DWELLING Unit Design Strategies

Dwelling unit design strategies (new, infill and renovated) reach a high level of land and energy conservation, optimizing the use/reuse/recycling of renewable resources of the sun, wind, water (gray and brown), land (food and fiber), etc.

The following is a diagramatic section through a typical residential unit. The section is designed to demonstrate the use of passive strategies and the use of renewable energies for heating, cooling and ventilation, on site water impoundment recycling of water and wastes (discarded resourses) and the use of permaculture for landscaping.

The critical dwelling unit design strategies are as follows:

1. Household cost for energy dramatically decreases due to the shift to renewable energy sources and the following conservation measures:
   1. Zoning ordinances require the residential lots to be oriented for solar access. This saves on the average 20% of the energy used for heating and cooling.
   2. New state energy standards (quality construction, higher levels of insulation, and solar benefits) conserves an additional 50% and 70% of the heating and cooling energy over 1985 standards.
   3. The improved air quality, cool night time temperatures, healthy material standards and natural ventilation strategies allow for almost the complete elimination of summer cooling loads.
2. Families enjoy the beauty of indigenous, low maintenance landscapes and permaculture. The abundance of spring rain is impounded in gardens and water cisterns. Most families install gray water systems for landscaping/gardening. All brown wastes are safely composted by the city and become a valued resource for agriculture.
3. Many of the families enjoy the development of small vegetable gardens adjacent to the home, within the residential clusters or in the greenbelt. Family or clustered greenhouses allow for extended growing seasons.

Bio-logical concept of the various systems Co-housing development, Ramshusene, Denmark. by Anne Orum-Neilsen	Exterior of this solar and biologically responsive multiple family unit	Interior view of the shared greenhouse

Solar sensitive buildings clustered around a water impoundment - wetlands.	Solar responsible duplex in Ecolonia, Holland

• Also reference:
  • Region
  • City
  • Districts and Neighborhoods
  • Residential Clusters

This web site was developed with the authors and Michael Mahaffy, Computer Systems Professional, School of Architecture, Washington State University