Case Architects News

Sustainable Backyard Cottages

Sun, 23 May 2010 20:29:03 +9554

Some of our clients have asked about Seattle�s new Backyard Cottages program, which could be a great way to build density in neighborhoods without sacrificing privacy. Infiniti Real Estate Development, one of our marketing partners, has sponsored a design competition with Method Homes, a local pre-fab builder.

For us, the challenge was to design an entry that was adaptable, easy to construct, and most of all, affordable. Our design could be either one or two stories, with room for a garage and greenhouse or extra storage underneath. The upstairs is flexible- an extra guest suite with kitchen and bath, a studio or an office. The pre-fab modules can be flipped or changed around to take advantage or solar orientation and privacy. Exterior materials can be changed to co-ordinate or contrast with the house onsite.

Schematic Modular Backyard Cottage Perspective

Here�s our competition entry.

Columbia City Green Hits The Market

Sun, 14 Jun 2009 22:23:28 +9554

Street Front

We've just completed the first of our two Columbia City Green homes and we�re proud to put this innovative home on the market. The open house drops this weekend and will be hosted by Eva Otto of Infiniti Real Estate & Development. For further information on the homes check out the sales website for the home here.

Living Room

The View

A special acknowledgment goes out to all those that poured those long hard hours into producing two great homes:

Matt Wasse, Ryan Wiedemann, Einar Osterhaug, Brandon Houghton, Devlin Rose, Michah Benson, Zach Gayne, Vera Giampietro, Tim Rahn, and Patrick McGlothlin.

South Winthrop in the PI

Fri, 24 Apr 2009 21:49:02 +9554

The PI wants to know "Does Green Building Make Cents?

We think so. Look long-term, where our true interests lie, and there's the green. In all manners of speaking.

Felices Viajes Zach

Tue, 17 Mar 2009 18:36:00 +9554

Yesterday afternoon we said a tentative goodbye to our dear friend Zach. He's off on a tour of South America with his wife Judy. On site we knew him as a carpenter and environmental moral compass. He'd ride in on his bike, inquire after your recyclables, extol the virtues of dumpster diving outside the Essential Baking company, and philosophize on the matters of the day. One of the best folks you could ask to work with, he will be greatly missed.

Zach

Sitting around a table of carrot cake, beer, and guacamole, we tried our best to equip him with a patchwork of Spanish phrases. Good luck Zach. Think of us as you sip a pisco sour, and don't forget the � in a�os. Come back for beer anytime!

Adios!

Hasta luego!

Ciao!

Super!

Columbia City Green time lapse

Tue, 24 Feb 2009 13:32:00 +9454

Check out our tender go at a time lapse video we compiled over a few days of siding. The area being photographed is the South wall of the Southern house of our Columbia City Green Development. The exterior work of this project is winding down and we'll soon move inside to finish the interior of this fine example of sustainable urban development.

Embodied Energy of Building Materials

Fri, 20 Feb 2009 20:35:50 +9454

One wave in the vast sea of green building discussion is the concept of embodied energy. Embodied energy is defined as the total amount of energy required for the processes of extraction, processing, transportation, construction, and disposal of a material*. If you can think of all of the steps involved in creating a product, and if that list of steps is short, it is likely that the product has a low embodied energy rating**. Trying to conjure all steps necessary to produce a PVC pipe, for example, leaves us feeling dizzy and short of answers.

There is a good amount of literature available comparing embodied energy of building materials. While the numbers themselves may vary across charts, relative values remain consistent. Wood finds itself at the top of all lists, requiring little energy to bring to market. Clustered about the bottom of these lists are materials such as plastic, brick, and steel.

It seems that the consensus on using wood as a primary building material has come full circle. Now knowing that not all things rendered common by convenience ought to remain, we look to wood in a new way.

We are always happy to learn more about new and sound practices of low-energy design and construction. When it comes to using products that are beautiful to look at, easy to work with, and demand little from the earth, we are happy to find that sustainably harvested wood tops out in every respect.

Here is a graphic produced by the green building periodical Environmental Building News:

Embodied Energy of Building Materials

This shows relative carbon emissions for three common building materials:
steel wood, and concrete. Please note that emissions data are based on metric tons (1000 Kg) of each material. These materials are each their own density, as shown in the relative size of the �metric ton cubes� out in front.

Click here for the original article.

Articles and resources on the topic of Embodied Energy of Building Materials:

US Department of Energy
The Architectural League of New York: Ten Shades of Green
Washington State Department of Ecology

*US Department of Energy. �Embodied Energy of Building Assemblies.� Buildings Energy Data Book 1.6.6 (September 2008).
**Measured by the US Department of Energy as MMBtu/SF (millions of Btus per square foot

Columbia City Green on Facebook

Tue, 3 Feb 2009 23:53:00 +9454

Check out our new Facebook page for updated progress photos of our current project.

Become our friends and poke us, it'll be fun. Be sure to also check out our recent exposure at two great architecture blogs, Contemporist & Moco Loco.

Columbia City Green Homes

Sun, 18 Jan 2009 11:06:00 +9454

We�ve finished the excavation and the Insulated Concrete Formwork on two new houses in Columbia City.

These will be our most beautiful and energy-efficient homes yet. Views of the Cascade mountains are on all three floors, and from the Green Roof deck off the master bedroom, Mt. Rainier will be spectacular.

Both houses will have three bedrooms and 2 � baths, and will feature Radiant Floors, Rainwater Harvesting, Advanced Framing, Solar Pre-heating, and non-toxic interior finishes. The main-floor has an open plan around the kitchen and guest bath, and the living/dining area will have floor-to ceiling glass. Upstairs, the two sunny bedrooms have high, beamed ceilings and the master bedroom has the aforementioned spacious Green Roof deck.

We also have three other new homes in the neighborhood we�ll be starting early next year. They�ll have dramatically different designs, with many of the same amenities as these homes.

If you know someone who�d like to move to a great modern home in Columbia City, please let them know about us!

Holiday Greeting 2008

Sun, 4 Jan 2009 19:34:00 +9454

Joy is greater than stuff

Daily Commute � Chapter One

Tue, 14 Oct 2008 00:55:00 +9554

Watch for bikes?

As a self proclaimed and practicing Green Integrated Architecture firm, we follow a guideline of reducing our carbon footprint by means of finding innovative methods of construction and design. These methods resonate in daily conversation as well as the habits of the design-build team itself. One particular focus of our carbon reduction is the very means by which each individual commutes. The modes are multiple: biking, public transportation, and telecommuting.

There are thirteen people employed full-time at Case. If we all drove to work on a daily basis, this would equate to a large amount of CO2 output.

Here is a break-down:
320 miles of travel to & from work = 0.178 metric tonnes of CO2 per day

That's a large quantity of greenhouse gases when multiplied throughout the year. We work to lighten this load through alternatives to driving. Three of us are consistent bikers, dedicated to riding the whole year through. There are an additional four who bike a minimum of two times a week, and supplement with public transportation whenever possible.

Recalculating the CO2 output with alternate means of commuting:
180 miles by car = 0.100 CO2 /day
55 miles by public transportation = 0.007 CO2 /day
85 miles by bicycle = ~0.000 CO2 /day

A new total of ~0.107 CO2 per day, a net reduction of 0.071 metric tonnes of CO2.

These significant changes to our forms of transportation continue to improve our lives and the communities through which we travel. This is a brief introduction to 'greener' ways of commuting. In the coming weeks, please join me as I explore the exciting varieties of travel available to all of us. Stay tuned.

Devlin, soon to ride off into the sunset