MONTVILLE, Conn. -- When the foam being installed on a Colonial-style house in Montville is in place, the developer said the energy consumed by the house will be so minimal that it will exceed even the best efficiency standards.

The prototype home at Greenbrier, a 14-lot subdivision, is being wrapped in insulation using the most energy-efficient products available, builder Jim Pepiton said. He said the homes also include factory-made, foam-insulated panels that are being installed on the roofs.

"You notice that there is an air gap, so the asphalt roof will be attached to this three-quarter-inch plywood, and the air will circulate under this," Pepiton said.

The house is the Builders Association of Eastern Connecticut's green showcase home for 2009. The inside of the 2,800-square-foot, three-bedroom home is very open, and the association said residents can check it out for themselves.

"On Saturday mornings, we're going to be running education seminars here for homeowners, builders, just to show, 'What does green mean?'" Pepiton said.

Green, he said, means angling the house for a southern exposure for the solar panels on the roof, using a heat pump to keep the house warm and installing triple-glazed windows.

The three-inch Styrofoam on the side of the house also includes an air filtration barrier.

Energy-efficient homes cost more to build, Pepiton said, in the $300,000-plus range.

But he said homeowners will save tens of thousands of dollars in the long run.

For more information, click here.