Samsel Architects win Gold Award with Celo House EcoHouse Magazine singled out five homes nationally including one right here in Asheville. The contest judges especially liked the pairing of energy technology with the use of natural materials inside and outside a 1,538-square-foot home in Celo, N.C.The house won praise for tree preservation; rainwater storage for irrigation; pervious walkways, patio and driveway to control water runoff; and the use of drought-resistant plants. The home also features sustainability-certified wood shingles and locally harvested stone.The home's walls are filled with spray-foam insulation and the windows and doors use low-e (low thermal emissivity), argon-filled glass.It was designed by Samsel Architects, Asheville, N.C.; it was built by Sunspace Homes, Burnsville, N.C.Article portion courtesy of Inman News' Mary Umberger; Photo courtesy of David Dietrich Photography