Inside the New American Home at 2009 IBS

Does your house have five mini-kitchens to complement the main kitchen?

Do you have four 52-inch high-definition LCDs outside your home?

If not, you’ll need to make some upgrades to keep pace with the New American Home 2009, which was open to the public during the 2009 International Builders Show (IBS) in Las Vegas.

The 8,700-square-foot, four-level luxury home demonstrates custom technology and energy efficiency. The layout of the near-zero-energy home, however, seemed to have the most impact on the swarms of IBS attendees.

It blends comfortable outdoor environments with inside spaces, using a courtyard, a Zen garden, and a spacious pool area complete with several fire pits. Technology, specifically audio and video, blend naturally into the home’s outside areas.

Custom installation was provided by Herriman, Utah-based integrator Imperium Smart Systems, the company that won Microsoft's Ultimate Media Center installation contest at EHX Fall 2008.

The equipment installed by Imperium Smart Systems includes:

• 10 Toshiba LCD 1080p flat panels
• 16-zone Grand Concerto multiroom audio system from NuVo Technologies Inc.
• 40 in-wall and in-ceiling speakers from Paradigm’s AMS and SA Series
• AVM 50 preamplifier/processor and MCA and PVA Series multichannel amplifiers from Anthem
• DLA-RS2 1080p HD projector from JVC
• StudioTek 130 G3 projection screen from Stewart Filmscreen Corp.
• MX-980 and MX-880 remote controls and the MX-3000 touchscreen from Universal Remote Control Inc.
• Lifeware automation software, four Lifepoint touchpanels, one Lifecontroller automation controller, and two Lifemedia 450 media servers running Windows Media Center in Windows Vista

Microsoft was the platinum sponsor of the house, and its Media Center is used to manage most of the equipment.

Microsoft is proud to have Windows Media Center at the core of the connected home technology in this house, according to Kevin Collins, director of the Custom Installer Channel in the Connected TV Business, Entertainment and Devices Division, at Microsoft.

“With Windows Media Center, the owners of the home can enjoy high-definition (HD) TV, videos and photos throughout the 11 HD displays in the house; listen to music anywhere on the property; and control all the lighting and security from mobile control devices.

“This home allows anyone to see how truly integrated a connected home lifestyle can be with shipping products, and provides insight to builders on what
they can easily integrate into their customers’ homes.”

The house is sponsored by the National Council of the Housing Industry (NCHI) and was built by Las Vegas-based luxury builder Blue Heron.

Click here to tour the New American Home.