Replacing the gadget-filled House of Innoventions at Epcot is the new Vision House, created through a partnership between Walt Disney Imagineering and Green Builder Media. Unlike most Innoventions exhibits sponsored by one or two companies, the new Vision House is includes products from 12 different sponsors, each contributing new and innovative items that can help turn any home “green,” reducing energy consumption.
While previous incarnations of the House of Innovations focused largely on clever gizmos and gadgets that were fun to look at but ultimately too expensive, too impractical, or just a prototype for the future, the Vision House offers Epcot guests an up-close look at products that exist today, available for anyone to purchase and install in their own house.
Video: Grand opening and tour of the Vision House at Innoventions at Epcot
The Vision House itself closely resembles an actual house one might find outside of Walt Disney World, with a sleek modern design and contemporary style. The house is separated into fully explorable spaces, including a kitchen, dining room, living room, kids’ room, master bedroom and bathroom, office, and garage. Rather than separating areas with barricades as in previous incarnations of the exhibit, the Vision House allows guests to fully explore each room and get hands-on with the products being displayed.
Interesting eco-friendly “green” products featured in and on the house include LED lighting from Sylvania, air systems from Panasonic and Ingersoll Rand, and automated blinds built into windows from Pella, all controllable via touch screens as part of a Nexia home automation system.
Parked outside the Vision House is a Chevy Volt electric car with a charging system from Sylvania. On the roof of the house’s garage are solar panels from Hanwha Solar, helping to power the home and car.
And the home itself is built from products designed to keep comfortable air in and extreme conditions out, including stone, bricks, pavers, and roof tiles from Boral.
Even the decor in the Vision House is environmentally friendly, featuring chairs made from recycled plastics, cushy seats made from old burlap sacks, and sustainable hardwood flooring and cabinets from Armstrong World Industries.
Stylish faucets from Kohler help conserve water and appliances are Energy Star certified.
But the Vision House isn’t without a few eye-catching gadgets. Beyond the Nexia home automation system that allows air conditioning, security systems, cameras, and blinds to be controlled remotely, the most unusual gizmo found inside is a remote-controlled toilet, offering a number of eco-friendly and comforting settings including heating, lighting, drying, and even music.
Earth Day is a natural choice to open the new Vision House at Innoventions and though its products may not be as “fun” as the old House of Innoventions, homeowners visiting are sure to leave with a few new ideas on how they can improve their own living conditions to help the environment and their own electric bills.
More photos from the Vision House exhibit at Innoventions East in Epcot: