Environmental/Energy Savings/Health Aspects
Many of the components utilized in the manufacturing process of this coach have been exclusively sourced for this build. Here is a compilation of the “green” features:
- All construction plywood (like in the subfloor) is NAUF (no added urea formaldehyde) and cabinet plywood is CARB certified (near zero formaldehyde).
- In the typical American camper, luan panels are used as wall panels. Most of them are produced in Asia using glues containing formaldehyde. Not only are these panels prone to swelling and mold when they get wet, they also outgas, releasing carcinogens. Not so in this coach: All decorative wall panels are Azdel Composite Panels made in the USA, constructed using a blend of polypropylene and fiberglass, 50% lighter than wood, 3 x the insulation of wood, impervious to water and formaldehyde-free.
- All adhesives and finishes are low VOC.
- A/C consists of 4 compressors, but when it is switched on, only as many compressors are actually running at any given time as needed to achieve the desired temperature. This allows the system to run on as low as a quarter power if the cooling need is lower.
- Ceiling vents are tinted to keep sun out.
- Windows are frameless 1/2” thick insulated glass panels with a double moisture seal barrier and tinted glass.
- All interior ceiling and under-counter lights are energy-saving dimmable LED lights (by ThinLite).
- Cushions for sofa and chairs are supplied by EcoBalanza and made from all natural and organic materials (no synthetics); certified Dunlop latex with no fillers that comes from an organic plantation; and do not contain toxic chemical fire retardants (like polybrominated diphenyl ethers, which have been linked to cancer, reproductive problems and lower IQs in children) but use certain wools instead.
- Fabrics on cushions, chairs, dinette, sofa and curtain doors are made by Sensuede entirely from recycled fibers and are Oeko-Tex Certified.
- “Wood” floor is not made of wood but rather bamboo grass. The planks are manufactured under high pressure into a mixture of bamboo fiber and formaldehyde-free adhesives creating a solid composite twice as dense as oak and maple. The manufacturer (Nadurra) uses 100% rapidly renewable bamboo stalk (harvested between 4 and 6 years) and does not discharge any waste or by-products. The floor has a non-toxic water-based finish, 9 layers of UV-cured coating with 2 layers of anti-abrasion top coat. The planks are glued to the subflooring with zero-VOC adhesive.
- Countertops in kitchen and bath as well as the table tops of the dining/coffee table and the desk are from PaperStone. PaperStone is made from 100% post-consumer recycled paper and PetroFree phenolic resins; is certified to Forest Stewardship Council standards by the Smartwood program of the Rainforest Alliance; and certified as VOC-free and formaldehyde-free.
- Louver doors are made by Waltz Craft using all natural components.
- The dining chairs (see picture) are custom made using glue approved for indirect food contact and finished with natural oil.
- The ceiling is insulated with VIPs (vacuum insulated panels), which have an R-value - totally unprecedented in a motorhome - of at least 75. The ceiling of the garage (= floor of the bedroom) is insulated with four layers of Spaceloft nanoporous silica aerogel high performance blankets providing an R-value of 16.
- 2,000 Watts of solar photovoltaic laminate panels are installed on the roof.
BR w/ oak cabinetry & paper stone counter top.
Bamboo staircase to upstairs bedroom.
Spec List
Custom built by Powerhouse Coach, a family owned business with 20 years’ experience building custom coaches.
- 47½ ft. long – 13’9” high – 410 sq. ft. (incl. cab, main area, bedroom & garage).
- Click here for Garage Specs.
- Signature hydraulic entry “Grand Staircase”.
- Generous 8 ft. ceiling height in the main area (7 ft. in dining slide out).
- Interior fabrics are color matched with the coach’s exterior paint.
- Custom crown moldings.
- Solid wood window valances.
- All coach windows are equipped with day/night shades.
- Custom pull-up privacy shade for entry door window.
- Scratch-proof entry door screen.
- Sensuede privacy curtain between cab and coach (see picture).
- Sisal carpet (2 ft.) installed at step-down between coach and cab (ideal scratch area for cats).
- All cabinetry, moldings, and window valances are made from (solid!) white rift oak, which is light colored. Due to the rift sawing process (milled perpendicular to the log’s growth rings), it has a more even, linear grain pattern with very little, if any, flecking and, hence, is not as “rustic” as plain sawn or quarter sawn wood. It is the most dimensionally stable cut of lumber and also the most expensive.
- Dining table height adjustable (w/ 2 gas springs) so it can alternatively serve as coffee table (see picture).
- Bottom part of the dinette seat slides out and can be moved around in the coach serving as an ottoman seat or footstool (see picture). Inside the ottoman is a cushion that brings it to the same height as the dinette seat. Can be used as additional storage.
- Stand-up desk with electric lift– height adjustable between 26” and 44”.
- Samsung UN55F8000 55-Inch flat screen TV 1080p 240Hz 3D Ultra Slim Smart LED HDTV in main area. Telehook wall mount w/ 3 pivot point range provides full flexibility to create optimal viewing angle. Secured during travel with ThumbLocks.
- DishNetwork HD receiver VIP211k w/ remote, connected to external satellite hookup jack. Winegard Pathway X2 satellite antenna w/ tripod mount can feed up to two single-tuner receivers. Finds signal automatically as long as X2 is positioned North with clear view to the satellite. Coach is pre-wired for an additional TV in the bedroom.
- BoseLifestyle® 535 Series II home Surround Sound Entertainment System - 5 speakers plus large boom box.
- Residential chandelier over dining table, converted to LED, polished chrome base with more than 500 suspended sparkling crystals (see picture).
- King Size bed in master bedroom w/ Comfortaire Elite 2 Premium Eastern King size air mattress w/ 17” profile. Cover: Premium Knit 600 gram Ultra Heavy Weight Fabric (Flat Top). 3” Serafoam 5lb. Gel Infused Visco comfort layer. 3½” thick urethane air chambers. 6” thick resiliency foam support layer. 6” foam perimeter support. Firmness is adjustable from 0-100 by two hand-held controllers (one for each side) through an electric air pump.
- 73” wide convertible sofa/bed (Queen size sleeping width) w/ three throw pillows.
- 1.2 cu. ft. Sentry SFW123GTC Safe. 1 hour fire protection up to 1,700ºF. Bolted to the frame.
- InterVac RMH-120 in-wall vacuum system w/ extension hose and multiple accessory tools.
- Water treatment: All incoming water is pre-filtered before it goes into the three fresh water tanks or, when connected to city water, directly into the coach. External and internal supply then goes through a massive Pentek FLOPLUS 20” Carbon Block filter (0.5-micron rating) before it reaches any faucet. The kitchen sink has a dedicated drinking water faucet hooked up to a third layer of filtering: A Multipure Aquaversa MP1200EL system equipped with a capacity monitor to indicate when the filter needs to be replaced.
- All fixtures in kitchen (Eurodisc w/ dual spray pullout and soap dispenser), lavatory and shower (including a 12” rain shower head) are in chrome and made by Grohe.
- Sinks are stainless steel made by Elkay. Kitchen has two sinks 13½” x 16” (8” deep), lavatory one 15½” x 11½” (6” deep).
- Counter height is a spine-friendly 40”.
- Fridge: 13.5 cu. ft. 4-door Dometic RM1350WIMSSX (2-way LP/110V automatic switch) w/ custom wood panels.
- Dometic MF-6W six bottle wine chiller – perfect for wine and chocolate.
- Residential 1.9 cu. ft. 1,100W GE Sensor Microwave Oven JVM7195.
- Residential 24” wide LP Gas Range Summit Pro 24G w/ four sealed Sabaf burners; two sets of continuous grates; black-tinted oven window; two decorative bamboo burner covers (for a larger counter area).
- Residential European Miele TouchTronic Washer (W3033) and vented Dryer (T8033) w/ stacking kit, installed in 5½ ft. high rear drop closet of bedroom.
- Toilet is a Dometic 511H incl. a hand sprayer.
- Air conditioning: The 64,000 BTU system, usually used in yachts, is manufactured by OceanBreeze and consists of 4 compressors and 5 air handlers – two for main area/bathroom, two for the bedroom and one in the garage. Each air handler panel allows individual control of the fan speed in 6 increments or automatically.
- The dehumidifier has been custom manufactured for this coach. It is specifically designed to run solely on the solar system when the coach is in storage and off grid. During travel and normal usage, it functions as an additional A/C system, not only providing dehumidification but also extra cooling in hot climate. Between the seasons, it can serve as stand-alone A/C.
- Marine grade hydronic heating/hot water combination system from Oasis. Runs on diesel (directly off the truck tank) and/or two electric immersion elements (also includes an engine preheat option). Provides on-demand hot water. There are 5 heaters throughout the coach: (a) two in the main area, (b) one in the bathroom, (c) bedroom, and (d) the garage. Each of these 4 zones has its own thermostat.
- Two Fan-Tastic ceiling vents (model 810031 - one in main room, one in bathroom) with thermostat, rain sensor and remote control.
- Coach battery bank w/ 6 maintenance-free Amstron AP-GC2 6V AGM deep cycle batteries (210 Ah each).
- 2800W Magnum MS2812 Pure Sine Inverter Charger w/ Advanced Remote Control (ME-ARC50) and Battery Monitor Kit (ME-BMK).
- 2,000W Solar system consisting of 20 high-efficiency bendable photovoltaic laminate modules (each 100W, 41½” x 21¼” x 1/8”) and two MidNite Solar Standard Classic charge controllers.
- 15kW Wrico generator w/ Kubota D1703 engine.
- Connections and mounting bracket for electric car charger (Siemens VC30BLKB 30-Amp VersiCharge) both in the passenger side front storage compartment and in the garage.
- Battery Tender charger for truck batteries.
- Hughes Autoformer 50 amp Voltage Regulator.
- Progressive Industries 50 amp portable surge protector and electrical management system.
- Power cord reel for the 50 amp shore power cable plus separate 50 amp extension cord.
- Two interconnected 30lbs (7.14 gal.) LP tanks each w/ its own electronic remote fuel indicator inside the coach (flashes when bottle is empty).
- Quadra BigFoot hydraulic leveling system.
- 2 Checkers Industrial AT3512 commercial all terrain wheel chocks, 15½” x 8½” x 8¼” (LxWxH), with interchangeable aluminum cleat bottom and rubber pad bottom.
- Two color back-up cameras w/ audio; 5½" color LCD monitor.
- All external security lights are LEDs.
- Awning is a Dometic WeatherPro power awning w/ remote control, wind sensor and colors matching the coach paint.
- Custom made magnetic shades for cab side windows, windshield and wipers.
- Six MagneShade EZ-Fold tire sidewall shades – less than 10 seconds to install or remove. See this YouTube clip for more details.
