As the saying goes, there’s no place like home, and in the case of Sustainable Acres in Pennington, there really is no place like this home. Sustainable Acres is a first of it's kind, off-grid residential property that is powered exclusively by solar and hydrogen technologies.
The contemporary craftsman style home, which is currently on the market, was completely redesigned by its eco-conscious owners who made a commitment to using sustainable energy solutions throughout the residence and property. Set on just over 11 acres, the home is equipped with a 40kw solar array with 20kw of backup power, and a hydrogen generator with fuel cells, meaning that the home runs entirely on green, pollution-free power with zero costs associated with heating, cooling, and electricity. Even better, on days when it generates more energy than needed, the owner can sell the excess to PSEG. The technology behind the home is truly impressive. Solar panels supply electricity directly to the home and an electrolyzer tied to the hydrogen generator which then splits water molecules into hydrogen and oxygen atoms. The hydrogen is then stored in an underground tank and eventually passes through fuel cells stored in the 3 car garage. These cells supply additional power to the home as well as a battery backup, and are even used to fuel the owner's hydrogen-powered Toyota Mirai.
Realtor Dave Marcolla explains that this distinctive property is setting the stage for the future of applied residential renewable energy, and credits the owner for being a trailblazer who hopes to inspire others to consider sustainable living. “What makes this property so unique is that it was the first of its kind in North America”, Dave says. “We all know there are all sorts of new innovations and technologies being implemented in home building and sustainable energy, but to see it happening here in our area is such an awesome thing. Many scientists and visionaries believe our future depends on this type of innovation and this home-owner has embraced that thinking and is only selling so she can continue to develop more similar properties.”
The owners’ commitment to energy efficiency did not mean cutting corners on quality and style, however. The 5 bedroom home was completely renovated top to bottom in 2015 including windows, siding, metal and asphalt roofs, mechanicals, appliances, flooring, septic, whole home filtration system and 2 new wells (1 for irrigating the property). The home features an open modern layout, gourmet kitchen and two wood-burning fireplaces. The living room is basked in natural light, with 3 walls of windows and sliders out to the wrap-around deck for amazing views. A large family room on the lower level offers a third fireplace and sliders to the rear paver patio complete with lighted stone waterfall surround and river rock fire pit area for outdoor entertaining. Perhaps the best perk of this one-of-a-kind home, however, is that it is being sold with some unique extras to help the future owners completely embrace their newly found off-grid lifestyle. Included in the sale of the home is the property’s “chicken village”, complete with new coops, and a roaming area for up to 110 chickens, a hyperbaric chamber with oxygen concentrator for 100% pure oxygen, as well as the innovative Toyota Mirai! Dave says the seller is excited to pass her passion for eco-friendly living on to the next owner. “It's rare in this business to find a seller who wants you to have the entire experience; to do so she is including everything you see at the property, from furnishings and tools, to the utility vehicle, free range egg producing chickens, a hyperbaric chamber and even a hydrogen powered car.” For those interested in reducing their carbon footprint on a daily basis, Sustainable Acres provides an opportunity to simply move right in and forge its next chapter.
To learn more about this property visit www.DaveMarcolla.com or call 609-423-9147.
