Project Info:

This development presented the opportunity to create a model community that intelligently harnesses free and clean solar energy on a brownfield site located above a former coal mining operation.

The project contains a mixture of housing types including: for sale single-family homes, for rent multi-family homes, and apartments - for a total of 153 units. Other than the single-family homes, the properties were reserved for low income and senior housing to address a shortage of affordable housing in Boulder County. The project incorporates passive solar energy, active solar energy, geothermal ground source heat pump technologies, modular built construction, and sustainable building principles with the commitment of achieving a zero-net energy product. The properties were design to maximize visit-ability for the mobility impaired and to facilitate 'aging in place' design for the senior residents.

Design Concepts:

Townhouse Design Concept:
The townhouse units are designed to meet the overall project goals of affordability and sustainability. All the interior townhouse units will be two stories with 3 bedrooms, while each end unit will be a single story and fully handicap accessible. Each unit floorplan is designed to have either a north or south primary entrance. The main living space for each unit will face south to capture passive solar heating and utilize natural daylighting as much as possible. The floorplans of the townhouses are essentially the same as the duplexes in order to maximize construction efficiencies and economies of scale, with a couple additional options to provide variety across the site. The units will vary in size from 1,000 SF to 1,700 SF, with four main plans available. The single-story accessible unit will have two bedrooms with a zero-step entry. The garden unit will have a large courtyard area enclosed by a low wall to provide additional yard space. All three bedrooms will be on the upper floor of the garden unit. The loft unit will have a master bedroom and full bathroom on the first floor and two bedrooms upstairs, with an open loft overlooking the living room below. The garage unit is similar to the Loft unit but has an attached garage and slightly larger footprint. Each unit type has a different exterior appearance, with a variety of materials and finishes available to provide variety across the entire site.

Senior Building Design Concept:
The Senior Building is located on the northeast corner of the site, furthest from the existing residential neighborhoods. The building will be three stories tall with 80 senior apartments, consisting of 24 two-bedroom units and 56 one-bedroom units. The common gathering areas include a large community dining/events room, a commercial kitchen, a small meeting room on each floor, informal seating areas on each floor, a library, and a leasing office. In addition to the interior public spaces, the site around the Senior Building is designed to increase community connections by the provision of community gardens and an entrance plaza. The building will utilize renewable energy with large solar panel arrays mounted on the roof, expansive windows to capture solar heat and daylighting, and natural ventilation strategies for summer cooling. There are currently three exterior design options, which will be refined in further design stages.