thesimpleHOUSE

Eli Volem, from Earth Advantage is doing some of our final checklist items on our way to LEED Platinum. Our blower door test came in at 0.56 ach, which is a third what our April 1 test was and one of the best ratings ever seen by Earth Advantage and EWEB. Woo Hoo!

Here’s the plan. You can download a flyer of the whole thing at the link below. This plan will fit on many urban infill sites. Designed to fit on a 60′ x 75′ lot which is what we’ve found is becoming very typical in urban settings. Many lots in the downtown core were originally 60′ x 150′ and newer zoning codes encourage dividing them into 4,500 sq ft 60′ x 75′ lots. The porch would project 3′ into the front yard setback, which is also generally allowed by local zoning codes. 

Here’s the front elevation of our latest plan: theEMERALD. This series will have a more traditional flavor to blend into existing urban contexts. But theEMERALD will still have sustainability at the forefront of its concept. More to come…

We installed the rainwater pipe today. 2′ diameter x 39′ long. Will hold water for our pond and water some of our drought-resistant plants as needed. The gutters drain down the chain to the funnels. Overflow visible at the bottom of the picture. We’ll also have a hand pump for hand watering potted plants.

We are developing a new plan at thesimpleHOUSE. We’ve received feedback that it would be nice to see plans even smaller than what we’ve been doing. That kind of input is encouraging; it’s nice to know we aren’t alone in our thoughts along those lines.

OK, I promised a better Kitchen picture. Here it is. All natural light.

Our Master Bathroom floor will be recycled wine corks.

OK, so this isn’t my best picture; I’ll get a better one. This is a view from the entry looking toward the kitchen (The island isn’t installed yet).

This is a segment of the reclaimed wood flooring in theSAGE. With up to six different species of wood, this floor is made up of wood salvaged from dismantled buildings. It’s been buffed and will be sealed with a very low VOC sealer.

If you’ve been following our construction of theSAGE at the Arbor South Architecture Group on Facebook, you’ll know all the sustainable features we’re packing into 1,447 sq ft.