Tony Sarich builds Central Valley's first LEED-Gold home and prefab winery


Tony Sarich, the co-founder of American Modular Systems (AMS), which introduced an innovative green classroom environment named ‘Gen7’, has built LEED-Gold home and prefab winery, said to be the first of its kind in Central Valley, California.


Tony Sarich’s two-phase home project in a super-tight building envelope started in December 2010. The pre-fabricated winery spanning 3,000 square feet is called River Vine. The finished structure is expected to become the Central Valley's first LEED-Gold home and the first prefab winery built offsite to meet LEED-Gold standards. The winery was assembled at the enclosed 280,000 square feet AMS manufacturing facility. The 90% completed winery will be transported and installed on Sarich's 50-acre property.

The new high-tech winery has been designed to blend energy-efficient mechanical and electrical systems. Advanced green technology methods, perfected in Gen7 schools, have been used. The new Gen7 is designed to facilitate optimal learning potential in an adaptable and energy-efficient classroom solution that can be delivered and installed in 90 days or less. The classrooms feature the cleanest building materials and the latest technological advancements to offer a complete green solution.

The winery, the natural well and future house will be powered by roof-mounted solar panels. A super-tight building envelope has been used to keep the interiors cool. The building envelope is made of 100% recycled blue jean insulation with an R-value of 50 on the roof and walls. Innovative smart lighting features are installed throughout, apart from natural daylight harvesting to reduce energy usage by 65%.

Similar to the Gen7 classroom, both the winery and neighbouring dwelling will be constructed from recycled and recyclable materials. All wood used for construction is FSC certified and is sourced from responsibly managed forests. Paints and finishes used contain low- and no-VOC (volatile organic compounds) to keep the interior air clean and odour-free. The project has been designed in partnership with architect Marmol Radziner.

AMS designs and manufactures commercial, institutional and modular buildings from warehousing to school classrooms.








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