long-term value to homes. “SHAWOOD homes, including in our existing communities, are fundamentally designed around human experience, including superior indoor air quality, low-toxicity materials, natural light and spatial flow, and acoustic and thermal comfort,” Gannon says. “This is often one of the most immediately felt benefits by homeowners.”
- Water. Water-smart design and water conserving features safeguard resources while lowering costs, both of which are important to ongoing value. Water efficiency is already the baseline in SHAWOOD communities, according to Gannon. “Designing a home to use less water automatically lowers utility costs and reduces exposure to regional water constraints,” he says.
- Decarbonization. Decarbonization is in the DNA of VISION House projects, which consistently use low carbon design strategies and are built with products by manufacturers who focus on their lifecycle environmental impact. The all-electric homes and renewable energy integration are part of their decarbonization strategy. “SHAWOOD homes are built with a wood-forward construction method that includes precision manufacturing to reduce waste and high operational efficiency,” Gannon says. “Our construction practices and zero energy homes contribute to long-term decarbonization while adding comfort and value for homeowners."
- Equity and investment. By focusing on long-term value rather than upfront costs, the value per square foot metric provides insight into affordability, risk avoidance, enhanced resale value and the potential for generational wealth building. “VISION House projects and SHAWOOD communities have already delivered lower operating costs, resilience that avoids disruption-related expenses, and strong design that supports long-term desirability,” Gannon says. “We’re designing and building homes that cost less to live in and hold their value more effectively over time.”
- Community. A home is more than just a building: it’s a place for life, for family and friends to connect, to gain peace of mind and to interact with nature. The concept of value per square foot extends beyond the individual home and encompasses the way a home and its residents connect with nature and each other. Communities that are built with shared spaces in harmony with the natural surroundings, such as SHAWOOD communities, can promote local resilience, strengthen social ties and promote wellbeing. “The philosophy of Satuyama, which is about creating human spaces that coexist with nature, is part of Sekisui House and the SHAWOOD brand,” Gannon says. “To us, homes should be part of the ecosystem, the community should be part of the ecosystem, and so should the families inside the homes. Every family should have a great long-lasting experience that gets better over time, which blends with our commitment to exceptional durability and longevity.”
Read more about the VISION House SHAWOOD