All Entries in the "Green Homes" Category

MK Design, we are sad to see you go

mkSolaire, photo: michelle kaufmann design

Article submitted by Johnna Barrett, Barrett Design Inc.

Michelle Kaufmann is an architect whose career we have followed over the past couple of years, as it seemed she was very close to making the acquisition of modern pre-fab homes a reality.  There are 40 of her homes now being lived in by individuals and families, primarily on the west coast.  Unfortunately, at least for the time being, there won’t be any more.

MK Design has become yet another victim of America’s credit woes.  Buyers were there, but the lenders were not.  The tightened credit market meant MKD had to close its own factory where the homes were fabricated.  Then, with the dramatic decrease in business the two other factories that had taken over production were forced to close as well.

Is this a lesson about the pre-fabrication of homes?  Is it really possible to make pre-fab cost-effective, and at the same time profitable for architects and production companies?  It is a difficult balancing act, and thus far the answer has been no.  Let’s think about the factories that produce the homes.  As long as the volume of homes being produced is large enough the factories can operate efficiently.  But when volume drops the operation cost alone to maintain these enormous facilities can be overwhelming, not to mention the cost to keep the factory workers employed.  The production costs therefore have to be based on all the operational costs of the factory before a profit margin is added in for the architects, engineers and fabrication facility.  MKD homes averaged around $250/s.f., not including site prep, foundations, permits, etc.  Will people pay more for good design?  Absolutely.  But at that price the homes were roughly double what a similar “built at the site” home would cost.  And in times like these there was no room for inflated costs.

Pre-fabrication in various forms is alive and well, and there is no doubt it will continue.  Software is available that will take drawings from any custom home design and engineer wall, floor and ceiling “panels” that can then be shipped to the jobsite and assembled, saving materials and reducing waste.  After an economic catastrophe like the one we are in, companies are inevitably looking for ways to increase efficiency and reduce costs.  We predict great advances in pre-fab over the next few years.  And Michelle, we have no doubt we will be hearing great things from you as you move forward in a new direction.

The Woodland Home

Photo from Simondale.net

It’s quirky, it’s small and it looks like something from a fantasy movie.  It’s called The Woodland Home and it is the low-impact permaculture creation of Simon Dale.  A Wales resident he built the house for his family with help from his father-in-law, friends, and random people passing by.  The structure was made from trees that were felled at the site, and the walls are hay bales.  The cost of construction was minimal, but the result?  Enchanting.  You can read the whole story at:

http://www.simondale.net/house/index.htm

Photo from Simondale.net

Are affordable green homes finally a reality?

We recently sent our team of writers on a web-quest to find new and innovative green home designs.  This one is a winner.  The firm is based in Atlanta, Georgia and they’ve recently introduced a series of plan packages called the Modern Forest series.  The image above is the ELMhouse.  All of the plans packages that the company offers are all-inclusive, meaning you won’t have to hire an architect or interior designer to work out the details after you purchase the plans.