As a sustainable homes designer,
G8
CEO Dor Berkovitz is no stranger to green living. Open floor plans,
prefabricated materials and affordable simplicity have always been a
part of the G8 philosophy. This month, G8 takes this commitment one step
further with two additions to the company resume.
On October 22, Berkovitz announced the launch of
G8 Solar, a service his home buying clients had long been clamoring for. Since then, he launched
G8-Solar.com
and has gotten a number of requests. The company began its first solar photovoltaic install this week, but making solar affordable for his already-frugal
clients (average G8 home costs $300,000) has been a challenge.
"Even
with the incentives, you still have to pay $20,000-$30,000 for solar
but with PECO raising their rates, people are going to start seeing the
value of this in the long run," says Berkovitz. "Today, most people's
equity is so limited so we are trying to come up with creative ideas to
get more affordable prices for people who want to put solar on the
roof."
G8's newest project, located at
2300 Amber Street
in Fishtown, is the first home in Philadelphia made entirely of
recycled shipping containers. Working with a company from New York that
specializes in shipping container homes, G8 is retrofitting shipping
containers to act as the frame for this experimental single-family home.
The three-level structure will feature a 3kW solar array and water
system, a garage and a backyard. It begins construction this month.
"The
shipping business is so bad today, you can go on the Turnpike and see
shipping containers rusting at the side of the road," says Berkovitz.
"We figured we could use them like we would with a wooden frame, it will
last for a long time and they are cheap. And we are recycling
materials, which is part of our mission."
Source: Dor Berkovitz, G8
Writer: John Steele