Portland, Oregon (PRWEB) November 07, 2011
Hammer & Hand will present a free Cider Mixer and Open House at its newly constructed accessory dwelling unit, the Alameda Ridge ADU, on Wednesday, November 16 (2011), 4-6pm (4217 Northeast 30th Avenue, Portland, Oregon). This soon-to-be-certified Earth Advantage New Home combines modest size with excellent energy performance and ecologically-sound construction for a truly small footprint. (http://hammerandhand.com/announcements/eco-accessory-dwelling-unit-open-house)
Accessory dwelling units, also known as backyard cottages, granny flats, mother-in-law apartments, or simply ADUs, are secondary living units built on residential lots. Fully self-contained, they can be attic or basement conversions, attached additions, or detached structures. In Portland, they must be 800 SF or less in size.
Your typical accessory dwelling unit is inherently eco-friendly because its small and embedded in an existing neighborhood, usually with easy, walkable access to parks, schools, shops and transit, said Sam Hagerman, owner of green builder Hammer & Hand. Now if you take the size and location of that typical ADU and make it extremely efficient, then you can create something special a sustainable home.
Before World War II, ADUs were common in US cities. They offered flexibility for intergenerational households and an affordable housing option for people who could not afford a larger house. But with the societal shift toward low-density sprawl and segregated land uses after WWII, ADUs fell out of favor and were outlawed in most American cities.
Today, accessory dwelling units are experiencing a renaissance, perhaps nowhere more so than here. Portland was among the first cities in the US to encourage ADU development, and just last year the City placed a moratorium on system development charges for ADUs, shaving off as much as $ 15,000 from the cost of developing one. A mini boom in ADU permitting and construction has followed.
The Alameda Ridge ADU is part of this Portland building trend doubly so as it seeks Platinum certification from Portland-based Earth Advantage Institute.
Green building is about more than the latest bamboo flooring product, said Hagerman. Use of sustainable materials is certainly important, but so is the energy performance of the structure youre creating, and its durability. Our building scientists carefully modeled the Alameda Ridge ADU to optimize the architects design and then our career carpenters set to work, using quality components to build the place to last.
The Cider Mixer and Open House will showcase key features of the Alameda Ridge ADUs construction, including:
1.
