You said:

“Also, I will throw this idea out there. Maybe this will be a future post but I think there is a market for an almost completely bare green home that has a kick-ass envelope and HVAC system installed.”

To answer your question, that is almost *exactly* what my husband and I have been (unsuccessfully!) looking for here in the Boston area. We are both quite handy (construction and design-wise), have limited upfront investment resources, and specific tastes. Getting the “stripped-down” version and doing it ourselves as we can afford it is a way we can grow equity while getting the customization of a new-build. (and, we feel, more green than ripping out someone else’s granite-countertop “upgrade” … )

From your lips to G-d’s ears!

~ hb33 ~

Another point that’s worth making is that we have discussed how this initial 100K design may be come to be seen as the “loft” version in the future due to its open and minimalist design. Most lofts do not have built in closets including the one I live in.

Starting with the idea of an open loft helped the project in multiple ways. We immediately eliminated costs associated with internal doors and excess walls. We also were able to simplify the HVAC system as the house became one large zone rather than individual rooms that required expensive ducting.

In the future we may decide to create a more standard version of the 100K model with divided rooms. That doesn’t mean that closets will necessarily be standard equipment though…

for me, i’m torn between wanting to make a whole wall a closet with bamboo or recycled material doors and make it a cool looking feature behind which to put clothes, and or a tv, a desk, whatever else you want in the room so that when it’s closed, the room had the bed and not much else. Vs. having the clothes out in the open with what Chad shared because i’m thinking psychologically it would help us to realize we have a lot of clothes already and hopefully stem off buying unnecessary items and we’d want to keep it neat (for guests that come by) and this would force us to look at the edit our wardrobe down more often then if stuff is buried in a closet that we can’t see and never wear.

i know this is a little off the point here but i’m realizing more and more lately that it’s not just about recycling but about consumption to begin with. on a Primetime show on China the other day, they said that if China consumed the way Americans did, we’d need another planet. that’s frigin scarey.

sorry for the digression! just figured this crowd would understand.

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http://www.flickr.com/photos/postgreen/2131987322/in/set-72157603527185360/

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