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of Mount Vernon, it's hidden among the trees. Find it, and soon your destination appears clear as day: A cherry red house nestled into a woody hillside overlooking farmland. Th is is the House of the Future, an ambitious local building project with the goal of creat- If ing a home that is high-tech but connected to nature, sleek in design but down-to-earth in functionality and a model of today's top sustainable practices, technology and materials. But the kicker? It boasts a price tag far below similar homes across the nation by relying on cutting-edge (but affordable) technology and materials found near—or even in—its own backyard. No unattainable gadgets were used, no spec products unavailable to the general public were relied upon. It's a house built for a family's future, using only what's available today. "The iPad has changed automation in housing," Pharo says. "It has brought the price point down." Pharo will use the iPad not only to control entertain- ment and security systems, but to track energy usage. Pre-programmed settings for the home do the thinking for the family, ensuring that on hot summer days the shades are drawn, that light fi xtures use the minimum amount of energy for the best light, and that the dishwasher and other appliances run during the hours when energy costs are lowest. Even the furniture was vetted to ensure it is made according to high sustainability standards. Pharo also wasn't afraid to utilize materials and items found on Craigslist rather than buying new. The cabinetry: Pharo designed the kitchen to fit budget-friendly stock cabinetry that meets the high- est standards for sustainability in its sourcing, manu- facturing and production—and is available locally. The appliances: Throughout the home, Energy Star -rated electric appliances were chosen to maximize energy usage today, but also to run off solar panels in the future. Just past the refrigerator (which will cost only $58 a year to run) sit three different ovens, including one specifi cally for daily use. "Often you're heating up a big oven just to make one cookie-sheet or casserole sized item," Pharo explains. "So this al- lows you to use one-third of the energy." Elsewhere, a dishwasher and laundry unit boast technology that detects precisely how much water is necessary for each load to ensure nothing is wasted. When Robin Pharo talks about her day job, it's like she's speaking another lan- guage. Terms involving building codes, R-values and kilowatt-hours roll off her tongue, culled from a career spent making a name for herself in both residential and commercial building. She's known as Resource Robin, the catchy and fi tting nickname she takes on as a green building consultant and owner of Healthy Homes and the Treysta Group. Th e House of the Future is her home, literally and fi guratively. A woman passionate about bringing simple, sustainable practices to the general public (she's even authored the book, "You Don't Have to Wear Hemp Underwear," her guide to fi nding eco-friendly strategies 56 BRAVA Magazine December 2011 you blink, you'll miss the driveway. Just minutes outside the tiny downtown