has it phizzed out?

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You'll need to define what exactly a 'GreenHouse' is.
Created out of Eco-friendly materials? Or the recycling/reuse of possibly non-ecofriendly materials? On electric/water/sewer grid? Or incorperating altering sources of power and water?

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I agree that we should perhaps focus on one climate solution first and then branch out from there. It would also be great to then offer "accessories" or options that would improve the housing unit.

As far as size etc. I'd like to see the base unit able to support a couple at the very least.

I'm going to look into creating a dedicated site for the project. Does anyone have any suggestions as to what we'll need from the site?

Here are some new questions and ideas I thought about the structure:

• Is the structure easily expandable?
* Can the pieces be prefabricated and easily shipped? Imagine an Ikea-like house that comes in a large box that you put together with a single tool!
* Can walls/dividers be designed that the home owner can easily move and reconfigure? Perhaps they hang from the ceiling?
* Should a typical "box" be the design or maybe something more exotic like a geodesic dome?

-Paul

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I agree with josefow: since much of the housing growth in the US is in the SW region, we should focus our efforts on a designing a house for climate conditions of that region.

We could argue on and on about different types of houses for different types of climate conditions, and while those arguments would hold merit, I think they would complicate this process unecesarily.

Another question to consider: Are we building a house for a small family? A couple? A single person? Do we want to limit the scope of the project in such a way?

Personally I think its a good idea to define a target market...$10K isn't a lot to work with so I don't think there will be much flexibility in design.

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This project is such a great idea - hits many of my favorite soapbox topics at once! I'm a residential architect living and practicing on Florida's Gulf Coast, where real estate has skyrocketed, labor is scarce and dear, everything but wood comes from everywhere else, and storms blow out what shouldn't have been built here in the first place.

Regional info re: availability, labor issues, and natural concerns can really affect the bottom line. Much as I would like to avail myself of opportunities to reuse old building parts, as an architect, I know that code does not allow such reuse of non-tested materials as exterior components and cladding in hurricane zones. New windows and doors are an expensive stumbling block in front of affordable homeowner-built assemblies, though they are a good investment for efficient thermal performance. I would like to find out more about the outlets that Habitat for Humanity reportedly runs--they may be my only viable quasi-local alternative to big box purchases.

So far - the best buildable, non-custom, inexpensive prefab I've seen for where I practice have been Roccio Romero's kits, which apparently ship across the US. I haven't built one yet, though from what I've seen of her drawings, they seem like they might be adaptable to our climate and wind conditions. I'd like to hear anybody's info on structural insulated panels, too.

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I love brainstorming. The first thing that pops in my head is that this would be best figured out regionally. Using locally available materials is often cheaper and greener.

I'm don't know much about this topic yet, but I am looking forward to some stimulating conversation about the topic.

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