American Modular Systems (AMS) has started production on River Vine Vineyards, a new Gen7 Concept Home to be sited on a 50-acre working vineyard along the banks of the Mokelumne River Watershed in Lodi Wine Country.

Designed to achieve LEED Platinum certification, River Vine will be one of most advanced, high-end prefabricated residences ever constructed — a state-of-the-art smart home that will take sustainable prefabricated design and construction to the next level. The Zero Net Energy building will integrate renewable energy systems, environmentally-friendly materials and leading-edge products in a home that is livable, functional and energy-independent, using both solar and geothermal technologies to produce as much energy as it consumes over the course of a year.

"We conceived River Vine as a demonstrable solution that incorporates modern design, advanced technology and modular building science within a sustainable footprint that meets multifunctional needs," said Tony Sarich, owner of River Vine and co-founder of AMS and Gen7 Schools. "Our goal is to maximize the building's performance, while streamlining the process to make a complex home simple and user-friendly for those who live in it."

River Vine will be fully automated, using the latest smart home technology to provide greater convenience, as well as greater efficiency through goal-directed management of the home's renewable energy systems. All systems, appliances and electrical components will be networked for centralized control from a single touchpoint.

To build River Vine, AMS created a partnership of forward-thinking companies, whose innovative green products will be creatively combined to make River Vine an inspirational building that paves the way for more sustainable building and living. River Vine Project Partners include AEP Span, ASC Steel Deck, Solatube, USG, Heliodyne, Tech Lighting, ELEMENT, Aquatherm, Crossville, Inc. and Ductmate Industries, with more companies expected to join the partnership as building progresses.

Designed as a concept home, River Vine gives AMS a way to bring market-ready ideas and progressive building practices together in an optimized environment that can be life-tested through everyday use, then replicated in future buildings.

"What we learn from River Vine can be applied to new Gen7 classrooms, redefining the way we design, use and control our living, learning and working space," Sarich said. "We're building more than a home; we're building the future."