Envisioning Green-Built Affordable Housing
The Bainbridge Island Housing Resources Board (HRB) recently opened up a new chapter in the effort to achieve green-built affordable housing on our island. HRB organized a half-day eco-charrette early in June, to bring together members of the community in a search for sustainable design for affordable homes.
The eco-charrette focused on six acres of land in Winslow -- bordering on Ferncliff Avenue, across the Winslow ravine from the new 45-home green-built community called Vineyard Lane. The 6 acres were donated to HRB as a site for affordable homes -- in a generous gift by island resident (and former City Council member) Lois Curtis.
About 30 community members assembled in a meeting space at Grace Church to engage in a three-hour visioning process. Facilitating the eco-charrette were Kathleen O'Brien, founder and leader of sustainable design consulting firm, O'Brien and Company. Kathleen invited brainstorming on environmentally-sensitive site design, green technologies, sustainable materials and cost-effective systems. Active and passive solar energy use were among the topics discussed.
Guidance for the charrette was also provided by Bainbridge architect Julie Kriegh, who has developed a conceptual site plan for the Ferncliff property. Julie recently completed an advanced professional qualification in sustainable design at Olympic College.
HRB executive director Carl Florea coordinated the days event. The community participants learned that energy-efficiency, water conservation, sustainable materials and healthy interior air quality are not only desirable in high-priced homes. These qualities can help make an affordable home all the more affordable over its lifetime. The participants represented a wide variety of local nonprofits, community organizations, design and engineering firms, and the City.
Barry Peters commented: "It was great to join HRB in an eco-charrette to take a first major step toward developing green-built affordable homes in Winslow. The HRB's Ferncliff project started with one citizen's generous donation of land, and it's likely to lead to approximately 45 homes that combine affordability and green energy-efficient design, plus wooded open space and a potential trail along the wooded east rim of the Winslow ravine."
The next step for HRB is a fund-raising drive for approximately $100,000, in order to take the vision for the Ferncliff site to the next level of design.