Back in August, we noted that the New American Home 2010, originally scheduled for completion well before January’s International Builders’ Show in Las Vegas, was stuck in construction limbo because the lender for the project’s builder, Domanico Custom Homes, fell victim to the credit crunch.

The project was about 60% complete by the end of August, and about 75% done by the time the IBS kicked off on January 12, which meant the building was far enough along to make it tour-worthy. In any case, the incomplete structure – for builders and remodelers at least – may be more interesting than one with all fixtures and finishes in place.

Built to the National Association of Home Builders’ Green Building Standard and the Department of Energy’s Energy Star Homes standard, New American Home 2010 is designed to be a showcase of energy efficiency. Among its features: an unvented, air-sealed attic with R-30 spray foam insulation on the underside of the roof deck, R-23 ICF exterior walls with an R-7 exterior finish and insulation system, an HVAC system offering 95% annual fuel utilization efficiency, airtight ductwork, an energy recovery ventilator, solar hot water, a tankless water heater, and a 10.5 kW solar power system.

NAHB has highlighted Domanico’s frustration with the credit squeeze as an illustration of industrywide concerns over acquisition, development and construction lending. NAHB also sees the project as a nod to downsized expectations in some segments of the luxury housing market, noting, for example, that New American Home 2010 is, by the standards of other homes presented in the series, relatively small. In fact, this five-bedroom single-family, with 6,078 sq. ft. of interior space, is ideal for a family of eight or nine, and it puts its energy efficiency and renewable-energy components on high-profile display. As green-construction advocates will point out, though, it loses green cred by virtue of its scale. Along with the exterior photo we’ve shown before, we’ve included here some progress photos and descriptions from a DOE press release issued in December.