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We are incorporating the best of environmental stewardship, country living in a community, and innovative eco design. The homes are built to high environmental standards, with universal design (handicap accessible), sustainable materials, and single level for easy access. The homes are beautifully created by Austin Design and are integrated naturally into an apple orchard, nestled next to a beaver pond overlooking 60 acres of forests and a ridgeline. They will be built by Marchefka Builders in the strong tradition of New England craftsmanship.
The homes will share a single well and common septic system to preserve the environment. There will be access for emergency vehicles, deliveries, disabled visitors, and groceries, but parking will be in a car barn blended into the landscape which will also have storage space and a workshop.
Maintenance:
The homes are designed to require a minimum of maintenance through quality construction, materials such as roofing with long useful life, hard floors, and quality construction with attention to detail.
Efficiency of Scale:
The 1570 square feet of space is an open floor plan design that has the feeling of a house far larger with three bedrooms, two bath, laundry rooms, kitchen and dining areas that overlook meadows, ponds, and mountains. It feels palatial at a fraction of the price of an oversized home. More efficiently scaled homes means less consumption of fossil fuels and other resources in heating, building materials, and makes the homes easier to clean and maintain. We are estimating that with the district heating or small individual combination heat and hot water systems that the cost for heating will easily be less than $400 per household per annum. We are still determining the feasibility of district heating but hope that it can be incorporated.
Energy Efficiency:
The homes are super insulated and have energy efficient windows and day-lighting design elements. They are positioned to take advantage of passive solar and are designed to incorporate photovoltaic panels. Photovoltaic systems will be an optional addition for units with higher solar potential. We hope that heat and hot water will be generated by centralized wood pellet fired ''energy centers'' and piped to the homes. If we are unable to incorporate this into our design we will use small high efficiency individual units. Heating requirements are substantially lower than a standard house because of the tight building envelope and hot water requirements will be lowered by low flow fixtures and high efficiency appliances. We plan to apply for certain state and national efficiency certifications.
Parking & Storage:
Sweet Pond has been designed to keep vehicles on the periphery. Each unit will have a parking space and available storage space in covered structures designed as a traditional New England barn. In addition uncovered spots are available for multi-car families and guests.
Pricing & Financing:
A great deal of time and consideration has been given to making these environmentally efficient homes at a reasonable price for a cohousing modeled community. The prices will reflect the premium of green building, the large amount of valuable acreage the community will own, and the quality and efficiency built into each home. We will post home prices when all of the home elements and systems are finalized. If you would like more information and an approximation please email us.
The homes have been designed to qualify for a traditional mortgage. We are looking to arrange for expedited financing with a local or regional bank for individual buyers.
Options and Ad-ons:
The homes have been designed to be as affordable as possible while still meeting high standards for quality, comfort, health, and sustainability. Units with basements will be slightly more expensive and finishing the basement space will be an add-on option. There will be some optional upgrades for fireplaces, flooring, kitchens, and fixtures. We have selected choices based on energy efficiency, home health, and environmental impact but upgrades to higher end or custom products with comparable attributes may be made. To keep the project moving on time we will not make structural changes to the units, this can be done within reason on your own after move-in if it does not disrupt the character of the neighborhood (ie adding 2 stories, parapets, and a log flume). More information will be available about this down the line.
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