The state of Tennessee is selling the award-winning “green” New Norris House in Norris. (Photo courtesy University of Tennessee)
KNOXVILLE—The state of Tennessee is selling one of the greenest homes in the state—the New Norris House.
Sealed bids will be taken through 1:30 p.m. (CST) on May 5. An open house will be held April 12, 2-4 p.m., at 143 Oak Road in Norris.
The New Norris House was completed in 2011 after a student-led team at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville worked for three years to bring the concept, first conceived in a classroom, to a modern and appealing home.
The house is a technologically advanced reinterpretation of the historic homes first built by the Tennessee Valley Authority in 1933 as part of the Norris Dam project. It has become a nationally recognized model for efficient and sustainable living.
The UT College of Architecture and Design led the project, which was executed in cooperation with the community to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the Norris community. Four other UT departments and a variety of corporate and industry partners supported the project. The project was launched with support from a grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s People, Prosperity, and the Planet Student Design Competition for Sustainability.
Featuring five rooms, Energy Star appliances, a loft, reclaimed hardwood floors, a deck and lush landscapes, the 1,006-square-foot space is more than a single-family home; it is the embodiment of the university’s design and research excellence.
The American Institute of Architects and its Committee on the Environment named the New Norris House one of the nation’s Top 10 examples of sustainable architecture and green design in 2013. It also is one of the first buildings in Tennessee to earn the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) for Homes Platinum certification, the highest standard for sustainability.
The new homeowners will benefit from special features and reduced utility costs. The house features well-designed fluid spaces, maximized daylighting, LED lighting fixtures, custom millwork, and a solar water heater that uses 61 percent less energy than the national average.
The home also inventively repurposes water. The wastewater from such activities as laundry, hand-washing, and bathing is rerouted to water plants. A rainwater cistern also filters water captured from the roof for nonpotable uses in the home, such as toilet flushing, clothes washing, and hose bibs. Overflow goes to a second cistern, which irrigates vegetable beds in the backyard.
The original Norris houses were the centerpieces of the progressive planned community. Their affordable and efficient design was one of many innovations that stemmed from the Norris Dam project.
The minimum bid price is set at $155,000. To learn more about the state of Tennessee’s sale, visit http://tn.gov/generalserv/psm/rpa/sales.shtml.
To learn more about the New Norris House, visit http://thenewnorrishouse.com.
