The 3,385-square-foot home in Kensington, introduced to the press on May 29, goes for a cool $1.99 million, but Mauro says the energy savings it affords the owner will get the house to pay for itself in no time. “There are plenty of homes out there in the same price range but none of them can match the energy saving capacity that this one has.”

Mauro is a Kensington resident who’s specialized in custom projects and innovative homes in the neighbourhood for over a decade. His previous “green” projects include the 12-unit Villaggio in 2002 and Quattro Porte, a cutting-edge fourplex on a triangular lot in 2008. The two-storey home on 11 Street N.W. is his first foray in the single-family environmental-and-elegant market.

This concept home uses the Advantage ICF System or insulating concrete forms for the ultimate building envelope, which means concrete core walls are enveloped in expanded polystyrene for improved interior temperature control. The building retains more heat in winter and cool air in summer than its wood-framed counterparts, bringing 42 per cent more insulation (R-value) to the home.

The heating system is cutting-edge geothermal, which sees energy drawn from underground to heat and cool the home. Not only does this equate to emissions cut by one-and-a-half to two tonnes a year over other methods, but a geothermal heat pump also has four times the cooling or heating capacity of a high-efficiency furnace, at 400 per cent. Combined with ICF and radiant basement floor heating, projected energy costs are estimated at just $200 a month for the home.

Good to the earth can be easy on the eyes. The home has a stone-and-stucco exterior in the Arts and Crafts tradition with a modern twist, while its interior is a stunning showcase of traditional and modern elements hand-picked by Mauro and designer Sally Healy.

These include an oversized master suite (24-feet by 14-feet) with a wall-mounted TV, Juliet balcony, two walk-in closets, one with shoe storage and sweater credenza, panelled feature walls in study, upper hallway and guest suite. The home also uses a dozen different types of tile, from an iridescent feature wall in the living area to a trio of glass, stone and porcelain in the chef’s dream kitchen.