VIVUS would like to help a few good homeowners to achieve a LEED for Homes certification. This could be new construction or a significant remodeling of your existing home.

LEED for Homes helps us measure the sustainability of your project through a point-based rating system. At the same time, it encourages market transformation within the construction industry toward more sustainable materials and practices.

We would like to hear from you if you desire a greener home.

This will allow homeowners to get into solar energy and avoid the sizeable upfront costs of the system.

Many of our clients are interested in solar energy but find the initial expense to be too large when added to construction and remodeling costs. Our strategy has been to design “solar-ready”, so the systems could be added at a later date. This financing option may help clear that hurdle. We’ll stay tuned as the story develops….

Link to the San Francisco Chronicle article

Last weekend, we visited two cohousing developments in Madison, Wisconsin. This photo shows Arboretum Cohousing, a newish community who hosted the Northfield Cohousing Community’s contingent of visitors. (Thank you, Arbco!)

I stayed is a guest suite at Arbco. It is part of the “common house”, of which members own an undivided share. The rooms were spacious and clean, and easily accessible to the common house. Gail and Dan gave us a wonderful tour of the facilities and grounds, followed by an informational conversation about startup challenges and a wonderful potluck lunch. I was impressed by their gracious hospitality and relaxed manner, which permeated the place.

Arbco consists of 40 living units, including six single family homes. Structured parking is provided below the living spaces, which was a nice amenity required by the tight urban site. This combination allows the development to nestle into its neighborhood context nicely.

We also visited the Village Cohousing Community, just five blocks away from Arbco.

The village is a bit smaller, with 18 living units, including both existing homes and new townhomes. It was built in the early 1990’s, so Village has had time for landscaping to mature and it, too, blends nicely into the neighborhood. Karen took us through the buildings and shared ideas about how the community handles shared tasks and the like. (Thank you, Karen!)

The trip to Madison was part of the Northfield Cohousing Community’s effort to research cohousing and to prepare for our development in Northfield. These shared efforts help build relationships and understanding among the members as we prepare to design and build a neighborhood for ourselves.

Cohousing offers opportunties for a more sustainable lifestyle and a stronger connection to neighbors.

For more about cohousing, please attend my presentation at Just Food Coop next month:

5 November 2009: “Cohousing Design”
Just Food Coop meeting room, 7:00pm to 8:30pm

You’ll have a chance to meet others interested in cohousing!

The plants are in place on our first residential green roof!

Now in their first season, the seedums are taking root and getting established. A soaker hose is being used to water for now As they fill out, the erosion control mat will become less visible, and the roof will retain more rainwater than it currently does. We estimate that the roof should reduce runoff by 50% a that point; however, other portions of the roof drain onto this roof through downspouts, so we are asking a lot of these plantings!

The homeowners installed the multi-layered system and planted on top of the rubber membrane provided by the contractor. They blogged about it in two parts: Part One and Part Two. Take a look, they’ve done well in explaining the process.

Last week I swung by our most recent project on Prior Lake, to check up on progress. This was a challenging site, limited in width but quite deep. The depth was deceptive, though, since lakeside setbacks forced the home into a small area along the road.

The photo above belies the existing home, as we expanded in five directions (including up). Working closely with the homeowner, our design process included multiple options to balance program needs with other project parameters.

The primary goal was to upgrade this split level home. A grand entry was desired, allowing view to the lake from the portal and avoiding entry mid-level. An interior sense of airiness, openness and visual connection to the lake formed the lakeside facade and the roofline modifications. Vehicle storage was designed to accommodate additional storage for the homeowner’s real estate investment business. Interior amenities added include a new kitchen, expanded master suite, bar, home theatre area, mudroom, family room and living room.

For a sense of what the house looked like, see the image below.

VIVUS Architecture and Design’s vision helped transform this home to fit our clients’ desires; we welcome your call.

One of our primary goals is to provide our clients with creative, responsive design solutions. At the same time, we pledge to do our best to manage each project well. Like much in architecture, an inherent contradiction lies here: managers and artists often wear different hats.

To allow us to focus more on creative design, we have decided to upgrade our in-house management tools. Recently, we installed a new server and an extensive management application that will help us deliver your projects more efficiently and effectively. Already the benefits of software enhancements are evident: reduced time preparing and managing time, documents, communication and contacts. This will allow more time to be spent on the creative side of our work and helping us deliver our primary goal.

Sincere thanks to the City of Northfield, the Economic Development Authority, and the Northfield Enterprise Center for the funding received through the Clemens-Shearer Microgrant, without which this upgrade would have had to wait an indeterminate amount of time. The microgrant program supports emerging businesses in Northfield, Minnesota.

The exterior of this extensive remodel on Lake Byllesby is steadily being buttoned up this summer. As the photo shows, housewrap and soffits were nearing completion by the 4th of July.

Stay tuned for future updates!

Summer is the time when we put the outing in Scouting. These guys enjoyed the hiking at Whitewater State Park. Since then, we’ve camped at Blue Mound State Park and canoed the Cannon River. Outings are planned yet to Itasca and Jay Cooke parks, in addition to our week at Tomahawk Scout Reservation.

Troop 313 is chartered by St. John’s Lutheran Church in Northfield, Minnesota.

The first floor platform is installed and framing continues on Lake Byllesby. The form of this major whole-house remodeling is visible now when compared with the design images prepared by VIVUS. The angled wall an the left of the construction photo aligns with the angled wall on the design image. It will actually be enclosed by the 1-story porch when it is framed. Another point of reference is the triple window at the lower level’s right side.