Clearwater Commons Houses and Shared Buildings
Townhouses and Single Family Homes.
To keep the architectural and construction costs down, we elected to design two basic floor plans and use those for the basis of all the houses on the site. Townhouses are an offset joining of the two designs that will maximize sunlight going into each unit. We are currently refining the designs, so some of the detail will likely change. We have not picked surface materials or colors.
Click on the picture to the left to see the latest elevations.
From the pin pile foundations to the green roofs, the houses have many features that make them Deep Green. They have also been designed to strike a balance between the social aspects of living in a close community and the need for privacy.
Layout
Like European cohousing communities, our kitchens will face the common area with the more private living rooms located at the back of the homes - most with views to the wetlands. Coming in the front door, you find an entry vestibule with a small lavatory and a place to kick off your shoes and coats. Three bedrooms (Master + two smaller rooms) are on the second floor. The master bedroom has it's own bathroom and walk in closet/storage area and the other two bedrooms share the second bathroom. Laundry facilities are also on the second floor near the bedrooms. Click on the picture to the right to see the latest house plans.
Advanced Framing
Advanced Framing is a technique used to reduce the amount of materials used in framing yet still maintaining structural integrity. Changes to the stud and joist spacing and placement as well as careful reduction in header sizes results in a substantial reduction in the amount of lumber while maximizing space for insulation. The wider spacing of the studs also reduces the thermal breaks in the walls and the heat loss through the walls.
insulation
We will be using either a blown in Cellulose or an Icynene foam insulation (a soy based product) with a layer of rigid foam on the exterior below the siding. Both insulations have a high R value and form a tight air seal around outlets and small cavities while also being more environmentally friendly. The rigid foam reduces the thermal breaks to the exterior minimizing heat loss and reducing the energy used to heat the space.
Indoor Air Quality
Through the use of low toxic materials and a heat recovery air exchange system. The houses will always have fresh air in spite of the excellent insulation and sealed houses.
Pin Pile foundations
These foundations replace the traditional poured concrete foundations. Whereas standard foundations create small dams limiting subsurface ground waters natural flow, pin foundations allow shallow ground water to move unhindered under the house thus mimicking traditional ground water flow paths.
Green roofs
Green roofs improve stormwater management by minimizing runoff onto the site. They also have the added benefits of increased energy efficiency, air quality and noise reduction while also having an extended extending the roof life and improving aesthetics. Green roofs also work well with solar PV panels because they maintain a more moderate roof temperature thus increasing the efficiency of the solar panels.
Shared Buildings
Common House
The Common House will be the central indoor gathering place at the Commons with room for sharing meals, activities and parties, a kitchen, restrooms, quiet places to sit and relax , wifi access and outdoor space for barbeques. It will also house the solar panels for electric production or solar tubes and storage tanks for a district water heating system.
Parking Lot Storage Shed
This building provide bike and cart storage and will also provide a storage space for tools for car maintenance and gardening and other "garage" kinds of things. The buildings will be designed for future solar PV's with a connection for electric cars.
Shop
Members are combining tools to create a shared workspace for personal and Commons projects. There will be storage cubbies for personal tool storage. This building will also be designed for future solar electric production.
Garden Shed
The garden shed near the south end garden areas will be another shared tool and work storage area serving the needs of the food production beds and site maintenance activities.
