Burnt Home Reborn as 'Green' in Hawaii

KEOLU HILLS, Oahu, HI - January 20, 2011 - The first National Association of Home Builders-certified green home in Hawai'i was built on the ashes of a house that burned down last year, the Honolulu Star-Advertiser reports.

The Mattos family's two-story home burned to the ground in March of 2010, and owner Elliot Mattos used the insurance payout to build what may be one of the most sustainable structures on the islands of America's 50th state. The house uses the sun's rays to heat water, which is partially gathered through a rainwater cachment system.

To keep the house cool, the roof is designed to reflect the sun's rays and the ceiling has been insulated with Icynene spray foam insulation, which should reduce the cost of keeping the Mattos family cool during blazing island summers.

Bossert Builders, the firm which constructed the bronze-certified home, hopes that the publicity will lead to more popularity for sustainable building practices. "It's something every homeowner on the island can do," Leanne Bossert, the company president, told the Star-Advertiser. "It won't cost more money. A lot of people just don't know that. It's a matter of creating more awareness."

The Mattos home will be open to the public from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Hawaii-Aleutian Standard Time on Sunday, January 23.

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