A next‑generation high‑performance, resilient, and sustainable home — developed as a real‑world classroom for builders and a consumer‑facing demonstration of what’s possible in residential construction.
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ABC Green Home 5.0, known as TerraVerde, is now officially underway. The design team is being assembled, performance targets are being locked in and early conversations are taking place with manufacturers interested in category-exclusive participation. While the home will be introduced to the industry during the International Builders’ Show season, TerraVerde is not a single-moment reveal. It is a two-year, design-to-occupancy journey intended to be experienced in real time.
Launched in 2011, the ABC Green Home program is a proving ground for what the team calls American Buildable Certified (ABC) a framework that prioritizes constructability, durability, resilience and verified performance over theory. Each iteration has pushed the limits of what can be achieved within a real-world residential project, culminating with ABC Green Home 4.0 in Crestline, Calif., which achieved a record ten advanced energy and sustainability certifications.
TerraVerde aims to exceed that benchmark by pursuing twelve advanced certifications, making it one of the most comprehensively validated homes ever attempted. “This project exists to show what’s possible when performance is designed from day one,” said Nick Slevin, publisher and editor-in-chief of Green Home Builder and developer of the ABC Green Home program. “We’re not chasing trends. We’re building a reference point.”
The architectural vision for TerraVerde is being led by John Danielian, AIA, whose work is grounded in regional context and long-term livability. He describes the home as a modern agrarian vernacular, a design language that draws on familiar forms while expressing contemporary construction methods and materials honestly.
“TerraVerde is meant to feel timeless, not experimental,” said Danielian. “The performance goals are advanced, but the architecture is approachable. That balance is essential if the industry is going to adopt what we’re demonstrating.”
As with previous ABC Green Home projects, TerraVerde is being conceived as both a physical residence and a content-driven classroom. Builder Media will follow the project across a 24-month arc that includes design development, system selection, construction sequencing, virtual grand opening, construction and post-completion accessibility. A dedicated ABC Green Home 5.0 TerraVerde newsletter and magazine will anchor the storytelling, supported by long-form video, short-form social content, webinars, podcasts and virtual walkthroughs. Rather than compressing the narrative into a single reveal, the team plans to slow the process down, allowing builders, designers and homeowners to understand not just what decisions were made, but why.
Video will play a central role. From early design conversations to onsite construction milestones, TerraVerde is being documented with the intention of creating a virtual home experience that can be accessed anywhere. That approach will culminate in a virtual grand opening, inviting builders, product partners and consumers to tour the home digitally and engage directly with the design and construction team.
“Not everyone can get on a plane or walk a jobsite,” Slevin said. “Virtual access lets us open the doors wider and earlier.”
That wider access is intentional. One of the key evolutions of ABC Green Home 5.0 is a renewed focus on generating homeowner interest alongside builder education. By engaging consumers through accessible content, virtual tours and plain-language explanations of performance features, the project aims to create demand from the bottom up.
“When homeowners understand what these systems do for comfort, resilience and health, they start asking for them,” Slevin said. “That conversation helps unlock participation from brands and builders alike.”
During construction, TerraVerde will host a limited number of onsite events, bringing industry professionals into the process. After completion, the home will continue to function as a living platform for private brand events, educational programming and media engagement, extending its value well beyond the build.
As TerraVerde moves forward, the design team is still growing and category-exclusive product partnerships are actively being explored. For manufacturers, the opportunity is not limited to product placement. It is participation in a multi-year, high-visibility narrative that connects performance, design, and market relevance.
“This is a long-form conversation with the industry,” Danielian said. “It’s about showing how thoughtful design and verified performance can coexist beautifully.”
Certifications
TerraVerde aims to exceed that benchmark by pursuing advanced certifications, making it one of the most comprehensively validated demonstration homes ever built. Learn more about each one below:
LEED
LEED certification (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) is a globally recognized green building standard by the U.S. Green Building Council
Project Partners
The architectural vision for TerraVerde is being led by John Danielian, AIA, whose work is grounded in regional context and long-term livability. As TerraVerde moves forward, the design team is still growing and category-exclusive product partnerships are actively being explored.
Project Partner: Matthew Tipple
Introducing a project partner of the ABC 5.0, TerraVerde, Matthew Tipple. More than three decades ago, Matthew made a deliberate decision
