Housing structures account for thirty-nine percent of carbon dioxide emissions in America alone. George Bialecki, Jr. recognized that without new and innovative alternative energy and non-toxic building solutions, communities the world over could face ever-greater levels of environmental degradation in years to come. To address the problem, he founded the Alternative Energy Living Foundation for the research, education, and popularization of environmentally sustainable, energy-efficient home construction. Recently, the nonprofit foundation accepted a challenge to put their research to the test: represent the United States in the Future House project, the first international sustainable energy community located in Beijing, China. Commissioned by China’s Ministry of Science and Technology and the Ministry of Construction, the Future House project challenged ten countries each to build a home using their latest technologies with environmentally friendly materials and processes.
Nine of the ten Future House submissions receive full financial support from home governments. The Future House USA does not. Since the American government did not provide funding, Bialecki undertook the project as a grassroots effort. He envisioned Future House USA as a new, environmentally friendly home for the mainstream real estate market. "As people from around the world are voicing their concern over our present energy and environmental issues," he notes, "the United States must not only be represented within the project, but must also lead the way in developing global energy and environmental solutions."
Future House USA transforms the theory behind the zero-net energy home into reality, eliminating the carbon footprint that housing structures have traditionally imposed upon the environment. The home also addresses energy efficiency, storm water management, indoor air quality, water conservation, and recycling management.
As a grassroots effort, Future House USA reflects the true American spirit. Without government help or support from powerful commercial interests, George Bialecki, Jr. has drawn together people of various disciplines from around the country and forged them into a team. They have produced a prototype that not only represents America’s cutting-edge home construction capabilities, but also links the concern for the environment with a house that nurtures that most intimate of communities, the family. Bialecki believes that Future House USA ultimately represents a way to bring people together for developing global environmental and energy solutions. Alluding to a celebrated speech by John F. Kennedy to underscore his case, he adds, "In the end, we all breathe the same air and drink the same water."
To learn more about George Bialecki, Jr. and his cause, and how you can make a difference, please visit: www.futurehouseusa.org.
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